Fault location detection in tapped power distribution lines

A fault detector for detecting a location of a fault in a tapped power distribution line having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a line segment disposed therebetween, the fault detector comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• identify synchronized voltage phasors and current phasors at the first terminal and the second terminal prior to and during the fault;
• calculate equivalent sequence components for the voltage phasors and the current phasors;
• locate a virtual tap load point on the line segment;
• calculate a voltage at the virtual tap load point based on one or more of the current phasors prior to the fault;
• calculate a compensated load current at the first terminal and/or the second terminal based on one or more of the current phasors prior to and/or after the fault;
• and
• calculate a distance from the virtual tap load point to the fault based on the voltage at the virtual tap load point, the compensated load current, and one or more of the equivalent sequence components to detect the location of the fault.