Sensitivity Analysis of Impedance Measurement

Alogrithms Used in Distance Protection

Nanang Rohadi
(1,2)

The University of Adelaide, Australia
(1)

The State Polytechnique of Jakarta, Indonesia
(2)

Rastko Zivanovic
The University of Adelaide, Australia




Abstract This paper presents the methodology for Global
Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) of impedance measurement
algorithms that are used in distance protection of transmission
lines. The analysis is using Quasi-Monte Carlo technique in
calculating variance of the measurement error as well as parts
of this variance that are contributed by uncertainty of some
parameters. Specifically, fault resistance is the parameter that
cannot be measured and it is treated as uncertain. Such
parameters are called factors and they are represented with
specific distribution function within specified domain of
variation. The proposed methodology is implemented using
automation of DIgSILENT and SIMLAB programs. The
program in DPL scripting language of DIgSILENT is
developed to automate simulation of transmission line faults
when uncertain factors are varied. Each variation represents a
sample in factor space. They are generated using Sobol quasi-
random sequence in SIMLAB. This program also calculates
variance-based sensitivity indices based on the factor space
samples and corresponding simulation results obtained in
DIgSILENT. To illustrate this methodology, the paper presents
results of the GSA of SEL-412 impedance measurement
algorithm implemented as a model in DIgSILENT.
Keywords- Distance protection, transmission line faults,
impedance measurement algorithms, Global Sensitivity Analysis
I. INTRODUCTION
Distance protection function is the main element in an
overhead transmission line protection scheme. This function
requires accurate measurement of the fault-loop impedance
using a selection of voltage and current signals measured at
a single line-terminal. In the case of a single-phase to
ground fault, the measurement of the fault-loop impedance
is influenced by values of fault resistance and impedance of
ground return path of the fault current. It is not possible to
measure fault resistance and zero-sequence impedance value
is not known with high precision. Hence the fault impedance
measurement algorithms provide only estimated values, i.e.
the true value is never known exactly. If the fault is
resistive, infeed of the fault current from the remote-side of
the line, which is not measured, represents another factor
that impact the fault impedance measurement.
In this paper, we present the methodology for systematic
study of how sensitive are the fault-loop impedance
measurement algorithms to fault resistance value and remote-
side fault current infeed. Two factors are used in this study:
fault resistance (R
F
) and power flow angle (P
F
). The P
F
is a
phase angle difference of sending-end and remote-end
voltage sources. This factor determines current flow on the
line and the amount of remote-end fault current infeed. The
study requires mathematical models of transmission line and
the fault-loop measurement element as implemented in
Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs). We selected
DIgSILENT PowerFactory simulation environment [1] for
power system modelling purposes. This tool provides the
scripting language (called DPL) which is required for
automation of short-circuit fault simulations when factor
values are varied. In addition, tools for modelling of IED
functions are also provided, and we modelled and tested the
measurement algorithm implemented in SEL-421
multifunctional IED [2]. To study impact of the factors on
uncertainty of the measurement algorithm we have used
Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) technique based on
estimation of variances through Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling
in the two-dimensional factor space. This method was
originally proposed by Sobol [3] and implemented in the
SIMLAB software environment [4, 5]. The paper
demonstrates application of the GSA technique for the case
of a single-phase to ground fault. The method can be used for
other fault types. In practice, this technique can help to
quantify impact of various factors to distance protection
function, and it can be implemented as a part of the
application testing procedure to help in selecting an optimal
IED for required task.
II. THE PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
Faulted transmission line and distance relay, as shown in
Fig. 1, are modelled in the DIgSILENT simulation
environment. The circuit in Fig. 1 represents a positive-
sequence model. The simulated fault is: phase A to ground
via resistance R
F
. The current used in measurement of the
impedance between S-terminal and fault is compensated by
the relay algorithm for the zero-sequence current using the
factor k
0
[6]. The factor k
0
depends on the zero-sequence
impedance which is not known exactly. In this paper we
assume that the influence of this uncertain factor to the
measurement algorithm is negligible. In practice this factor
should be taken into account and the GSA that includes k
0

will be presented in the future paper.
In Fig. 1, the external system is represented using
Thevenins equivalents comprising of voltages sources E
S

and E
R
and their corresponding impedances Z
S
and Z
R
.
Transmission line positive sequence impedance is Z
L
in Fig.
1. Since the fault current I
F
, in Fig. 1, is fed from both
sources, the measured impedance between S-terminal and
fault, seen by distance relay, is sensitive to fault resistance
(R
F
) and power flow angle (P
F
). For the purpose of
illustrating the effect of R
F
and P
F
on the impedance
measurement, we simulated the phase A to ground faults in
the middle of the line for four characteristic values of the
factors and used the simulated voltages and currents as inputs
to the impedance measurement algorithm implemented in
SEL-421 model of DIgSILENT software.
978-1-4577-0255-6/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE 995 TENCON 2011


T
r
i
p

S
i
g
n
a
l

Figure 1. Impedance seen by Distance Relay


Figure 2. Impedance measurements for varying factors: R
F
and P
F
(i.e. rf and pf in the legend)
-20 -10 0 10 20 30
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
real
i
m
Mho Phase to Ground (A-g), fault = 50 %


rf, pf = 10
rf = 10, pf = -10
rf = 10, pf = 0
rf, pf = 0
line char.
Zone - 1 (80%)
Zone - 2 (120%)
Impedance seen by relay:
= mZ
L
if R
P
& P
P
= 0;
= <1> if R
P
= 0 & P
P
= 0;

= <2> if R
P
= 0 & P
P
= 0 (R S);
= <3> if R
P
= 0 & P
P
= 0 (S R);

mZ
L
= line impedance between relay and fault
R
P
= Fault resistance
P
P
= Power flow angle
Diagram shows the effect of R
P
and P
P

I
S
= mZ
L
I
S
+ I
S
R
P

Z =
I
S
I
S
= mZ
L
+
I
P
I
S
R
P

I
S
= I
A
+k
o
I
0

Impedance measurement:
I
P
I
S
xR
P

996

Figure 3. Implementation diagram explaining GSA procedure and interaction of SIMLAB and DIgSILENT

The traces in time of measured impedance for variation of
the factors are shown in Fig. 2. The results of the simulation
provide the following characteristic points:
a) the point mZ
L
in XR diagram in Fig. 1 for R
F
= P
F
= 0; the
trace of the impedance measurement algorithm is shown
using green line in Fig. 2;
b) the point <1> in XR diagram in Fig. 1 for R
F
0 (equal to
10) and P
F
= 0; the trace of the impedance measurement
algorithm is shown using red line in Fig. 2;
c) the point <2> in XR diagram in Fig. 1 for R
F
0 (equal to
10) and P
F
0 (equal to 10); the trace of the impedance
measurement algorithm is shown using black line in Fig. 2;
d) the point <3> in XR diagram in Fig. 1 for R
F
0 (equal to
10) and P
F
0 (equal to -10); the trace of the impedance
measurement algorithm is shown using blue line in Fig. 2;
The simulation shows how the fault resistance impacts
the measurement error, i.e. deviation from the actual
impedance mZ
L
. In the case when a fault is close to the
border of Zone 1 and still in Zone 1, this error will make the
relay see the fault in Zone 2. To quantify this error we
calculate the performance index for each simulated case k
which is defined as the absolute difference between true
value of distance to fault mZ
L
and estimated value Z
k
using
the measurement algorithm: y
k
= |mZ
L
-Z
k
| 1uuZ
L
.
Uncertainty of the performance index y is represented by
its variance I, which is calculated by running a large number
of simulation cases for different factor values. To asses
importance of a factor x

(i.g. x
1
= R
P
, x
2
= P
P
), we need to
determine part of the performance index variance that is
contributed by uncertainty of this factor. This variance is
calculated by taking the average over all factors except x

,
i.e. E(y|x

), and then calculating the variance over factor x

:
I

= o
x
i
2
{E(y|x

)]. The expectations E(-) and variances are

computed according to their definitions by solving the
multidimensional integrals using Quasi-Monte Carlo
technique [7]. The sensitivity measure that describes the
main effect of a factor x

on the performance index y is

defined as S

= I

I . If the sum S
1
+ S
2
(i.e. sum of
sensitivities to x
1
= R
P
and x
2
= P
P
) does not add up to
one, the performance index variance I is not described only
by individual effects of the factors. The remaining part of the
variance I is described by interaction effect of two factors
x
1
= R
P
and x
2
= P
P
. The following variance describes this
interaction effect: I
1,2
= o
x
1
,x
2
2
{E(y|x
1
, x
2
)] - I
1
- I
2
. The
corresponding sensitivity index is defines as S
1,2
= I
1,2
I.
Finally we have Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
decomposition: I = I
1
+I
2
+ I
1,2
; and the sensitivities add
up to one, i.e. 1 = S
1
+ S
2
+ S
1,2
.
The implementation of the proposed GSA technique
using SIMLAB and DIgSILENT simulation environments is
outlined in Fig. 3. The Sobols quasi-random sequence [7] is
used to draw samples from the two dimensional factor space.
The generator for this sequence of numbers is available in
SIMLAB [5]. Each sample constituting of values for
x
1
= R
P
and x
2
= P
P
represents one simulation case in
DIgSILENT program where the transmission line as well as
SEL-421 and instrument transformers are modelled. All the
parameters for the model in DIgSILENT are fixed except R
P

997
and P
P
. We have used DPL language to automatically vary
R
P
and P
P
, run simulation, collect results and communicate
with SIMLAB. For each sample of R
P
and P
P
, the result of
the DIgSILENT simulation is the measured impedance
between S-terminal and fault point which is obtained through
SEL-421 measurement algorithm. Using DPL we also
calculate performance index by comparing true impedance
with the measured one. For each sample of R
P
and P
P
we
obtain one sample of performance index which is read by
SIMLAB. All input and output samples are used to calculate
variances and sensitivity measures using the formulas
described in this section and implemented in SIMLAB.

III. TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To illustrate application of the GSA technique in
assessing performance of the impedance measurement
algorithms we have used the circuit in Fig. 1 modelled in
DIgSILENT simulation environment. The algorithm we
assessed is the one implemented in SEL-412 relay model
available in DIgSILENT. The electrical network parameters
are: positive sequence line impedance Z
L
= u.u62S +
]u.488 ( km ) and zero-sequence line impedance Z
L0
=
u.2Su9 + ]1.SS1 ( km ) . The Thevenins voltages are
E
S
= 2Suc
-]P
F
kI and E
R
= 2Su kI . The factor space
boundaries are defined by the domains of variation of the
factors: fault resistance R
F
varies in range 0-10, and the
angle P
F
in the range -10
o
to +10
o
. Quasi-random sequence
having 8192 numbers is generated in SIMLAB and it is used
to create samples from the factor space. The fault location is
varied from 0.1pu till 0.8 pu (border of Zone 1) with the step
0.1pu. For each fault location 8192 cases with different R
P

and P
P
are simulated, and sensitivity indices are calculated.
The GSA results in the form of sensitivity indices
(individual and interaction) are shown in Fig.4. After
analysing the results we can conclude that the error of
impedance measurement using the SEL-421 algorithm is the
most sensitive to R
F
. Close to the border of the Zone 1
(0.8pu) this sensitivity is slightly reduced and the algorithm
becomes sensitive to P
F
and interaction between R
P
and P
P
.


Figure 4. Sensitivity Indices (SI)
IV. CONCLUSIONS
This paper presents application of the Global Sensitivity
Analysis in testing of impedance measurement algorithms
used in distance protection of transmission lines. The
analysis is based on estimation of certain measurement error
variances using Quasi-Monte Carlo approach. This technique
requires that uncertain parameters (i.e. factors) are specified
using distribution functions within specified boundaries.
These factors are forming the bounded factor space. For each
sample from the factor space we have simulated a fault on
transmission line and use obtained currents and voltages to
measure impedance. Fault simulation and the measurement
algorithm of SEL-412 are implemented in DIgSILENT
software. The whole simulation process with varying
parameters is automated using DPL language. Calculation of
variance-based sensitivity measures are performed using
SIMLAB software. The paper provides demonstration of the
methodology in the sensitivity analysis of the SEL-421
impedance measurement algorithm available as a model in
DIgSILENT.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The first author would like to thank The Directorate General
of Higher Education, Department of National Education,
Indonesia, for providing the PhD Scholarship.

REFERENCES
[1] DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PowerFactory Users Manual,
DIgSILENT PowerFactory Version 14.0, Germany, 2008. Available:
http://www.digsilent.de
[2] Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, SEL 421 Relay Protection and
Automation System users Guide, USA, 2007. Available:
http://www.selinc.com
[3] I. M. Sobol, Sensitivity estimates for nonlinear mathematical
models, Matematicheskoe Modelirovanie 2 (1) (1990) 112118 (in
Russian), translated in I.M. Sobol, Sensitivity estimates for
nonlinear mathematical models, Mathematicai Modeling and
Computational Experiment. 1 ( 1993) 407414.
[4] A. Saltelli, S. Tarantola, F. Campolongo, M. Ratto, Sensitivity
Analysis in Practice: A Guide to Assessing Scientific Models, John
Wiley & Sons, 2004
[5] A.Saltelli, Sensitivity analysis in practice : a guide to assessing
scientific models: John Willey & Sons Inc, 2004. Available :
http://simlab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
[6] L. Hulka, U. Klapper, M. Ptter and W. Wurzer, Measurement of
line impedance and mutal coupling of parallel lines to improve the
protection system, 20th International Conference on Electricity
Distribution (CIRED), Prague, Czech Republic, June 2009
[7] I. M. Sobol, Numerical method Monte Carlo. Moscow, 1973 ( in
Russian )


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