System and method for locating a disturbance in a power system based upon disturbance power and energy

An apparatus to estimate the direction to a disturbance source in a power system, the apparatus comprising:

• a voltage transducer which is coupleable to the power system and produces a signal representative of a voltage in the power system;
• a current transducer which is coupleable to the power system and produces a signal representative of a current flowing within the power system, the signal having a forward reference direction and a behind reference direction corresponding to the current flow;
• and
• disturbance power determination circuitry coupled to the voltage transducer and the current transducer, the circuitry determining a measure of disturbance power and estimating a direction of disturbance power flow with respect to the system as either in front of or behind the disturbance locating apparatus.

For use in estimating the direction to a disturbance source in a power system, an apparatus comprising:

• a voltage transducer coupleable to the power system and operative to produce a first signal representative of a voltage within the power system;
• a current transducer coupleable to the power system and operative to produce a second signal representative of a current within the power system;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the voltage transducer and the current transducer, the logic circuit being operative to calculate a disturbance quantity based upon the first and second signals, the logic circuit using the disturbance quantity to estimate the direction to the disturbance source.

In a power grid a method for estimating a relative direction from a monitoring location on a line to a source of a disturbance, the method comprising:

• monitoring a current flowing through the line in the power grid at the monitoring location;
• monitoring a voltage on the line in the power grid at the monitoring location,
• determining a disturbance power flow through the line;
• and
• based on the disturbance power flow through the line, estimating a relative direction to the source of the disturbance from the monitoring location.

In a power grid a method for determining a relative direction from a monitoring location on a line to a source of a disturbance, the method comprising:

• monitoring a current flowing through the line in the power grid at the monitoring location;
• monitoring a voltage on the line in the power grid at the monitoring location,
• determining a disturbance energy flow through the line;
• and
• based on the disturbance energy flow through the line, estimating a relative direction to the source of the disturbance from the monitoring location.