ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: A new technique is proposed to locate wire faults using Impedance Spectroscopy (IS). The propagation along the cables is analytical, modelled with flexible multi section cascading models utilizing frequency dependent scattering parameters. Therefore, it doesn’t have the common numerical method problems that the calculation time is proportional to the wiring length or dependent on cable system complexity and the frequency dependent parameter of the cable are approximated as constant in numerical methods. The transmission line model has the same spectrum as the measured input impedance of Wire Under Test (WUT) so that same practical effects such as skin and proximity effects, signal loss, dispersion and frequency dependent signal propagation can be exactly incorporated. For determination of model parameters an inverse problem should be resolved and Differential Evolution (DE) approach is proposed. The novel method allows locating hard (short and open circuit) and soft (small impedance changes) faults. The results show an excellent reproducibility and a fast processing time which is less than 30 s for a cable with only a single fault.
