Implementation of IEC 61850 in Solar Applications

IEC 61850 has become one of the core technologies in the substation automation due its high-speed reliable operation Ethernet-based communication with a high security. Its reliability and performance makes a significant contribution to a fail-safe substation operation. IEC 61850 also allows both vertical and horizontal communications in the substation automation. Main characteristic of IEC 61850 is the use of GOOSE messages. All communication services run parallel via one LAN connection and the same GOOSE message can be broadcasted to several IEDs in once. This results in less wiring and faster data exchange between applications. Moreover, one of the core features of IEC 61850 is the interoperability between IEDs from different vendors. The separation of communication and data model allows to reliably retaining engineering data for a long time even if when upgrading or changing the system. IEC publishes updated documentations every while and add new parts to the standard due to the rabidly increase of IEC 61850 applications demand. As the market of solar applications has been increasing last few years, hence, the needs of new technologies to be implemented in solar applications is increasing as well. This thesis beside several other current researches nowadays is investigating the implementation of IEC 61850 in solar applications. The thesis outlines the current needs of solar applications by collecting statistical data using two surveys then concludes the implementation requirement. In the end of the research, IEC 61850 Data sets and current used parameters by Vacon were compared, and simulation example of photovoltaic array is given to conclude the benefits of using IEC 61850 in solar systems.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Automatic fault location in electrical distribution networks with distributed generation

Nowadays the electrical network is continuously evolving due to the increasing deployment of Information Technologies and the Distribution Energy Resources. This scenario affects directly to the quality of service in the electrical distribution networks. For this reason, the Power Quality is a key important concern to make the electrical network evolve towards a Smart Grid. Power quality is defined through three important focal points: availability, wave quality and commercial quality. The presence of the Distribution Energy Resources in the current electrical distribution network is showing a new scenario where the fault detection is more complex due to the flow current is in both directions. This thesis is focused in the analysis of several methods to locate a fault in electrical distribution network and also how the current communication standards can improve considerably this fault location. It is important to remark that the main contribution of this thesis is in the analysis of several propositions and algorithms to enhance the fault location in a distribution network using the current Intelligent Electronic Device with international standards such as IEC 61850. All of these algorithms have been focused to work in a mesh distribution networks. Another important contribution of this thesis is in the adaptive protection system in order to isolate correctly the fault in a ring system distribution. Although this proposition could be extended to a mesh network where the elements of the network can operate under a fault. Finally, the thesis concludes that the use of communication standards and Internet of Things with current developed Intelligent Electronic Devices technology can contribute significantly to enhance the current and future electrical network distribution.La xarxa elèctrica evoluciona contínuament a causa del creixent desplegament de les Tecnologies de la Informació i dels Recursos Energètics Distribuïts. Aquest escenari afecta directament a la qualitat de servei de les xarxes de distribució elèctrica. Per aquest motiu, el mantenir i millorar el nivell de qualitat d'energia és un punt clau per fer evolucionar la xarxa elèctrica cap a una xarxa Smart Grid. Aquesta qualitat de l'energia es defineix per medi de de tres punts importants: disponibilitat, qualitat d'ona i qualitat comercial. La presència dels Recursos Energètics Distribuïts mostra un nou escenari en què la detecció de defectes es complica afectant a la disponibilitat del servei. Aquesta tesi es centra principalment en l'anàlisi de diversos mètodes per localitzar un defecte a la xarxa de distribució elèctrica i també en com l'ús dels estàndards de comunicació actuals poden contribuir considerablement a la localització del defecte. És important remarcar que la principal contribució d'aquest document ha estat en l'anàlisi de diverses proposicions i algoritmes per millorar la localització de faltes en una xarxa de distribució utilitzant Dispositius Electrònics Intel·ligents amb estàndards internacionals com l'IEC 61850. Tots aquests algoritmes han estat definits per treballar en xarxes de distribució mallades. Una altra contribució important d'aquesta tesi es troba en el sistema de protecció adaptatiu per tal d'aïllar correctament el defecte en una distribució del sistema d'anell amb interruptors automàtics. Aquesta proposta es podria ampliar a una xarxa mallada. Finalment, la tesi conclou amb que l'ús d'estàndards de comunicació i l'Internet of Things en combinació amb Dispositius Electrònics Intel·ligents, desenvolupats actualment, poden contribuir significativament a millorar la distribució de la xarxa elèctrica actual i futura

Metering and adaptive protection for a microgrid with distributed generation

The main objective of this project is to develop an adaptive relaying system that will protect the microgrid both in connected and isolated modes. Therefore the settings for the different relays will be observed for the two modes of operation. This will determine whether they are correctly coordinated in order to operate as an adaptive relaying system. A secondary but also important objective is to identify load management techniques through smart metering that could facilitate power system operation and in turn power system protection. To achieve the goal of this project the proposed relaying system will have to prove appropriate in all the test cases. Based on the results obtained in the simulations, conclusions about the relaying scheme were drawn. Based on cases where the scheme seemed inappropriate or could be improved, recommendations were made. The relaying scheme proposed in this project proved highly successful in detecting abnormalities and protecting the power system when necessary

A Review and Synthesis of the Outcomes from Low Carbon Networks Fund Projects

The Low Carbon Networks Fund (LCNF) was established by Ofgem in 2009 with an objective to “help Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) understand how they provide security of supply at value for money and facilitate transition to the low carbon economy”. The £500m fund operated in a tiered format, funding small scale projects as Tier 1 and running a Tier 2 annual competitive process to fund a smaller number of large projects. By 31st March 2015, forty Tier 1 projects and twenty-three Tier 2 projects had been approved with project budgets totalling £29.5m and £220.3m respectively. The LCNF governance arrangements state that projects should focus on the trialling of: new equipment (more specifically, that unproven in GB), novel arrangements or applications of existing equipment, novel operational practices, or novel commercial arrangements. The requirement that learning gained from projects could be disseminated was a key feature of the LCNF. The motivation for the review reported here was a recognition that significant learning and data had been generated from a large volume of project activity but, with so many individual reports published, that it was difficult for outside observers to identify clear messages with respect to the innovations investigated under the programme. This review is therefore intended to identify, categorise and synthesise the learning outcomes published by LCNF projects up to December 2015