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Reference Number	NIA_ENWL007
Title	Reliable, low-cost earth fault detection for radial OHL systems
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	OTHER POWER and STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Electricity North West Limited
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	ENA Smarter Networks
Start Date	01 October 2015
End Date	01 October 2017
Duration	24 months
Total Grant Value	£350,000
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	North West
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Electricity North West Limited (100.000%)
Web Site	http://www.smarternetworks.org/project/NIA_ENWL007
Objectives	; To reduce the time taken to locate faults on rural OHL networks; To develop a method for reliable detection of earth fault and over-current on OHL networks; Install overhead line fault passage indicators for overcurrent and earth fault detection using live line techniques; Develop a method of overhead line FPI installation with minimal commissioning and set-up and without need for shutdown (including location methodology and installation method statement); Understand the impact of overhead line FPIs on DNO’s ability to locate faults more quickly and restore supplies to customers more efficiently 1. Development of a Technical Engineering Specification for overhead line fault passage indicators2. Installation and test procedures for overhead line FPIs3. Communication to central system (iHost) with NMS compatibility via SCADA4. Validation of overhead line FPI performance (reliable communications, earth fault detection, overcurrent detection)
Abstract	Rural distribution networks are largely comprised of long overhead lines, controlled via one or more circuit breakers and manually operated line switches, with typically low customer number densities. These networks often represent an operational challenge to network operators owing to the higher-than-average incidence of faults, the large geographic regions they serve, and the reduced availability of network automation. It is therefore imperative that reliable, robust, low-cost solutions are sought to advance the performance of these networks. This project aims to target how network operators respond to faults, after they occur, by providing fault passage information to control engineers in real-time via SCADA. It builds upon existing architectures, already deployed for underground cable fault detection, using Earth Fault Passage Indicators and extending this functionality to rural OHLs. Rural circuit configurations often give rise to longer-than-average restoration times during HV faults. This is due to the time it can take to locate the fault using traditional methods and to carry out the switching operations to restore supplies. Locating faults on these overhead networks traditionally involves operational staff patrolling a line on foot or by vehicle. Multiple faults in an area, which can occur during storm conditions, can become extremely resource-intensive and impact the restoration performance considerably. In order to improve restoration times, DNOs need ways of reliably identifying the fault location with appropriate accuracy thus reducing the time taken to isolate faulty parts of the network. This project is proposing to develop a low cost OHL mounted fault passage sensor that can be deployed at volume on OHL networks. Electricity North West is proposing to carry out a trial to develop a new low-cost overhead line fault passage indicator (FPI) that will reliably communicate back to the main network management system. These devices will communicate in real time via existing SCADA to allow control engineers to see if fault current has passed specified points on the network, thus significantly reducing the possible number of circuit sections where the fault may be situated. The newly developed FPIs will leverage existing architectures deployed for underground cable systems and will be installed at specified locations on Electricity North West overhead networks, based on a defined site selection methodology. Analysis will then be carried out on the performance of the system, based on monitoring data collected throughout the trial period.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	29/10/18