Analysis of ground fault current distribution along nonuniform multi-section lines

In case of a substation supplied by a combined overhead-cable line, most of the ground fault current flows through the cable sheaths and discharges into the soil surrounding the point of discontinuity, where cables are connected to the overhead line. In the paper a new method is presented for computing the ground fault current distribution in case of feeding line consisting of two or more different sections, i.e. part overhead and part underground cable. Besides the calculation of the earth current at the fault location, the leakage current at the transit/transition stations as well as at the overhead line towers can be evaluated, in order to ensure proper safety conditions. Based on the two-port theory, the method allows to take into account all the relevant conductively and inductively coupled parameters which take part to the fault current distribution. A computer program based on the proposed method has been developed and some application examples are reported.