A practical on-line condition monitoring and fault location system for overhead power lines distribution networks

This paper provided a new idea of a practical condition monitoring and fault location system for overhead power line distribution networks. It is based on monitoring transient voltage and current signals on each phase. The system monitors the changes of voltage and current on each phase at many monitoring points in the networks. After finding a suspicious condition, the system will collect waveforms from related points. The fault can be located through transient voltage and current signals. We developed an initial system and carried out some laboratory tests. The results verified the feasibility of this system. This system has already been deployed in China Southern Power Grid (CSG) for a field test. Shortly after deployment, this system successfully recorded a whole course of permanent short circuit fault caused by multiple lightning strikes.