High impedance fault protection in transmission lines using a WPT-based algorithm

This paper proposes a new algorithm for High Impedance Fault (HIF) protection, in high voltage transmission lines, with the aid of Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT). The new scheme uses the HIF-induced distortion of voltage and current waveforms to detect HIF and discrimination of the fault location, respectively. The algorithm is based on a recursive method, which adds up the absolute values of high frequency signal coefficients, generated over one last cycle. Application of the proposed algorithm to the pilot protection schemes is also discussed. The proposed method is evaluated by Electra Magnetic Transients Program (EMTP) simulation studies. Several simulations, which are performed using an appropriate HIF model, bring about results which assess the proposed technique accuracy in identifying HIF in overhead transmission lines. A comprehensive simulation study shows the efficiency of the proposed protection scheme from the viewpoints of dependability and security. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.