High impedance fault detection utilizing incremental variance of normalized even order harmonic power

A novel method for the detection of high-impedance faults is proposed which uses the incremental variance of a normalized even order ratio measure. Staged fault tests were extensively carried out in Korean electric power systems. From the analysis of the staged fault test data, it was found that there exists an intermittent arcing phenomenon in most high-impedance faults and that the waveforms of this arcing fault current have an asymmetrical shape in each cycle. Based on these facts, three criteria, (even-order power, even-order ratio, and even-order incremental variance) for fault detection are presented, all of which are based on the changes of normalized even-order harmonic power in fault currents. These criteria are compared through the analysis of staged fault data and normal switching event data. It is shown that the even-order incremental variance criterion is superior to the other two criteria and that, with this criterion, high-impedance faults can be distinguished from normal switching events, including special loads such as electric furnaces and subways. Microprocessor-based protective relays, which can detect high-impedance faults by using the proposed methods, have been constructed, installed in Korea Electric Power Corporation substations, and tested during the last two years. Details of these field tests are given