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Fault level at end of two 200 km lines

Short answer

On 100 MVA base: G1 0.15, T1 0.10, G2 0.20, T2 0.16, parallel lines 0.1148 pu. Thevenin reactance at F = 0.2623 pu. Fault current = 1.667 kA, fault MVA = 381.2 MVA.

Figure below shows generating stations feeding a 132-kV system. Determine the total fault current and fault MVA level for a 3-phase to ground bolted fault at the point marked by F. Consider the line is 200 km long. [Figure: G1 100 MVA, 11 kV, X = 15% feeding transformer T1 100 MVA, 11/132 kV, X = 10%; G2 50 MVA, 11 kV, X = 10% feeding transformer T2 50 MVA, 11/132 kV, X = 8%; both transformers feed the 132 kV bus, from which two parallel lines L1 and L2, each X = 0.2 Ω/phase/km and 200 km long, run to the fault point F]

A bolted three-phase fault is balanced, so only the positive-sequence reactance diagram is needed. Base: 100 MVA, 11 kV on the generator side and 132 kV on the line side. Pre-fault voltage is taken as 1.0 pu and pre-fault load current is neglected (usual assumption for fault level calculation). As described, both transformers feed a common 132 kV bus, and two parallel 200 km lines run from that bus to F.

Per-unit reactances

Xnew=XoldSnewSoldX_{new} = X_{old}\dfrac{S_{new}}{S_{old}} (voltage bases match the ratings):

ElementRatingGivenOn 100 MVA (pu)
G1100 MVA15%0.15
T1100 MVA10%0.10
G250 MVA10%0.10×2=0.200.10 \times 2 = 0.20
T250 MVA8%0.08×2=0.160.08 \times 2 = 0.16

Line: XL=0.2×200=40 ΩX_L = 0.2 \times 200 = 40\ \Omega per line.

Zbase=1322100=174.24 ΩXL=40174.24=0.2296 pu\begin{aligned} Z_{base} &= \frac{132^2}{100} = 174.24\ \Omega \\ X_L &= \frac{40}{174.24} = 0.2296\ \text{pu} \end{aligned}

Reactance diagram

 E=1 --[G1 j0.15]--[T1 j0.10]--+
                               |   +--[L1]--+
                            132 kV |        |-- F
                               |   +--[L2]--+
 E=1 --[G2 j0.20]--[T2 j0.16]--+

Thevenin reactance at F

XG1T1=0.15+0.10=0.25XG2T2=0.20+0.16=0.36Xgen=0.25×0.360.25+0.36=0.1475Xlines=0.22962=0.1148Xth=0.1475+0.1148=0.2623 pu\begin{aligned} X_{G1T1} &= 0.15 + 0.10 = 0.25 \\ X_{G2T2} &= 0.20 + 0.16 = 0.36 \\ X_{gen} &= \frac{0.25 \times 0.36}{0.25 + 0.36} = 0.1475 \\ X_{lines} &= \frac{0.2296}{2} = 0.1148 \\ X_{th} &= 0.1475 + 0.1148 = 0.2623\ \text{pu} \end{aligned}

Fault current and fault MVA

If=1Xth=10.2623=3.8121 puIbase=100×1063×132×103=437.39 AIf=3.8121×437.39=1667.3 AFault MVA=SbaseXth=1000.2623=381.21 MVA\begin{aligned} I_f &= \frac{1}{X_{th}} = \frac{1}{0.2623} = 3.8121\ \text{pu} \\ I_{base} &= \frac{100 \times 10^6}{\sqrt{3} \times 132 \times 10^3} = 437.39\ \text{A} \\ I_f &= 3.8121 \times 437.39 = 1667.3\ \text{A} \\ \text{Fault MVA} &= \frac{S_{base}}{X_{th}} = \frac{100}{0.2623} = 381.21\ \text{MVA} \end{aligned}

Answer: total fault current ≈1.667\approx 1.667 kA (at 132 kV), fault level ≈381.2\approx 381.2 MVA.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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