Review on Active Distribution Networks with Fault Current Limiters and Renewable Energy Resources

Adel A. Abou El-Ela, Ragab A. El-Sehiemy (), Abdullah M. Shaheen and Aya R. Ellien
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Adel A. Abou El-Ela: Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom 33516, Egypt
Ragab A. El-Sehiemy: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
Abdullah M. Shaheen: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Suez University, Suez 43533, Egypt
Aya R. Ellien: Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom 33516, Egypt

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-30

Abstract: To cope with the increasing energy demand, power systems, especially distribution networks, face many challenges. Recently, these networks have become complex and large, and their stability and reliability are not easy to be handled. The integration of renewable energy resources and at the same time limiting their accompanied high fault currents is one of the approvable suggestions. Many solutions have appeared to restrict the fault currents, but fault current limiters (FCLs) arise as an efficient and promising solution to whether to interrupt or limit the fault currents to allowable limits. This paper presents a literature review of the integration of renewable energy resources as distributed generation units (DGs) and FCLs in distribution networks. The DGs can be categorized based on their size and ability to deliver active or reactive power in addition to their fuel. All of solar, wind, water, biomass, geothermal, and fuel cell are utilized as the main engine for these units. Additionally, a survey about FCLs is provided, including their diverse types and applications in either medium- or low-voltage networks. FCLs are divided into reactor, pyrotechnic, non-superconducting (solid state), and the last-developed ones, superconducting FCLs. In addition, the implemented optimization techniques are summarized to correctly employ both FCLs and DGs. These techniques vary between classical and modern, whereas more methods are developed to suit the renewable energy intermittence and uncertainty and the power system operators’ aspirations. Moreover, in this paper, the optimal allocation of diverse types of DGs correlated with FCLs is presented and applied to the real Egyptian distribution network of the East Delta Network (EDN). The results show the avails obtained where the power losses are significantly reduced, with respect to the total load, from 3.59% in the initial case to 0.296%. In addition, the fault current returns to its initial value, removing the percentage of increase of 20.93%.

Keywords: distributed generation; solar energy; wind energy; superconducting material fault current limiters; non-superconducting fault current limiters (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: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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