A communication-assisted protection scheme for direct-current distribution networks

Mehdi Monadi, M. Amin Zamani, Cosmin Koch-Ciobotaru, Jose Ignacio Candela and Pedro Rodriguez

Energy, 2016, vol. 109, issue C, 578-591

Abstract: One of the major issues associated with the implementation of direct-current distribution systems is the design of a proper protection scheme. The fault current characteristics in direct-current distribution systems are quite different than those in conventional alternating-current grids. Thus, the performance of conventional protection schemes can adversely be affected, and it is necessary to modify the conventional protection schemes or design new protection methods for direct-current networks. This paper proposes a multi-zone differential protection scheme for direct-current distribution systems embedding distributed generators. The proposed method provides a selective and fast protection through the use of a communication link between two sides of a protected feeder. Moreover, the method provides a differential-based backup for the adjacent relays, which can enhance the protection system reliability. In addition, the method proposed in this paper also utilizes directional over-current elements to provide backup protection if the communication network fails. The effectiveness of the proposed protection scheme is evaluated through comprehensive hardware-in-the-loop simulation studies to obtain more realistic results and to investigate the impact of the communication delay. The results show that the proposed method can provide a selective and fast protection and effectively protect components of direct-current distribution systems against different types of faults.

Keywords: Communication-assisted protection; Distributed generation; Real-time simulation; Smart distribution systems; Voltage source converters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216305382
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:109:y:2016:i:c:p:578-591

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.118

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().