Fault Location Method for Medium Voltage Cables Using Sheath Currents in Inverter-Based Resource Networks

Traditional fault location methods face challenges in grids with high penetration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) due to the non-sinusoidal and distorted nature of the fault currents. This paper presents a fault location method for such grids. It is designed for medium voltage cables, employing sheath current measurements and combining time-domain and phasor-domain analysis. The proposed method addresses the limitations of existing techniques by utilizing low-frequency local measurements. Simulation results on a 10kV test system demonstrate the method’s accuracy, achieving fault location errors below 1.81%. Sensitivity analysis further confirms the method’s robustness against measurement uncertainties. The proposed algorithm’s implementation on an embedded device using IEC 61850-9-2 protocol showcases its practical feasibility for real-time fault location.