Fault location using wavelet packets

A technique using wavelet packets is presented for accurate fault location on power lines with branches. It relies on detecting fault-generated transient traveling waves and identifies some waves reflected back from discontinuities and the fault point. Wavelet packets analysis is used to decompose and reconstruct high-frequency fault signals. An eigenvector matrix consists of local energies of high-frequency content of the fault signal; the faulty section is determined by comparing local energies in the eigenvector matrix with a given threshold. With the faulty section determined, the time ranges of two reflected waves related with fault point would be found out, then the fault point is located. The paper shows the theoretical development of the algorithm, and together with the results obtained using EMTP simulation software modeling, a simple 10 kV overhead line circuit.