Optimal Protection Coordination for Grid-Connected and Islanded Microgrids Assisted by the Crow Search Algorithm: Application of Dual-Setting Overcurrent Relays and Fault Current Limiters

Hossien Shad, Hamid Amini Khanavandi, Saeed Abrisham Foroushan Asl, Ali Aranizadeh, Behrooz Vahidi and Mirpouya Mirmozaffari ()
Additional contact information
Hossien Shad: Department of Electrical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Saveh Branch, Saveh 14778-93855, Iran
Hamid Amini Khanavandi: Department of Electrical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Saveh Branch, Saveh 14778-93855, Iran
Saeed Abrisham Foroushan Asl: Department of Electrical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Saveh Branch, Saveh 14778-93855, Iran
Ali Aranizadeh: Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran 3715879817, Iran
Behrooz Vahidi: Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran 3715879817, Iran
Mirpouya Mirmozaffari: Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, 5269 Morris Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-24

Abstract: This paper introduces a two-stage protection coordination framework designed for grid-connected and islanded microgrids (MGs) that integrate distributed generations (DGs) and energy storage systems (ESSs). The first stage focuses on determining the optimal location and sizing of DGs and ESSs within the islanded MG to ensure a stable and reliable operation. The objective is to minimize the combined annual investment and expected operational costs while adhering to the optimal power flow equations governing the MG, which incorporates both DGs and ESSs. To account for the inherent uncertainties in load and DG power generation, scenario-based stochastic programming (SBSP) is used to model these variations effectively. The second stage develops the optimal protection coordination strategy for both grid-connected and islanded MGs, aiming to achieve a rapid and efficient protective response. This is achieved by optimizing the settings of dual-setting overcurrent relays (DSORs) and determining the appropriate sizing of fault current limiters (FCLs), using operational data from the MG’s daily performance. The goal is to minimize the total operating time of the DSORs in both primary and backup protection modes while respecting critical constraints such as the coordination time interval (CTI) and the operational limits of DSORs and FCLs. To solve this complex optimization problem, the Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) is employed, ensuring the derivation of reliable and effective solutions. The framework is implemented on both 9-bus and 32-bus MGs, demonstrating its practical applicability and evaluating its effectiveness in real-world scenarios. The proposed method achieves an expected total daily relay operation time of 1041.36 s for the 9-bus MG and 1282 s for the 32-bus MG. Additionally, the optimization results indicate a reduction in maximum voltage deviation from 0.0073 p.u. (grid-connected mode) to 0.0038 p.u. (islanded mode) and a decrease in daily energy loss from 1.0114 MWh to 0.9435 MWh. The CSA solver outperforms conventional methods, achieving a standard deviation of 1.13% and 1.21% for two optimization stages, ensuring high reliability and computational efficiency. This work not only provides valuable insights into the optimization of MG protection coordination but also contributes to the broader effort of enhancing the reliability and economic viability of microgrid systems, which are becoming increasingly vital for sustainable energy solutions in modern power grids.

Keywords: distributed generation; dual-setting overcurrent relay; energy storage system; fault current limiters; reliable islanded microgrid; two-stage optimal protection 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: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/7/1601/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/7/1601/ (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:18:y:2025:i:7:p:1601-:d:1618636

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 ().