Development of Fault Location Functions in a Real Digital Fault Recorder: Computational Strategies and Validation

This paper shares experiences acquired during the development of a fault location module (FLM) in a real Digital Fault Recorder and Phasor Measurement (DFRPM) device, which has been designed for the Itaipu utility, Brazil. Hardware and software aspects, as well as computational strategies and innovative solutions used to implement the FLM are addressed. The DFRPM fault location module (DFRPM-FLM) is validated by means of simulations in a Real-Time Digital Simulator, considering fault scenarios in high- and low-inertia systems. The case studies reveal that the adopted computational strategies resulted in a flexible and reliable DFRPM-FLM, which showed to be able to automatically estimate the fault location, without the need for human intervention.