A Single Ended Wavelet Based Fault Classification
Scheme in Transmission Line
Alok Kumar, Aditya, Saurav Raj, Aman Kumar
Swarnkar, Kundan Barnwal, Sudipta Debnath
Department of Electrical Engineering
Jadavpur University
Kolkata, West Bengal-700032, India
nath_sudipta@yahoo.com
Abstract - Transmission lines are the arteries of power
system network that transfer power from the generating station to
the consumers. Detection of faults and identification of faulty
phase/s are of primary concern to the power system engineers as
fault deteriorates power quality transfer and power stability. This
paper presents a wavelet multiresolution analysis for detection and
classification of faults in a transmission line. The proposed
technique collects current signals of the local end of the
transmission line and uses only half cycle of the post-fault data. All
possible ten types of faults under different fault inception angles
and fault resistances have been detected and classified with
reasonable accuracy. Simulation tests on real time digital
simulator have been carried out in the laboratory and the results
are presented to ascertain that the proposed method is robust to
various types and nature of faults in the transmission lines at
different locations.
Keywords – wavelet transform, transmission line, fault
classification.
I. INTRODUCTION
Whenever a fault event occurs in a power system it causes
damage in the devices connected as well as questions the
reliability of the power system. The key challenge in power
system today lies with the protection of the transmission line.
For the protection we need reliable techniques with the help of
which we can properly detect and isolate the faults that occur in
the transmission line. The transmission line is vulnerable to
faults owing to the different environmental conditions at
different places through which the transmission line travels.
These faults comprise of a major section of the faults that occur
in the modern day power system. Since in the modern era most
of the power systems are interconnected therefore fault
anywhere is a threat to the whole system. Fault clearance has
become faster with the introduction of digital relays.
The digital relays often employ faster and efficient frequency
domain approach based on the wavelet transform (WT).WT has
a good response in both frequency as well as time domain.
Hence WT has been chosen as an effective tool for fault
detection and classification in transmission lines [1]. WT in
conjunction with fuzzy logic [2] or artificial neural network
(ANN) [3] is capable of detecting and classifying faults in
distributed generations also. Complete transmission line
protection scheme for fault detection, classification and
location within a very short time has been achieved by
extracting features from current and/ or voltage signals by WT
and feeding them into ANN [4, 5, 6].The superiority of extreme
learning machine over ANN has been established in [7] where
WT has been used for feature extraction. Smart fault location
algorithms use WT along with computational intelligent
techniques such as ANN or adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference
system (ANFIS) for locating all types of faults in transmission
lines [8, 9]. In recent days FACTS devices have emerged as
viable devices for increasing the transmission power capability.
A number of fault location schemes have been developed for
compensated transmission lines using WT along with ANN or
ANFIS [10, 11, 12].
High impedance fault detection is a challenging task to power
system protection engineers as these faults cannot be
recognized by conventional relays due to the low magnitudes of
the fault currents. WT can monitor high and low frequency
components simultaneously in a distorted signal and has
emerged as an effective tool for high impedance fault
identification [13, 14]. WT and ANFIS can classify high
impedance faults accurately [15].
In this paper a wavelet transform based fault classification
scheme is presented. The advantages of the proposed scheme
are: i) Only local end current signals have been used for
analysis. Hence data synchronization from both ends of the
transmission line is not required. Moreover voltage signal is not
necessary in this scheme, thus reducing the cost of voltage
measuring devices. ii) The scheme is not dependent on any
artificial intelligent techniques thus avoiding the need for
training the expert system. iii) Only three levels of wavelet
decomposition have been used compared to more levels of
decomposition in other schemes. iv) The proposed system is
robust to the changes of fault resistances and fault inception
angles.
II. WAVELET TRANSFORM
Real world signals frequently exhibit slowly changing trends or
oscillations punctuated with transients. To accurately analyse
signals that have abrupt changes, we can use wavelet transform
function that is well localized in time and frequency. The
wavelet transform is similar to the Fourier transform with a
completely different merit function. The main difference is that
the Fourier transform decomposes the signal into sine and
cosine functions i.e. the functions localized in Fourier space; in
contrary the wavelet transform uses functions that are localized A. Detection of Fault
in both the real and Fourier space. A wavelet is a rapidly
For detection of fault the absolute summation of the 1st level
decaying wave like oscillation that has zero mean. Wavelet
detail coefficients are calculated through the wavelet
transform is classified into continuous wavelet transform
decomposition of the fault current for half cycle. If the
(CWT) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT).
summation of the 1st level detail coefficients of all phases is
Signal(Fs)
zero then it is the case of no fault condition.
(1500Hz) B. Classification of Fault
d d1 (LPF) A1(HPF) The fault can be categorized into two groups - ground fault or
(375-750Hz) (0-375Hz)
nonground fault. If the sum of the values of Da3, Db3 and Dc3
is equal to zero then it signifies the presence of a nonground
d2(LPF) A2(HPF) fault i.e. it is either double line (L-L) fault or triple line(L-L-L)
(187.5-375Hz) (0-187.5Hz) fault. If the sum of the values of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 differ from
zero then it signifies the presence of ground fault i.e. either
d3(LPF) A3(HPF) single line to ground (L-G) fault or double line to ground (L-L-
(93.75-187.5Hz) (0-93.75Hz) G) fault. In case of a nonground fault if the value of |∑d1| is less
than a threshold value ‘ε’ in any one of the phases, then that
Fig. 1 Wavelet decomposition at sampling frequency of 1.5 kHz particular phase is considered to be healthy phase and therefore
The DWT of a signal is given by it is the case of L-L fault, otherwise it signifies L-L-L fault. The
value of ‘ε’ has been considered as 30 in our paper. In case of
L-L fault if the value of |Da3 + Db3| is minimum then it is the
case of AB fault and if it is not minimum then we check the
value of |Db3 + Dc3|. If the value of |Db3 + Dc3| is minimum
where x(k) is the sampled signal ,j(n) represents the mother wavelet, then it signifies that BC fault has occurred. If |Db3 + Dc3| is not
a0m is the dilation coefficient and la0m is the translational coefficient. minimum then it signifies the presence of AC fault.

The main application for discrete wavelet analysis is in Measurement of 3-phase current signal
removing noise and compression of signals. DWT process is
similar to comparing a signal with discrete multi rate filter
Wavelet decomposition upto level 3
banks. The signal under consideration is first filtered with low-
pass and high-pass filters and decomposed into approximate
and detail coefficients A1 and d1 respectively as shown in Fig.1. Is |∑d1|~0
YES for all NO
Half of the samples are discarded after filtering. The filters phases?
typically have a small number of coefficients and result in good
computational performance. For the next level of No Fault Fault
decomposition the output of low pass filter is again subsampled Is
YES NO
into two components by the same technique to yield narrower Da3+Db3+D
c3=0?
sub-band A2 and d2 and the process continues for the next level. LL / LLL
LG / LLG
The length of the number of coefficients in sub-band is half of
the number of coefficients in the preceding stage. Thus DWT
Is ∑|d1|< ɛ
helps in analysing signals at progressively narrower sub-bands for any
at different resolutions. YES phase? NO Is
YES Db3*- NO
III. PROPOSED ALGORITHM LL LLL
Dc3*=
min?
Is
The three phase current signals at the local terminals are Is
Dc3*-
Da3*=
analysed with db4 mother wavelet upto level three. The Is YES min? NO
Da3*=
min?
sampling frequency Fs has been considered as 1.5 kHz. d1, d2 YES |Da3+ NO
YES NO
Db3|=
and d3 represent detail coefficients of level 1, 2 and 3 min?
Is BCG AG
respectively. Da3, Db3 and Dc3 represent the summation of the YES |Db3+ NO
AB
detail coefficients of the three phase currents at 3rdlevel of Dc3|=
min?
decomposition.Da3*, Db3* and Dc3* represent the summation BC AC
of the absolute values of the detail coefficients of the 3 phase
Is Is
current i.e.Da3 = ∑d3 for A phase, Db3 = ∑d3 for B phase and Db3*= Dc3*=
min?
Dc3 = ∑d3 for C phase. Da3* = ∑│d3│ for A phase, Db3* = YES
min?
NO YES NO
∑│d3│ for B phase and Dc3* = ∑│d3│ for C phase.
CAG BG ABG CG

Fig. 2 Flowchart of fault detection and classification

 If it is the case of ground fault then we first check if (Db3* -
Dc3*) is minimum. If it is minimum then we check whether
Da3* is minimum or not. If Da3* is minimum then it is BCG
fault, else it is AG fault. Again, if (Db3*-Dc3*) is not minimum
then we check if (Dc3*-Da3*) is minimum. If it is minimum then
we check whether Db3* is minimum. If Db3* is minimum then
it is ACG fault, otherwise it is BG fault. If the difference
between Dc3* and Da3* is not minimum then we check whether
Dc3* is minimum. If Dc3* is minimum then it signifies ABG
fault, else it is CG fault.
IV. TRANSMISSION MODEL Fig.4 Current waveform of three phases under no fault condition
The single line diagram of the system considered in the
proposed scheme is shown in Fig. 3. The 300km transmission
line consists of both end feeding with 400kV sources and
operates at 50Hz frequency. The system has been modelled in
MATLAB/ SIMULINK environment and the system
parameters are as follows:

Bus 1 300km
Bus 2

(a)

Source 1 Source 2

Fault
Load 1 Load 2

Fig. 3 Single line diagram of tested system

Source 1: 1250MVA, X/R= 10, 400 Ð200 KV; (b)

Source 2: 1250MVA, X/R =10, 400 Ð00 KV;
Load 1: 100KW, 100KVR; Load 2: 250KW.
Zero sequence resistance, inductance and capacitance of the
line are 0.3864Ω/km,4.1264mH/km and 7.751x10-3 µF/km
respectively. Positive sequence resistance, inductance and
capacitance are 0.01273 Ω/km,0.9337mH/km and 12.74x10-3
µF/km respectively.

V. SIMULATION RESULTS
(c)
All ten types of faults i.e. LGA, LGB, LGC, LLAB, LLBC,
LLCA, LLGAB, LLGBC, LLGCA and LLL faults have been
simulated at interval of 30 km. The fault resistances considered
for simulation are 0, 10 and 40 Ω at fault inception angles of 00,
450 and 900. The three phase current waveform under normal
condition of operation is shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 depicts the
current signals in all the three phases under different types of
faults.
In case of fault condition there is distortion in the current
waveform at the instant of fault inception i.e. at 0.02 sec. The (d)
nature of the distortion depends upon the type of fault. Fig. 5(a) Fig. 5 Current waveform of three phases under fault condition
shows the line to ground fault in phase A where there is a large
(a) LG fault in phase A (b) LLG fault in phase AB
distortion of current in phase A waveform at the instant of fault.
There is distortion in all the phases in case of LLGAB fault and (c) LL fault in phase AB (d) LLL fault
in LLAB fault distortion occurs only in phases A and B as current waveforms in LLL fault where all three phases are
shown in Fig. 5(b) and 5(c) respectively. Fig. 5(d) shows the highly distorted as compared to the no fault condition. In order
to diagnose the faults more effectively, the technique of wavelet differences are observed. In this case Da3*-Db3* = -3565.095,
transform is used. Fig. 6 shows the waveform of the three detail Db3*-Dc3* = 3887.366 andDc3*-Da3* = 272.271. Hence it is
coefficients of all three phases in case of LL fault in phase A either BG fault or CAG(LLG) fault. Again Da3* = 1190.325,
and B after wavelet decomposition of the current signals. Db3* = 4755.42 and Dc3* = 918.054. As Db3* is not minimum
among Da3* Db3* and Dc3*, therefore it is a BG fault. Table I
The data for classification of different types of faults has been shows the summation of the absolute values of the detail
obtained from OPALRT RTDS (Real time digital simulator) coefficients of level three for ground faults.
using 3rd level WT decomposition of current signals with db4 as
TABLE I. Summation of absolute values of 3rd level detailed coefficients of
the mother wavelet with sampling frequency of1.5kHz. The 3rd ground faults
level detail coefficients contain 2nd and 3rd harmonic
components in the band of 93.75-187.5 Hz. The summation of Distance
Degree, from Fault
detail coefficients Da3, Db3 and Dc3 signify the presence of 2nd impedance sending
Da3* Db3* Dc3*
Type
and 3rd order harmonic components in current signal. During end(km)
the no fault condition the sum of the 1st level detail coefficients 30 72303.19 4695.23 5523.39
of all phases is zero. The values of Da1, Db1 and Dc1 are 90 5296.35 1578.54 1070.34
0 degree,
150 14141.38 5690.35 4876.89 AG
0.48095, 0.12089 and -0.60184 respectively whose sum is 0ohm
210 3884.27 1122.14 1260.73
equal to zero. The validation and performance of the fault 270 9232.49 4446.78 5768.81
detection and classification algorithm is checked using a 30 1166.12 4148.18 1138.11
90 1190.33 4755.42 918.05
number of simulations performed in the Matlab environment at 45 degree,
150 1339.44 2798.86 614.03 BG
different distances and different values of fault resistances. The 10ohm
210 1434.03 2617.85 462.85
values of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 are calculated for all types of faults. 270 1538.31 2049.85 735.49
30 3678.99 3214.30 15172.06
90 3761.48 3182.19 9722.59
90 degree,
150 3931.54 3851.04 9071.90 CG
40ohm
210 3832.75 3292.18 4951.47
270 3838.82 3367.58 3565.90
30 6957.63 6068.53 1316.25
90 6130.48 5126.19 1204.96
0 degree,
150 5450.79 4442.46 1120.19 ABG
10ohm
210 4887.59 4021.31 1096.88
270 4522.43 3956.69 1157.38
30 3193.06 21973.35 24395.26
(a) 90 3059.06 15304.97 16799.73
45 degree,
150 2908.58 11319.99 11866.82 BCG
40ohm
210 2986.98 8641.26 8565.85
270 2954.89 5905.58 5515.75
30 71576.06 3292.01 86186.79
90 23889.35 3355.28 30450.72
90 degree, 150 13850.02 3346.84 18758.44 CAG
0ohm 210 9473.94 3364.54 13670.01
270 7013.42 3364.63 10795.69

TABLE II. Summation of absolute values of 3rd level detailed coefficients of

(b) nonground faults

Distance
Degree, from Fault
Da3 Db3 Dc3
impedance sending Type
end(km)
60 -711.93 535.19 176.62
0 degree, 120 -655.25 478.41 176.80
AB
40 ohm 180 -619.15 442.34 176.78
240 -571.43 394.79 176.58
60 550.89 -6824.93 6273.98
(c) 45 degree, 120 550.75 -3586.43 3035.60
BC
Fig. 6 Variation of detail coefficients (d1, d2 and d3) in LLAB fault 0 ohm 180 550.81 -2482.76 1931.92
240 550.39 -1924.01 1373.60
(a)Phase A (b) Phase B (c) Phase C
60 -295.92 28.37 267.62
For example, for a distance of 90 km and fault resistance of 90 degree, 120 -266.24 28.502 237.79
CA
10 ohm 180 -285.23 28.50 256.76
10W the values of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 are 195.3087, 76.8101 and 240 -273.07 28.39 244.72
-75.0068 respectively for a particular type of fault. The sum of 60 -820.38 -864.27 1684.65
Da3, Db3 and Dc3 i.e. Da3+Db3+Dc3 is not equal to zero, 45 degree, 120 -734.43 -774.57 1508.99
ABC
therefore it is a ground fault. Now according to the proposed 10 ohm 180 -709.73 -659.43 1369.17
algorithm, we calculate Da3*, Db3* and Dc3*. Then their mutual 240 -658.04 -586.56 1244.61
 TABLE III. Fault classification results

Fault AG BG CG AB BC CA ABG BCG CAG ABC

AG
Category 81 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BG 0 81 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CG 0 2 78 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
AB 0 0 0 76 0 5 0 0 0 0
BC 0 0 0 0 81 0 0 0 0 0
CA 0 0 0 0 0 81 0 0 0 0
ABG 0 0 0 0 0 0 81 0 0 0
BCG 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 79 0 0
CAG 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 76 0
ABC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 81

Similarly, considering a fault at 210km with a fault resistance
of 0W the values of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 are -961.085 -474.416 and
2165.256 respectively. The sum of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 is not
equal to zero therefore it is a ground fault. The absolute values
Da3*, Db3* and Dc3* are 9473.9434, 3364.5386 and
13670.0118 respectively. Now according to proposed algorithm
Dc3* - Da3* = 4196.068, which is minimum among the three
differences. Again among Da3*, Db3* and Dc3*, Db3* is
minimum. Therefore it is CAG fault.
Consider the case of BC fault at a distance of 60 km and having
fault impedance of 0W. The corresponding values of Da3, Db3
and Dc3 are 550.8982 -6824.932 and 6273.988 respectively.
The sum of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 is nearly equal to zero. Therefore
it is a non- ground fault condition. Here ∑|d1| is 5.619 for phase
A, 336.062 for phase B and 337.230 for phase C. As ∑|d1| < ε
for phase A therefore it is the healthy phase and it signifies the
presence of L-L fault. The sum of |Da3+Db3| = 6274.0338 which
is not minimum. Thereby we calculate |Db3+Dc3| = 550.8982
which is minimum. This signifies that the fault is BC fault.
Similar is the case with ABC fault at a distance of 120km and
fault impedance of 10W. The corresponding values of Da3, Db3
and Dc3 are -734.4253 -774.5704 and 1508.9958 respectively.
The sum of Da3, Db3 and Dc3 is nearly equal to zero. Therefore
it is a nonground fault condition. Here ∑|d1| = 1243.959 for
phase A, 1438.823 for phase B and 226.198 for phase C. As
∑|d1| is not less than ε in any phase therefore it signifies the
presence of L-L-L fault i.e. ABC fault. Table II presents the
summation of detail coefficients of level three for nonground
faults.
All ten types of faults have been simulated at 9 locations, at
inception angles of 00, 450 and 900 considering fault resistances
of 0Ω, 10Ω and 40Ω. Hence for each category of fault 81 results
have been obtained out of which there are 15 misclassifications
as shown in Table III. Hence the accuracy of the proposed
scheme is 98.15%.
VI. CONCLUSION
A wavelet based fault detection and classification scheme is
proposed in this paper. This scheme uses current signal at one
end of the transmission line thus avoiding the need for data
synchronization which reduces the cost associated with
protection equipment. The low frequency and high frequency
components obtained from decomposition of current signals by
wavelet transform are used as discriminative features for
detection and classification of faults. Proposed scheme is not
affected by variations in fault parameters such as fault location,
fault inception angle and fault resistance and detects and
classifies fault within half cycle after the occurrence of the fault.
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