Optimal load distribution estimation for fault location in electric power distribution systems

Accurate fault location in an electric power distribution system (EPDS) is important in maintaining system reliability. Diverse methods have been proposed in the past. These methods whither require measurements at each load point or use single-step loads compensation, which is hardly available in practical uses. In this paper, a simple technique to bypass the load problems is proposed. The method requires calculating an optimal load distribution using the total load seen from the substation (The rated power of distribution transformers) and the network topology. The optimal load distribution is used as a fictive distribution to replace the real unknown one in fault location (FL) algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated using a mathematical formulation first, and next, by several simulations with a classic iterative fault location algorithm. The test results are obtained from the numerical simulation using the data of a distribution line recognized in the literature.