Falling Conductor Mitigation

When an overhead power line breaks and falls to the ground, it can create a high-impedance fault that is difficult to detect with traditional protective elements, causing a hazardous situation. The SEL falling conductor mitigation solution detects a break and de-energizes a falling conductor in midair. This solution mitigates hazards like wildfires, improving public safety and maintaining environmental health.

We will happily schedule a time for you to talk with our experts about how we can meet your needs.

An Innovative Solution

The SEL falling conductor mitigation solution is based on specialized algorithms implemented in SEL Real-Time Automation Controllers (RTACs). It is a scalable solution designed for distribution systems, including single-phase, two-phase, and three-phase circuits.In this solution, the RTAC receives synchrophasor data from phasor measurement units (PMUs) in the field via high-speed communications. Through monitoring the synchrophasor data in real time, the RTAC can detect voltage changes and identify falling conductors within milliseconds of a break.Through IEC 61850 GOOSE or Mirrored Bits communications protocols, the RTAC sends commands to protective devices to de-energize the broken conductor before it touches the ground, preventing equipment damage and hazardous conditions.The RTAC also analyzes the synchrophasor data to narrow down the location of the broken conductor and notifies SCADA, making service restoration more efficient. SEL-5702 Synchrowave Operations Software monitors the system in supervisory or live mode and provides helpful tools for post-fault analysis.

De-Energize Falling Conductors in Midair

Watch the falling conductor mitigation solution, step by step.

Simple Configuration and Expansion

With easy-to-use template-based settings, system configuration is simple and does not require any coordination or load flow studies. After initial setup, settings can be easily modified using the intuitive interface in acSELerator RTAC SEL-5033 Software, allowing you to adapt and expand your system for additional feeders and PMUs.

Solution Components

Falling Conductor Detection Algorithms

Synchrophasor measurements from PMUs in the field are sent to the RTAC for time alignment and analysis. The time-aligned data are monitored in real time for specific behavior patterns associated with broken conductors. The system uses multiple methods for detecting falling conductors including analysis of: voltage change over time, magnitude of voltage sequence components, and angle of voltage sequence components. The system can be deployed in supervisory or live mode and can be customized to trip after a set number of detection methods.

RTACs

The RTAC acts as both the phasor data concentrator and the central logic processor in this solution. Deployed in substation environments, the RTAC pulls data from PMUs, analyzes the data to identify broken conductors, and issues control commands to protective devices in the field. The easy-to-use RTAC HMI provides comprehensive data visualization, and its variety of hardware options offers the flexibility to choose the form factor and processing power that best suits your application. In distribution systems where an RTAC is already implemented, the falling conductor detection algorithms can be added with a software upgrade.

Learn more about the RTAC platform

Synchrophasor Data

A wide range of SEL devices offer PMU functionality, including the SEL-351 Protection System, the SEL-651R Advanced Recloser Control, and the SEL-751 Feeder Protection Relay. In addition, this solution is interoperable with PMUs from other manufacturers. PMUs throughout the distribution system stream synchrophasor measurements to the RTAC at a rate of 30-60 messages per second using available high-speed communications path, such as Ethernet radio or fiber. Each RTAC can support up to 100 PMUs.

Learn more about SEL distribution protection technologies

Synchrowave Operations

For continuous monitoring and analysis, synchrophasor measurements can be streamed from the RTAC to a centralized engineering or grid operations environment running Synchrowave Operations. This software provides quick and easy access to real-time and historic time-series data via a web client user interface.

Learn more about Synchrowave Operations

SEL Solutions in Action

San Diego Gas & Electric

Partnership and Innovation: Mitigating Wildfire Risk in Southern CaliforniaLearn more

Engineering Services

Let Engineering Services partner with you to create an SEL solution for your system. From engineering studies and system design through commissioning and training, SEL engineers bring inventiveness and a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of electric power systems to every project. No matter how complex or sophisticated the system, we can help you protect, simplify, and control it.

Products and Services You Can Rely On

SEL products are designed and manufactured for the world’s most challenging environments, exceeding all industry standards for temperature, shock, and electric stress. An optional conformal coating for circuit boards adds an extra level of protection against contaminants in extreme environments.Every SEL product comes with a ten-year warranty—the best in the industry. If any product fails under warranty, we’ll repair or replace it for free.

Our Support

When you choose SEL, you get more than products and services—you get a partnership. Our customer support teams are experts in power system products and applications, and they’re available for the entire life of your SEL solution.SEL ES project engineers are ready to assist you in various project stages, from planning through final commissioning of the system. Afterward, ES teams around the globe will assist with any ongoing needs, and you have access to no-cost product support from highly skilled SEL application engineers.More about SEL quality and support

Every device we manufacture comes with free lifetime technical support. SEL application engineers are stationed around the world and are ready to provide support and expertise for virtually all power system applications. No matter how often you need to call or how long your SEL products have been in service, our customer service and technical support professionals are ready to help.

Security Bulletins and Updates

We notify product owners of updates and security patches for the full life of the product. We distribute software and firmware updates directly to our customers via a secure file transfer. The authenticity and integrity of the updates are verifiable through digital signatures and cryptographic hashes.More about security notifications

SEL provides complete cybersecurity support for every solution, system, and product we create.

Cybersecurity Bulletins and Updates

We thoroughly review and test the code in our products, which gives us greater control over their quality, security, and functionality. Customers are notified of updates and security patches for the full life of every SEL product.

Cybersecurity Services and Support

From system assessment and baselining to cyber-defense solution development and ongoing system management, our full suite of security services can help strengthen your defenses and streamline the demands of maintenance and compliance.Cyber services support contracts include incident response, audits, system hardening, patch and update management, and more.

SEL meets your workforce training and continuing-education needs through seminars, conference and tradeshow presentations, and SEL University courses.SEL University courses and many of our seminars provide Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for maintaining Professional Engineering licenses. Courses and seminars can be delivered in various formats, including self-paced online learning, virtual classrooms, live and recorded webinars, and in person.We can also work with you to develop training that is customized to the specific needs of your workforce.Training and Education offeringsSEL University CoursesConferences and TradeshowsSeminars and Webinars