Optimal Coordination of Directional Overcurrent Relays in Microgrids Considering European and North American Curves

León F. Serna-Montoya (), Sergio D. Saldarriaga-Zuluaga, Jesús M. López-Lezama () and Nicolás Muñoz-Galeano
Additional contact information
León F. Serna-Montoya: Research Group on Efficient Energy Management (GIMEL), Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín 050010, Colombia
Sergio D. Saldarriaga-Zuluaga: Departamento de Eléctrica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Institución Universitaria Pascual Bravo, Calle 73 No. 73A-226, Medellín 050036, Colombia
Jesús M. López-Lezama: Research Group on Efficient Energy Management (GIMEL), Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín 050010, Colombia
Nicolás Muñoz-Galeano: Research Group on Efficient Energy Management (GIMEL), Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellín 050010, Colombia

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-26

Abstract: Protecting AC microgrids (MGs) is a challenging task due to their dual operating modes—grid-connected and islanded—which cause sudden variations in fault currents. Traditional protection methods may no longer ensure network security. This paper presents a novel approach to protection coordination in AC MGs using non-standard features of directional over-current relays (DOCRs). Three key optimization variables are considered: Time Multiplier Setting (TMS), the plug setting multiplier’s (PSM) maximum limit, and the standard characteristic curve (SCC). The proposed model is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem and solved using four metaheuristic techniques: the genetic algorithm (GA), Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA), Harmonic Search (HS), and Firefly Algorithm (FA). Tests on a benchmark IEC MG with distributed generation and various operating modes demonstrate that this approach reduces coordination times compared to existing methods. This paper’s main contributions are threefold: (1) introducing a methodology for assessing the optimal performance of different standard curves in MG protection; (2) utilizing non-standard characteristics for optimal coordination of DOCRs; and (3) enabling the selection of curves from both North American and European standards. This approach improves trip time performance across multiple operating modes and topologies, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of MG protection systems.

Keywords: distributed generation; microgrid; power system protection; over-current relay coordination; directional over-current relay; metaheuristic techniques (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: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/23/5887/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/23/5887/ (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:17:y:2024:i:23:p:5887-:d:1527915

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 ().