Іntegration of New
Single-Phase-to-Ground Faults Detection Devices
into Existing SmartGrid Systems
Bezruchko Viacheslav Buinyi Roman
dept. of electrical systems and networks dept. of electrical systems and networks
Chernihiv National University Chernihiv National University
of Technology of Technology
Chennihiv, Ukraine Chennihiv, Ukraine
slavajm@meta.ua buinyiroman@gmail.com
Tkach Volodymyr
dept. of perspective development
PJSC "Chernihivoblenergo"
Chennihiv, Ukraine
v.tkach1972@gmail.com
Abstract – A new method for determining the location of
single-phase-to-ground faults through pin insulation in power
networks with isolated neutral with using smart technologies
has been proposed. The developed device for determining the
location of faults in the power network with an accuracy of
transmission tower. The features of connecting developed
devices to existing SCADA-systems of network companies are
described.
Keywords – single-phase-to-ground faults, SmartGrid, search
for a fault location.
I. INTRODUCTION
In Ukraine all power networks of medium voltage
(6-10 kV) are built with isolated neutral. It gives a high
reliability of power supply because the network works with
single-phase-to-ground fault.
When network is working with a single-phase-to-ground
fault, the voltage on pin insulation is rising to line-to-line
value. It increases the probability of line-to-line fault which
leads to urgent switching off the customers. The territory
which can be switched off always is large. If the reclosing is
unsuccessful, many customers will stay without power
supply until emergency crew fixes problems in the overhead
line. For example, in [1] it is proposed to partition the
electrical network with switching devices to improve the
reliability indicators of SAIDI, SAIFI and ENS. However,
the search for the place of fault is still carried out by the
emergency crew.
There are many ways to find the place where a single-
phase-to-ground fault happened. Currently, in our country
the most common search method is based on the analysis of
the electromagnetic field along the overhead line. If the
power line is long, the emergency crew can spend a lot of
time before finding that place.
Currently, the following devices are used for determining
the locations of fault:
 devices for the "traditional" search. It is «Poisk»,
«Zond», «Spektr», «Volna», «Kvant» and others;
 alarm indicator devices which are mounted on the
tower [2]. Such devices are installed at each branch of
the overhead line. It allows to record the presence of a
line-to-line fault on the branch and line-to-ground
XXX-X-XXXX-XXXX-X/XX/$XX.00 ©20XX IEEE
Strogii Andrij
dept. of electrical systems and networks
Chernihiv National University
of Technology
Chennihiv, Ukraine
vmexanik1@gmail.com
fault when one of the other lines is shortening to
ground. In such cases short-circuit current occur and
cause damage to the equipment. Also this alarm
indicator have battery which will require service;
 alarm indicator devices which are mounted on the
aerial conductor [3]. They consist of three devices
which are mounted on each aerial conductor. Such a
device also is installed on each branch of the
overhead line and allows to find out only a branch
where a fault happened;
 short circuit indicator [4]. Such a device is mounted
on the tower and works the same as the previous
ones, so it has similar principles of operation and
shortcomings. However, it is powered by solar panels
and its battery also requires significant maintenance
costs.
All of the above devices only allow narrowing down the
search area to the detected branch from the main line. After
this, the fault should be found in the “traditional” way by
searching, when an emergency crew walks around the power
line and performs visual inspection.
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE ARTICLE
The purpose of this article is to offer a device whose
principle of action is based on a new method of detecting a
single-phase-to-ground fault only through pin insulation on
the tower’s pole-arms in a 6-10kV overhead line with
isolated neutral and integration of these devices into existing
SCADA systems.
III. INNOVATIVE DEVICE
A. Installation of devices
It is proposed to install the device on the metal grounding
descent of pole-arm of each overhead line tower. On the Fig.
1 you can see example of mounting device on the tangent
tower with pin-type insulators.
The electronic circuit board of the device is supposed to
be hermetically filled with a compound for its moisture-
proofness.

1 – pin-type insulator, 2 – pole-arm,
3 – reinforced concrete rack overhead line tower,
4 – the armature of the grounding, 5 – steel rod,
6 – the proposed device is filled with compound.
Fig. 1. Tower of the overhead power line with proposed
device
In normal operating condition of the network (absence of
fault current through the tower) the device is without power
supply. As a result, the device has high reliability.
It is known from statistics that more than 90% of a
single-phase-to-ground faults take place through pin-type
isolator. Therefore, such placement of a sensor will allow to
track most of the faults.
B. Principle of operation
On the Fig. 2 it is shown a connecting circuit device to
the fittings of the grounding.
The device has the current transformer on its input. The
device is powered through this transformer built on toroidal
core. Armature of the pole-arm grounding must be threaded
through toroidal core.
As you can see, that connected device doesn’t change the
grounding system.
Fig. 2. Circuit that connects the device to the fittings
Fig. 3. Prototype of the proposed device
In the event of a single-phase-to-ground fault current
through the pin-type insulator on one of the overhead line
towers, the current flows through an insulator on this
support, a pole-arm into the ground. The value of this current
for Ukrainian overhead electrical networks 6-10 kV with an
insulated neutral is in the range of 0.5 to 20 Amps.
This current flows through the current transformer of the
proposed device and feeds the energy storage. Having
accumulated a sufficient amount of energy, the device sends
a message to the control center. The message is sent via
GSM communication channel.
It is important to highlight that the message is sent not at
the moment when fault happened. At first, the energy storage
must accumulate energy. It can take several minutes. It
depends on the value of the fault current. But it is still faster
than the “traditional” or other way of search.
Detailed information about principle of action,
construction, specific of used and calculations can be found
in the article [5].
C. Existing prototype
Prototype of proposed device was built and it was tested
in the laboratory and in the existing power line. Device photo
is showed on the Fig. 3. This device was patented [6].
This prototype showed that it can accumulate energy and
send a message in 5-10 minutes if the current is 2 Amps. If in
other overhead line the current of single-phase-to-ground
fault is larger, the time will decrease.
The value of the single-phase-to-ground fault current
through the pin-type insulator in the electric network of 6-
10 kV can be calculated by the formula obtained by the
method of equivalent generator:
U line to line
 I line to  ground fault   
2
 1 
3 R 
2

 3  C 
where Uline-to-line – RMS value of nominal line-to-line voltage
of power distribution lines; R – fault resistance at the place of
the fault; ω – angular frequency (in Ukraine 314 rad/s);
C – the total capacity of the overhead line, that powered by
one section of busbar of substation.
 From the above formula it can be seen that the highest
value of the single-phase-to-ground fault current
I maxline-to-ground fault will occur when R=0. However, as a rule,
all fault through the insulator of overhead line 6-10kV have
some fault resistance. On Fig. 4 it is shown how single-
phase-to-ground fault current changes when fault resistance
changes from zero to a high level.
Fig. 4. Dependence of fault current on fault resistance
The proposed device can detect the location of a single-
phase-to-ground fault, but device will have a zone of low
sensitivity (its zone is shown on Fig. 4). If a single-phase-
ground fault current is so low, the detection time will be
long.
It should be noted that the fault resistance changes over
time. If the searching time for fault takes a long time, such
faults can go off and then recur [7-8]. It can give many
problems when you use "traditional" way to searching. The
proposed device allows to identify such faults, but this may
take indefinite time. As you can see that low sensitivity zone
start from R>11.5 kOhm.
IV. ІNTEGRATION INTO EXISTING SYSTEMS
A. Existing systems
Consider existing systems in Ukrainian companies on the
example of the PJSC “Chernihivoblenergo”, which provides
services of electricity distribution in the power networks of
Chernihiv region. Today in PJSC “Chernihivoblenergo”
there are several separate systems to control the networks.
First system is automated electricity commercial
metering system. This system is used only for commercial
metering energy.
Second is SCADA-system, which is used to monitor the
power network state and related measurements, and then to
perform the control actions needed [9]. Existing SCADA-
system of PJSC “Chernihivoblenergo” consist of three levels.
First level is the level of stations and power lines. There are
located equipment for monitoring and measurement. Second
level is the level of local control center. There are located
control room and local server to which the information line
from the equipment of substation and power line are
connected. Third level is the level of main control center to
which many information line from local centers are
connected. All control centers use MicroSCADA Pro
software from ABB. Structure of the SCADA-system like
this is the same in most of power network companies in
Ukraine.
Third system is geographic information system (GIS).
GIS is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking,
and displaying data related to positions on the Earth's
surface. In the Chernihiv region the most overhead power
line towers 6-10kV with their substations 10(6)/0.4kV have
been already added to the GIS database with its coordinates
and location on lines. This system is used to quickly
coordinate operations during power network exploitation.
B. Connection to the main systems
Information should come to the server of SCADA-system
into the local control center which is located in the region
because regional services have to fix faults.
To connect to existing systems, we should use such
equipment as a GSM-modem connected to programmable
logic controller (PLC). Proposed circuit is showed on Fig. 5.
Fig. 5. Scheme of integration of the device into the existing
systems
The message, which the proposed device sends to the
server, consists of a unique code for the device. This code
must be in the database and have an equivalent tower on the
power line. When that code arrives into the control center
server, the control center converts it and recognizes where
the single-phase-to-ground fault happened. After that the
data should be sent up to main server where data will be
saved in the event log.
The data should also be sent to GIS. This system can be
used for visual presentation of data about single-phase-to-
ground faults and their place. Operating personnel can use it
for navigation when they are fixing fault.
C. Using information
Currently, a dispatcher receives a single-phase-to-ground
fault notification in the SCADA-system monitor, after which
the emergency crew is sent to go along the overhead line and
search for the fault. GIS is used only for navigation on the
terrain, building a route for a brigade, analyzing access
roads, etc.
If the proposed device is installed on the towers of the
overhead line, the process of fining the place of single-phase-
to-ground fault will be drastically different. After the fault
has occurred, the emergency crew starts preparing for
departure, which takes at least 10 minutes. During this time
the message from the device will arrive to the GIS.
 Fig. 6. Screenshot from the GIS system with an example message about the fault
Therefore, a detection time of the fault location of 10
minutes is sufficient. If the emergency crew receives a
message about the place they will immediately go to fix the
problem. The Fig. 6 shows a part of plan of Ripki village
from this GIS system with overhead power line with all
towers and an example message about the fault. As you can
see the tower with fault is marked with red color and table
with unique device code, overhead line control name and
number of tower is shown.
The information provided will allow the emergency crew
to minimize the search time and eliminate the damage.
As a result, the proposed device will improve the
reliability of electricity supply SAIDI, SAIFІ and ENS.
D. Security or defense against attack
As you can see this system use GSM-network. It gives
advantages to connect. Today Ukrainian providers have big
mobile coverage, which covers the territory of Ukraine
almost entirely.
But GSM-network is a public network with public
internet [10-11]. Somebody can try to use this public connect
to make false messages. This action doesn’t crash system but
can make trouble for operating personnel.
For defense against attack, specific recommendations
must be met.
At first, all proposed devices must have a SIM-card with
a special service. This card doesn’t have connection to the
internet but have unique VPN connection to the local center
equipment. This service exists and is used in Ukraine to save
data in Meteorological stations.
Second, information about single-phase-to-ground fault
should be duplicated using substation telemechanics.
CONCLUSION
A device for determining the location of the single-phase-
to-ground fault in distribution power networks of 6-10 kV,
which is based on the no classical way, is proposed.
The structure of the information system for the
integration of this device into the existing SmartGrid systems
of the national companies of Ukraine is proposed using the
example of the PJSC “Chernihivoblenergo”.
Using this device will allow to quickly determine the
location of fault (even in case of single-phase-to-ground fault
with high fault resistance – up to 11 kOhm) and coordinate
the repair emergency crew to the place of damage.
The result of the implementation of the proposed system
will be improvement of the reliability of power supply
SAIDI, SAIF and ENS.
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