Optimal Coordination of Overcurrent Relays in Microgrids Considering a Non-Standard Characteristic

Sergio Danilo Saldarriaga-Zuluaga, Jesús María López-Lezama and Nicolás Muñoz-Galeano
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Sergio Danilo Saldarriaga-Zuluaga: Departamento de Eléctrica, Institución Universitaria Pascual Bravo, Facultad de Ingenieria, Calle 73 No. 73A-226, Medellín 050036, Colombia
Jesús María López-Lezama: Grupo en Manejo Eficiente de la Energía (GIMEL), Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Nicolás Muñoz-Galeano: Grupo en Manejo Eficiente de la Energía (GIMEL), Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The optimal coordination of overcurrent relays (OCRs) has recently become a major challenge owing to the ever-increasing participation of distributed generation (DG) and the multi-looped structure of modern distribution networks (DNs). Furthermore, the changeable operational topologies of microgrids has increased the complexity and computational burden to obtain the optimal settings of OCRs. In this context, classical approaches to OCR coordination might no longer be sufficient to provide a reliable performance of microgrids both in the islanded and grid-connected operational modes. This paper proposes a novel approach for optimal coordination of directional OCRs in microgrids. This approach consists of considering the upper limit of the plug setting multiplier (PSM) as a variable instead of a fixed parameter as usually done in traditional approaches for OCRs coordination. A genetic algorithm (GA) was implemented to optimize the limits of the maximum PSM for the OCRs coordination. Several tests were performed with an IEC microgrid benchmark network considering several operational modes. Results showed the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. A comparison with other studies reported in the specialized literature is provided showing the advantages of the proposed approach.

Keywords: distributed generation; distribution networks; microgrids; power system protection; overcurrent relay coordination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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