AC Microgrid Protection System Design Challenges—A Practical Experience

Sarat Chandra Vegunta, Michael J. Higginson, Yashar E. Kenarangui, George Tsai Li, David W. Zabel, Mohammad Tasdighi and Azadeh Shadman
Additional contact information
Sarat Chandra Vegunta: Consulting & Analytical Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
Michael J. Higginson: Engineering Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
Yashar E. Kenarangui: Consulting & Analytical Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
George Tsai Li: Engineering Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
David W. Zabel: Consulting & Analytical Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
Mohammad Tasdighi: Consulting & Analytical Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
Azadeh Shadman: Consulting & Analytical Services, S&C Electric Company, 6601 N Ridge Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Alternating current (AC) microgrids are the next step in the evolution of the electricity distribution systems. They can operate in a grid-tied or island mode. Depending on the services they are designed to offer, their grid-tied or island modes could have several sub-operational states and or topological configurations. Short-circuit current levels and protection requirements between different microgrid modes and configurations can vary significantly. Designing a microgrid’s protection system, therefore, requires a thorough understanding of all microgrid operational modes, configurations, transitional states, and how transitions between those modes are managed. As part of the microgrid protection design, speed and reliability of information flow between the microprocessor-based relays and the microgrid controller, including during microgrid failure modes, must be considered. Furthermore, utility protection practices and customer requirements are not always inclusive of the protection schemes that are unique to microgrids. These and other aspects contribute to the overall complexity and challenge of designing effective microgrid protection systems. Following a review of microgrid protection system design challenges, this paper discusses a few real-world experiences, based on the authors’ own engineering, design, and field experience, in using several approaches to address microgrid protection system design, engineering, and implementation challenges.

Keywords: distribution energy resources; microgrids; power distribution; power system protection (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: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/7/2016/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/7/2016/ (text/html)

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:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:7:p:2016-:d:530819

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().