Single Phase to Earth Fault Location Method in
Distribution Network Based on Signal Injection
Principle
BAI Yong, CONG Wei, LI Jiansheng, DING Lei, LU
Qingdong
School of Electrical Engineering
Shandong University
Jinan, China
860207baiyong@gmail.com
Abstract—A single phase to earth fault location method in
distribution network based on signal injection principle is
proposed .It is expected to solve single phase to earth fault
location problem in neutral indirectly earth system. When single
phase to earth fault occurs, a sine current signal with constant
frequency is injected into the fault phase from potential
transformer’s secondary side, the injected signal current and its
voltage drop on the fault line can be measured through the fault
line's zero sequence current transformer (CT) and potential
transformer (PT) on the bus. Based on distributed parameter
model of distribution line, we can get the relational expressions
between injected signal voltage and current at measuring point
and fault point, then, we can solve the fault distance by using the
resistive characteristic of transition resistance. This method is not
affected by system structure and operating mode, and the use of
distributed parameter line model eliminating the impact of
distributed capacitance, the result of fault distance has high
precision. Simulation results verify the correctness and feasibility
of the proposed method.
Keyword: injected signal; distribution line; single phase to
earth fault; distributed parameter; fault location
I. INTRODUCTION
When single phase to earth fault occurs in distribution
network, on one hand, the three phase line to line voltages are
still symmetric, the load can keep on running for 1-2 hours, so
distribution networks (6-35kV) commonly employ non-
effectively earthed neutrals in China; on the other hand, the
fault current is very small and the fault steady characteristics
are inconspicuous, so it bring more difficulty to fault feeder
selection and fault location. Many power system experts and
scholars have done a lot of research for the issue of single
phase to earth fault feeder selection in distribution network, till
now, the existing methods include steady state method,
transient method, signal injection method, synthesis method,
etc, and these methods have acquired remarkable application
results[1-5]. Affected by inconspicuous fault steady
characteristic, complex structure of distribution network,
This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China
（NO.50807032）.
978-1-4577-0365-2/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE
YANG Ning
Shandong Electric Power Corporation
Jinan, China
unbalanced line parameters, the accuracy and precision of fault
location need to be improved urgently.
A lot of research work has been done to solve the difficult
issue of fault location. Reference paper [1] uses least square
method to improve the location accuracy. Paper [2] employs
integral method to eliminate the transition resistance in location
equation. Paper [3] makes use of the active power detected
from the protection to calculate the transition resistance, in
order to compensate measurement impedance. Paper [4]
considers the impact of the change of fault arc to fault location.
Paper [5] eliminates the opposite current in differential
equations, regards fault distance, transition resistance and
contra lateral system operation parameters as unknown
variables to identify. However, papers [1-4] assume the current
at observation devices and fault point have the same phase, so
the principle error is inevitably. Although paper [5] could
eliminate measurement error caused by high transition
resistance, it can’t be used for metallic ground short fault, and
its parameter identification equation is sensitive to initial value
and not easy to converge.
Signal injection method possess advantages of not being
influenced by system structure and operation mode, and signal
characteristic is obvious, so it is used widely in single phase to
earth fault feeder selection. Signal injection method not only
can be used in fault selection, but also can be used in fault
location[6-8]. Traditional fault location method is manual
‘tracing method’ (the detectors find fault point along the fault
line by using hand-held detectors, observing its output, the
point where the injected signal disappears or decays obviously
is fault point). The method has high sensitivity and accuracy,
but its automatcity is low, its application is restricted by poor
conditions and night. The distribution of injected signal in the
fault line has definite pattern, the injected signal current and
voltage always have a fixed mathematical relationship with
fault line parameters, fault distance and the transition resistance
and so on, we can write out the equations describing the
mathematical relationship based on line mathematical model,
fault distance can be solved by solving these equations [9]. This
paper provides a single phase to earth fault location method
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based on signal injection principle, this method is not affected
by system structure and the operation mode, and the use of
distributed parameter line model can avoid influence of
distributed capacitance, so it has high location accuracy and
precision.
II. PRINCIPLE OF SIGNAL INJECTION METHOD
When single phase to earth fault occurs in distribution
network, fault phase voltage will drop, non-fault phase voltage
and zero-sequence voltage will increase, the fault phase can be
determined according to these features [10]. Signal injection
device will inject special frequency signal into the fault phase
from PT’s secondary side automatically, PT couples injected
signal to primary system. The injected signal source is a current
source, the current amplitude is about 5A, its frequency is
different from power system natural frequency, that is to say,
the injected signal frequency can not be integer multiples of
50Hz and should meet the requirements of the following
formula:
n ⋅ 50 H z < f s < ( n + 1 ) ⋅ 50 H z , n = 1, 2, 3... （1）
Where, fs is frequency of the injected signal.
Schematic of the signal injection method is shown in Figure
1.
Figure 1. Schematic of the signal injection method
L0, L1, L2 represent three outlets of distribution system
respectively, when A phase to earth fault occurs in L0, A phase
voltage of bus drops, B phase, C phase and zero-sequence
voltage increases, the signal injection equipment will detect the
system occurs A phase to earth fault, then the signal source
injects special frequency current into A phase through PT’s
secondary side, dotted line 1 represents the injected current
path in the PT’s secondary side, dotted line 2 represents the
injected current path in the fault line, injected signal exits in
fault line and non-fault lines, considering all of the lines have
distributed capacitance. The injected signal will all flow
through the fault line in case of metallic ground short circuit
and ignoring distribution line impedance. In case of non-
metallic ground short circuit, non-fault lines also have injected
signal, its magnitude depends on the transition resistance and
the distributed capacitance of the non-fault line.
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In normal circumstances, when transition resistor is not too
large (less than 300 ohms), the amplitude of injected signal
flowing into the fault line is much larger than any non-fault
lines, fault line can be identified by comparing the amplitude of
injected signal flowing into each line. This is the basic
principle of single phase to earth fault feeder selection method
in distribution network based on signal injection method.
Because the fault line has grounding point, the injected signal
will flow back along the ground loop through the grounding
point, nearly no signal current flows into the downstream lines,
because there is no grounding point. Injected signal can be
detected along the fault line, the signal will disappear or its
amplitude will decay obviously at the fault point, this is the
basic principle of manual detection of fault point based on
signal injection method.
III.PRINCIPLE OF SINGLE PHASE TO EARTH FAULT
LOCATION BASED ON SIGNAL INJECTION PRINCIPLE
A. The mathematical model of single phase to earth fault
location in distribution network
When single phase to earth fault occurs in distribution
network, the amplitude of injected signal current flowing into
fault line and non-fault lines is different, it depends on fault
distance, fault resistance, number of lines and line parameters,
and etc. The signal current injected into different lines must
flow through zero sequence current transformers, the amplitude
of the injected signal current flowing into each line can be
measured through their zero sequence current transformers, at
the same time, the injection signal current will cause
appropriate voltage drop in the bus, the voltage drop is also
relevant to fault distance, fault resistance, line parameters and
other factors, the voltage can be measured through bus
potential transformer. From the above analysis we can see that
injected signal current and its voltage have a definite
mathematical relationship with the fault distance, fault
resistance, line parameters. The mathematical relationship is
the basis for solving the fault distance.
Generally speaking, the length of distribution line is short,
in distribution line analysis, we always use lumped parameter
line model, such as π-type equivalent circuit, T-type equivalent
circuit or Γ-type equivalent circuit [11-14]. Lumped parameter
model is a simplified model based on premise of ignoring line
distribution characteristic, in this model, we make equivalent
concentration for impedance and distributed capacitance of
line, so the analysis and calculation results will have some error
inevitably. The distributed parameter line model considering
line distribution characteristic, so it is fully able to describe line
characteristic accurately. More importantly, the distributed
parameter model considers the influence of distributed
capacitance, the results are kept from the impact of distributed
capacitance. Therefore, we can get higher accuracy and
precision when analyze and calculate fault distance by
employing distributed parameter model. This paper employs
distributed parameter model for fault analysis and calculation.
Distributed parameter line model is shown in Figure 2.
 In Figure 2, U1 and I1 represent voltage and current pharos accurately extract the injected signal from output signals of
transformers, we should employ appropriate analog filters and
at left side respectively, U and I represent voltage and current
2 2 digital filters.
pharos at right side respectively, l represents line length, z1
represents line resistance per unit length, y1 represents line B. Solution of fault distance
admittance per unit length. In equation (2), fault distance x is unknown, so Ux and Ix
are also unknown, only by equation (2), we can not solve the
I 2 fault distance. Set transition resistor as Rg ，the distribution of
I 1 I + d I I
z1d x1 injected signal current and voltage at fault point is shown in
shown in Figure 3.
U 1 U + dU y1d x U U 2
Ix
x d x U x
l
Rg C
Figure 2. Distributed parameter line model
Ig IC
In the premise of knowing the voltage and current phasors
U1 and I1 at line beginning end, the voltage and current phasors
 Figure 3. Distribution of injected signal current and voltage
at point which distance from the beginning of the line is x are:
Where, Ux is injected signal voltage at fault point, Ix is
⎧U x = U 1 ⋅ cosh ( γ ⋅ x ) − Z c ⋅ I1 ⋅ sinh ( γ ⋅ x )
⎪ injected signal current flowing into point x at fault point, Rg is
⎨ U 1 （2）
⎪ I x = I 1 ⋅ cosh ( γ ⋅ x ) − Z ⋅ sinh ( γ ⋅ x )
 transition resistor, I is injected signal current phasor flowing
g
⎩ c
through transition resistor, C is equivalent distributed
Where, γ = z1 ⋅ y1 is transmission coefficient of line ， capacitance from fault point to the end of fault line. C is
Zc = z1 y1 is characteristic impedance of line [15-16]. presented by a lumped parameter capacitance. Ix is injected
signal current flowing through lumped parameter capacitance.
Equation (2) applied to the power-frequency signal of In the case of metallic ground short circuit, Rg = 0, so Ux =0，
50Hz, and it also applied to other frequency voltage and current
signals. I = 0， I = I , the influence of lumped parameter capacitance
C x g

can be ignored.
Figure 2 shows distributed parameter model of a single-
phase line, but the real power system all has three-phase lines, if Rg ≠ 0, then Ux ≠ 0， Ig = Ix −IC , part of the injection signal
if we analyze and calculate the fault distance by using power-
will flow through distributed capacitance, and the influence of
frequency signal of 50Hz, especially in case of asymmetric
lumped parameter capacitance can not be ignored, otherwise, it
terms, single-phase line model can not be directly used, the
will bring some errors to the fault distance. Because the
three-phase line should be decoupled by using appropriate
equivalent distributed capacitance is commonly small, most of
transformation method. But for injected signal, when single
the injected signal current will flow through transition resistor,
phase to earth fault occurs, the injected signal current is only
only a very small part of the injected signal current will flow
injected into the fault phase, the non-fault phases don’t have
through downstream line of fault point, and voltage drop
injected signal. Taking into account that the amplitude of the
caused by this part of injected signal current is small. In order
signal injected into primary system is very small, just about
to simplify the process of analysis and calculation, it is not
50mA, the injected signal coupled into non-fault phases
necessary to employ distributed parameter model for the
through mutual inductance and distributed capacitance between
downstream line of fault point, and lumped parameter model
each phase can be ignored, the injected signal is only exit in the
can fully meet the accuracy requirements, the injected signal
fault phase. Therefore, we analyze and calculate the injected
current in the fault point downstream line form a loop by
signal in three-phase system, but we can employ single-phase
flowing through distributed capacitance, so it is reasonable to
line model, by using this method, the analysis and calculation
use a capacitance C with lumped parameter characteristics
process can be greatly simplified.
replace the distributed capacitance to ground of fault point
It should be noted that although the injected signal current downstream line, the value of C can be determined by the
and voltage can be measured through PT and zero sequence following equation:
CT, the signal which is output from the transformers contains
not only the injected signal but also power-frequency signal of C = ( l − x ) ⋅ c1 （3）
50Hz and harmonic signals with greater amplitude. In these Where, c1 is line distributed capacitance per unit length.
signals, the amplitude of the power-frequency signal of 50Hz is
greatest, its amplitude is about 100 times or even greater than At point x , we can get the following equations:
that of injected signal. For the injected signal, power-frequency
signal and harmonic signals are interference signals, in order to

206
 ⎧U x = Ig ⋅ R g r0 = 0.63Ω / km; l0 = 3.3e − 3H / km; c0 = 4.9e − 9 F / km
.
⎪⎪
Injected signal frequency is 80Hz:
⎨ Ig = Ix − IC （4）
⎪  The fault occurs in the outlet L4, the fault distance from the
⎪⎩ I C = U x ⋅ jω C bus is 3km , 5km , 7km ,10km respectively, the fault type is A
By simplify equations (4) , we can get the following phase earth short circuit , simulate two fault conditions:
equation: metallic grounding and transition resistance grounding, the
transition resistances are taken as 50Ω , 100Ω , 200Ω , 300Ω .
U x
Rg = （5） Fault location results are shown in Table 1, where the fault
Ix − U x ⋅ jω C location error = | measuring distance - actual distance |/line
Equation (5) is a complex equation, it contains two length.
unknowns, they are fault distance x and transition resistor Rg .
We should note that transition resistor Rg is only a resistor, TABLE I. FAULT LOCATION RESULTS
imaginary part of equation (5) should be 0, so we can eliminate Fault Transition Measuring Measuring
the unknown number Rg , then another unknown number can be distance/Km resistance/Ω distance /Km error /%
solved easily, that is fault distance x . 0 2.994 0.060
50 2.992 0.080
There are two methods to solve fault distance x : the first 3 100 2.987 0.130
one, for equation(5), by making further sorting and we can get 200 3.979 0.210
a equation of imaginary part of Rg , let the equation equal to 0, 300 2.975 0.250
then we can solve fault distance x, but because equations of U x
0 5.996 0.040
50 4.995 0.050
and Ix are complex, it is difficult to obtain the equation of 5 100 4.990 0.100
200 4.982 0.180
imaginary part of Rg , even if we can get the equation,
300 4.978 0.220
calculation can be quite large. The second one, directly solve 0 6.998 0.020
fault distance by employing iterative method based on equation 50 6.996 0.040
(5). Let the initial value of unknown number x equal to 0 and 7 100 6.993 0.070
take iterative step Δx, for different value of x, the value of 200 6.985 0.150
equation (5) will be different, the value of x that make 300 6.981 0.190
imaginary part of equation (5) be 0 is fault distance, this 0 9.999 0.010
method is relatively simple to achieve by using a computer. In 50 9.998 0.020
this paper, we will use the second method to solve the fault 10 100 9.995 0.050
distance. 200 9.990 0.100
300 9.988 0.120

IV. SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS

A 10kV neutral indirectly earth system is built by PSCAD.
Simulation model is shown in Figure 4, it includes a bus, four
outlets (L1, L2, L3, L4), The length of L1, L2, L3, L4 is
5km , 7km , 8km , 10km respectively, injected signal source is
connected to TV’s secondary side.
Figure 4. Simulation model
Line positive sequence parameters are:
r1 = 0.21Ω / km; l1 = 1.1e − 3H / km; c0 = 1.08e − 8F / km
. fault location method for distribution lines based on fixed-
Line zero sequence parameters are:
From the above simulation results we can find that：
1) When metallic ground short circuit occurs, the
measuring distance has the highest accuracy.
2) When transition resistance ground short circuit occurs,
with the grounding resistance increasing, fault location error
also increases, probably because we use a lumped parameter
capacitance instead of the grounding capacitance in the fault
point downstream line and ignore the line impedance of this
part.
3) When the transition resistance is constant, with the fault
distance increasing, the error become smaller, probably
because grounding capacitance behind the short circuit point
become smaller, the impact caused by lumped parameter
treatment become smaller .
V. CONCLUSION
Simulation results verify the correctness and feasibility of
the proposed method. The simulation results also show that: the
frequency signal injection method has high accuracy. This
method is not affected by system structure and operation mode,

207
the location results possess advantages of strong ability to
withstand transition resistor and not being influenced by arc
suppression coil. And the use of distributed parameter line
model, eliminating the impact of distributed capacitance, the
result of fault location has high precision, but for overhead
lines which have branches or with uneven line parameters need
further study.
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