On The Performance Of State Estimators In Distribution Systems Under Fault Conditions

The modernization of the traditional distribution systems toward the so-called smart grid creates an environment conducive for the applications of distribution system state estimators. In this paper, two distribution system state estimator approaches, namely, Branch Currents Based State Estimator (BCBSE) and Admittance Matrix Based State Estimator (AMBSE), are evaluated under fault conditions. The aim is to verify if the approaches can be used as the main core of a fault location methodology. Both approaches have the particularity of presenting constant Jacobian and Gain matrices, which reduces the associated computational effort. The simulations shown in this paper were performed on the IEEE 13bus test feeder, considering single-and three-phase faults for different fault resistances and fault locations for several available measurement sets. Results indicate that the so-called BCBSE presents a more robust and stable behavior under fault conditions.