Location determination of power system disturbances based on frequency responses of the system

A system for detecting and locating a disturbance event within a power grid, said system comprising:

• a series of frequency disturbance recorders (FDRs) taking measurements in the power grid at dispersed points of the power grid;
• an information management system, configured to receive data from the series of FDRs and analyze the received data;
• and
• a communications network interconnecting the series of FDRs and the information management system;
• wherein the information management system is configured to examine orders and patterns of receipt of frequency changes at the FDRs in the data caused by the disturbance event and to triangulate a location of the disturbance event based on the orders and patterns of receipt of the frequency changes;
• and
• wherein the information management system is configured to compute propagation delays from a possible event to the series of FDRs and compare the data of the orders and patterns of receipt of frequency changes at the FDRs with the computed propagation delays to determine the location of the disturbance event.

A method for detecting and locating a disturbance event within a power grid, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving frequency changes, caused by the disturbance event, at a series of frequency disturbance recorders (FDRs) taking measurements in the power grid at dispersed points of the power grid;
• transferring data based on the frequency changes to an information management system from the series of FDRs through a communications network interconnecting the series of FDRs and the information management system, wherein the step of transferring data comprises transferring data from at least three FDRs;
• analyzing the received data by the information management system by examining orders and patterns of receipt of the frequency changes at the FDRs;
• and
• triangulating a location of the disturbance event based on the orders and patterns of receipt of the frequency changes.