High-frequency spectral analysis of high impedance vegetation faults on a three-wire system

Abstract

High Impedance Faults (HIFs) are extensively addressed in the literature due to their safety hazards and fire risks. The consequent small amplitude of fault currents makes it a challenging disturbance to be detected. Vegetation faults are a special case since even very low and brief fault currents can result in fire igniting embers. Such relevance led to the creation of the ‘Vegetation Ignition Testing Program’, a fault experiment program funded by the Victorian Government in response to a series of fires created by faulty electric assets in Australia. This paper aims to illustrate novel features found in the high-frequency voltage signals of the resulted dataset. Performed in a real functioning network, the tests resulted in pertinent findings. They can support future development of HIF detection methods, highlighting the importance of a reliable, fine-tuned, and secure detection method for fire risk mitigation.