Single-ended traveling wave location for single-phase ground faults in distribution networks based on Hough transform

Current single-ended fault location methods for single-phase ground faults in distribution networks are facing challenges such as difficulty in identifying reflected wavefronts, inaccurate judgment of wavefront reflection positions, and limited noise immunity, which reduce their feasibility for engineering applications. This article proposes an efficient single-ended traveling wave location scheme aimed at enhancing the accuracy and reliability of fault location. First, the improved Pettitt test is employed to accurately determine the arrival time of the fault wavefront, which avoids errors in judgment of the fault occurrence moment. Subsequently, the Pearson correlation coefficient is utilized to identify the initial wavefront and the wavefronts reflected from the fault point, reducing interference caused by other reflected wavefronts. To accurately calibrate the wavefront arrival time, the Hough transform is introduced to determine the wavefront position. In addition, this article discusses optimizing the arrangement of traveling wave location devices in the distribution network to improve location accuracy and reduce costs. Compared to existing methods, the proposed scheme directly analyzes the original waveform, achieving more accurate wavefront identification and better noise immunity. The effectiveness of the method is validated through software simulations and physical experiments, demonstrating that the fault location error can be controlled within 5%, even under arc ground faults or noise interference.