Distribution Network Fault Diagnosis with Noise-Assisted Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition and a Modified Multiple Branch Convolutional Neural Network

A novel method based on noise-assisted multivariate empirical mode decomposition (NA-MEMD) combined with a modified multiple branch convolutional neural network (MMBCNN) is designed to detect fault events in distribution networks and to classify various faults in a distribution system. Given the presence of noise components in transient voltage signals, a moving time window technique integrated with the NA-MEMD method is employed to process high-frequency sampling and long-term series signals. This method is also utilized to reliably identify noise components in modal components through permutation entropy. On this basis, the Clarke transform is employed to convert transient voltage signals into the d–q axis, and three-phase voltage waveforms are transformed into a ring image. Moreover, an MMBCNN is developed to accurately detect and classify distribution network faults, and a modified pooling function is introduced to improve feature extraction ability and model convergence performance. Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are estimated and analyzed using measurement and fault simulation data from distribution networks.