Faulted-Branch Identification and High-Impedance Fault Location in Multi-Terminal HVDC Transmission Networks using Modal Traveling Wave Analysis

Arunendra Prasad MauryaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Sardar Patel University, Balaghat, IndiaShailendra TurkarDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Sardar Patel University, Balaghat, IndiaGurucharan MashramDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Sardar Patel University, Balaghat, IndiaAjay ShyamkunwarDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Sardar Patel University, Balaghat, India

Vol 10 No 5 (2026): Volume 10, Issue 5, May 2026 | Pages: 791-795

International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology

OPEN ACCESS | Research Article | Published Date: 31-05-2026

doi Logo doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2026.105106

Abstract

Multi-terminal high-voltage direct-current transmission systems are increasingly being adopted for large-scale renewable integration, offshore wind collection, and asynchronous grid interconnection. However, protection of multi-terminal HVDC networks is challenging due to low line impedance, fast-rising fault currents, absence of natural current zero crossing, and complex propagation of traveling waves across junctions and converter terminals. High-impedance faults further complicate protection because their current magnitudes may be comparable to normal operating transients, making conventional over current and differential schemes less reliable. This paper presents a modal traveling wave based method for faulted-branch identification and high-impedance fault location in multi-terminal HVDC transmission networks. The proposed method decomposes pole domain voltage/current signals into modal components, detects initial wave front arrival times using energy-based wavelet processing, identifies the faulted branch through polarity and arrival time consistency, and estimates the fault distance using modal propagation velocity. A four-terminal meshed HVDC network is considered for analysis. Simulation-based results show that the proposed method can identify the faulted branch rapidly and locate high-impedance faults with acceptable accuracy under different fault resistances, fault locations, and sampling frequencies. The method is suitable for fast primary protection of future DC grids.

Keywords

HVDC protection, multi-terminal HVDC, highimpedance fault, traveling wave, modal transformation, fault location, DC grid protection.


Citation of this Article

Arunendra Prasad Maurya, Shailendra Turkar, Gurucharan Mashram, & Ajay Shyamkunwar. (2026). Faulted-Branch Identification and High-Impedance Fault Location in Multi-Terminal HVDC Transmission Networks using Modal Traveling Wave Analysis. International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET, 10(5), 791-795.

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