Detection and Localization of Electric Discharges in Indoor Substation for Fault Monitoring

Abstract

Power Substation is the most important unit in the power system, therefore, the monitoring process must be carried out effectively to detect the operation status of the equipment, and the maintenance is necessary for safe operation. Substation faulty such as Dielectric breakdowns, originating from the insulation degradation is still a major issue in the power system (1–3). Many methods and techniques with intelligence approaches have been developed to provide a better way of fault detection in a substation. However, not many are willing to adopt those techniques by reasoning the high cost of installation and more sensors required to improve localization accuracy (4). Therefore, to reduce cost and increase the speed of detection, this paper presents a 2-element array antenna to perform as a sensor to detect and localize the electric discharges (ED) produced by abnormal radiated electromagnetic activities in substation based on the direction of arriving angle (DOA) received by elements in the array antenna. The radiation patterns obtained were then visualized using software of signal processing based on the normalized Array Factor (AFN). This sensor has shown its efficiency in eliminating the interferer signals at random DOA of and maximizing the desired signal at DOA of 45˚; the identified angle direction from the substation power apparatus. This sensor has the ability to be steered isotopically and terminate or maximize signals which differ by or 0.0873 radians of DOAs, simultaneously. Having these abilities allowed this sensor to be a cohesive unit in detecting and localizing the abnormal radiated electromagnetic activities in substation based on the identified DOA thus, make it as a promising preventive approach for substation breakdown and improve the performance in Substation Fault Monitoring.