A Contactless Method for Measuring Unbalanced Loading of Utility Transformer

Abstract

The serious issue related to power quality in overhead lines of distribution network is three phase unbalancing and unbalance loading is the main contributor in it. For proper estimation of unbalanced loading of the overhead lines various methods are used and up-to now easy and less complex method is not introduced for proper measurement of the variation of load in three phase overhead lines. This research reports a new method for the measurement of unbalanced loading of the overhead lines using simple method with the use of the magnetic-field. Magnetic-field produced around overhead lines changes due to the change in the load and this change in magnetic field creates different patterns of the magnetic field and based on these patterns of the magnetic field at different loads, detection of unbalanced loading is properly done with the use of the neural network. Another contribution in this research is about optimal location of magnetic field sensor for all lines con- figurations of the distribution network and this location will provides those patterns of the magnetic field based on which the estimation of unbalanced loading is properly made by neural network. The variation of load is made in Simulink after designing distribution network. The orientation of sensor or the magnetic field at different sensing points is obtained by implementing Biot-savarts law in MATLAB. The validation of the proposed method is checked by designing of the scaled down distribution network in Simulink and with variation of load, unbalancing is detected using the designed algorithm.