CHAPTER 2

CURRENT
AND
SHORT-CIRCUIT KVA
CALCULATIONS

FAULT IN A POWER SYSTEM

Faults occur when two or more conductors

that normally operate with a potential
difference come in contact with each other.
These faults may be caused by sudden failure
of a piece of equipment, accidental damage
or short-circuit to overhead lines or by
insulation failure resulting from lightning
surges

The faults in a 3-phase system can be

classified into two main categories :-

Symmetrical

faults
Unsymmetrical faults

SYMMETRICAL FAULTS

That faults which gives rise to symmetrical

faults currents (i.e. equal faults currents
with 120 displacement) is called a
symmetrical fault.
The most common example of symmetrical
fault is when all the three conductors of a 3phase line are brought together
simultaneously into a short-circuit condition.

The following points may be particularly

noted:
The

symmetrical fault rarely occurs in practice

as majority of the faults are of unsymmetrical
nature.
The symmetrical fault is the most severe and
imposes more heavy duty on the circuit breaker.


FIGURE 2.1 THE SYMMETRICAL FAULT

UNSYMMETRICAL FAULTS

Those faults which give rise to

unsymmetrical currents (i.e. unequal line
currents with unequal displacement) are
called unsymmetrical faults
The unsymmetrical faults may take one of
the following forms:
Single

phase-to-ground fault
Phase-to-phase fault
Two phase-to-ground fault


FIGURE 2.2 THE UNSYMMETRICAL FAULT

The great majority of faults on the power

system are of unsymmetrical nature; the
most common type being a short circuit from
one phase to ground.
Single phase open circuit and two phase open
circuit are unsymmetrical types of faults.

Single phase-to-ground fault

A short circuit between any one of the phase conductors and
earth is called a single phase to ground faults. It may be due
to the failure of the insulation between a phase conductors
and the earth or due to a phase conductor breaking and
falling to the ground.

Two phase-to-ground faults

A short circuit between any two phases and the earth is
called a double line to ground or a two phase to ground fault.

Phase-to-phase fault
A short circuit between any two phases is called a line-to-line
or phase-to- phase faults.

Open circuited phases

This type of faults is caused by a break in the conducting
path.
Such faults occur when one or more phase conductors
break or a cable joint or a joint on the overhead lines
fails. Such situations may also arise when circuit breakers
or isolators open but fail to close one or more phase. Due
to the opening of one or two phase, unbalanced currents
flow in the system, thereby heating rotating machines.
Protective schemes must be provided to deal with such
abnormal situations.

Winding faults
All types of faults discussed above also occur on the
alternator, motor and transformer windings. In addition to
these types of faults, there is one more type of faults,
namely the short circuiting of turns which occurs on
machine windings.

SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS
METHOD

When unsymmetrical faults occurs, it gives

rise to unsymmetrical currents i.e. the
magnitude of faults currents in the three
lines are different having unequal phase
displacement.
The calculations procedure known as method
of symmetrical components is used to
determine the current and voltages on the
occurrence of an unsymmetrical fault.

THE SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT THEORY

A balances system of 3-phase

currents having positive phase
sequence (red-yellow-blue) with
equal magnitude 120 phase
displacement. These are called
positive phase sequence
components

A balanced system of 3-phase

currents having the opposite or
negative phase sequence (redyellow-blue) with equal magnitude
120 phase displacement. These are
called negative phase sequence
components

A system of three currents equal in

magnitude and having zero phase
displacement. These are called zero
phase sequence components


FIGURE 2.3 THE SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT
THEORY

THE SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT

THEORY

A balanced system of 3-phased currents , and

having positive sequence as shown in Figure
2.4(i). These are the positive phase sequence
components.
A balanced system of 3-phased currents , and
having negative sequence as shown in Figure
2.4(ii). These are the negative phase sequence
components.
A system of three currents , and equal in
magnitude with zero phase displacement from
each other as shown in Figure 2.4 (iii). These
are the zero phase sequence components.

FIGURE 2.4 THE SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT THEORY