Preprint of "Fault Detection and Fault Location in Active Distribution Networks Using Synchrophasor Measurements Provided by Optimally Placed PMUs"

The proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the bidirectional power flow aspect of modern active distribution networks (ADNs) introduce additional challenges for fault detection and location by traditional protection schemes. This paper presents an integrated framework for phasor measurement unit (PMU) placement, synchrophasor-based fault detection, and physics-based weighted-PMU fault location in ADNs containing DERs. The IEEE 33-bus radial distribution test system is adopted as the evaluation platform. An integer linear programming (ILP) formulation determines the minimum number and optimal locations of PMUs for full network observability, yielding eleven strategically placed units. A three-criterion detection scheme, operating on voltage magnitude deviation, current magnitude deviation relative to a feeder-referenced threshold, and phase angle jump, achieves 100% detection rates for bolted and low-resistance faults (fault resistance Rf ≤ 150 Ω) across all examined fault types. The framework achieves high accuracy across the 1920 Monte Carlo simulation scenarios (five trials per fault condition) spanning three fault types, four fault resistance levels, four DER penetration levels, and eight fault locations. The results confirmed the fault difficulty hierarchies: single-phase faults are the hardest to detect and to locate, symmetric three-phase faults are trivially detected and easily located, while phase-to-phase faults occupy an intermediate position in both respects. The integrated framework couples all three components within a single consistent study, enabling systematic cross-component analysis not available in prior work.