The Spectra of Fault-Induced Transients

During the first cycle or two following a power system fault, a high-speed protective relay is expected to make a decision as to the severity or location of the fault, usually based on 60 Hz information, i.e. the phase and magnitude of 60 Hz voltage or current signals. It is precisely at this time however that the signal is badly corrupted by noise, in the form of a dc offset or frequencies above 60 Hz.