High impedance fault detection for industrial power systems

The authors describe the characteristics of high-impedance faults and the most effective techniques for detecting them. The benefits of high-impedance fault detection for industrial power systems are identified. It is shown that the most effective high-impedance-fault detection system incorporates several algorithms and monitors a number of parameters to ensure sensitivity and correct operation. Operating the detector in an alarm mode improves safety and fault location with minimal effect on service continuity. A valuable use for such a detector would be the identification of incipient faults, so that critical loads can be switched to another source before the fault becomes bolted and requires the circuit to be cleared. Using a detector in this way could save substantial down-time costs for critical processes.<>