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Heliyon. 2021 Apr 02;7(4):e06665. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06665. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Adaptive protection coordination scheme in microgrids using directional over-current relays with non-standard characteristics.

Heliyon

Sergio D Saldarriaga-Zuluaga, Jesús M López-Lezama, Nicolás Muñoz-Galeano

Affiliations

  1. Institución Universitaria Pascual Bravo, Facultad de Ingenieria, Departamento de Eléctrica, Calle 73 No. 73A - 226, Medellín 050036, Colombia.
  2. Grupo en Manejo Eficiente de la Energía (GIMEL), Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia.

PMID: 33889777 PMCID: PMC8047505 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06665

Abstract

Protection coordination of AC microgrids (MGs) is a challenging task since they can operate either in grid-connected or islanded mode which drastically modifies the fault currents. In this context, traditional approaches to protection coordination, that only consider the time multiplier setting (TMS) as a decision variable may no longer be able to guarantee network security. This paper presents a novel approach for protection coordination in AC MGs that incorporates non-standard characteristic features of directional over-current relays (OCRs). Three optimization variables are considered for each relay: TMS, maximum limit of the plug setting multiplier (PSM) and standard characteristic curve (SCC). The proposed model corresponds to a mixed integer non-linear programming problem. Four metaheuristic techniques were implemented for solving the optimal coordination problem, namely: particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO) algorithm and shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA). Numerous tests were run on an IEC MG as well as with the distribution portion of the IEEE 30-bus test system. Both systems incorporate distributed generation (DG) and feature several modes of operation. A comparison was made with other MG protection coordination approaches proposed in the specialized literature. In all cases, the proposed approach found reduced coordination times, evidencing the applicability and efficacy of the proposed approach.

© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords: Distributed generation; Distribution networks; Microgrids; Over-current relay coordination; Power system protection

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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