The power system and microgrid protection-a review

In recent years, power grid infrastructures have been changing from a centralized power generation model to a paradigm where the generation capability is spread over an increasing number of small power stations relying on renewable energy sources. A microgrid is a local network including renewable and non-renewable energy sources as well as distributed loads. Microgrids can be operated in both grid-connected and islanded modes to fill the gap between the significant increase in demand and storage of electricity and transmission issues. Power electronics play an important role in microgrids due to the penetration of renewable energy sources. While microgrids have many benefits for power systems, they cause many challenges, especially in protection systems. This paper presents a comprehensive review of protection systems with the penetration of microgrids in the distribution network. The expansion of a microgrid affects the coordination and protection by a change in the current direction in the distribution network. Various solutions have been suggested in the literature to resolve the microgrid protection issues. The conventional coordination of the protection system is based on the time delays between relays as the primary and backup protection. The system protection scheme has to be changed in the presence of a microgrid, so several protection schemes have been proposed to improve the protection system. Microgrids are classified into different types based on the DC/AC system, communication infrastructure, rotating synchronous machine or inverter-based distributed generation (DG), etc. Finally, we discuss the trend of future protection schemes and compare the conventional power systems

Comparison between unipolar and bipolar single phase grid-connected inverters for PV applications

An inverter is essential for the interfacing of photovoltaic panels with the AC network. There are many possible inverter topologies and inverter switching schemes and each one will have its own relative advantages and disadvantages. Efficiency and output current distortion are two important factors governing the choice of inverter system. In this paper, it is argued that current controlled inverters offer significant advantages from the point of view of minimisation of current distortion. Two inverter switching strategies are explored in detail. These are the unipolar current controlled inverter and the bipolar current controlled inverter. With respect to low frequency distortion, previously published works provide theoretical arguments in favour of bipolar switching. On the other hand it has also been argued that the unipolar switched inverter offers reduced switching losses and generates less EMI. On efficiency grounds, it appears that the unipolar switched inverter has an advantage. However, experimental results presented in this paper show that the level of low frequency current distortion in the unipolar switched inverter is such that it can only comply with Australian Standard 4777.2 above a minimum output current. On the other hand it is shown that at the same current levels bipolar switching results in reduced low frequency harmonics

Comparison between unipolar and bipolar single phase grid-connected inverters for PV applications

An inverter is essential for the interfacing of photovoltaic panels with the AC network. There are many possible inverter topologies and inverter switching schemes and each one will have its own relative advantages and disadvantages. Efficiency and output current distortion are two important factors governing the choice of inverter system. In this paper, it is argued that current controlled inverters offer significant advantages from the point of view of minimisation of current distortion. Two inverter switching strategies are explored in detail. These are the unipolar current controlled inverter and the bipolar current controlled inverter. With respect to low frequency distortion, previously published works provide theoretical arguments in favour of bipolar switching. On the other hand it has also been argued that the unipolar switched inverter offers reduced switching losses and generates less EMI. On efficiency grounds, it appears that the unipolar switched inverter has an advantage. However, experimental results presented in this paper show that the level of low frequency current distortion in the unipolar switched inverter is such that it can only comply with Australian Standard 4777.2 above a minimum output current. On the other hand it is shown that at the same current levels bipolar switching results in reduced low frequency harmonics

A survey of islanding detection methods for microgrids and assessment of non-detection zones in comparison with grid codes

Detection of unintentional islanding is critical in microgrids in order to guarantee personal safety and avoid equipment damage. Most islanding detection techniques are based on monitoring and detecting abnormalities in magnitudes such as frequency, voltage, current and power. However, in normal operation, the utility grid has fluctuations in voltage and frequency, and grid codes establish that local generators must remain connected if deviations from the nominal values do not exceed the defined thresholds and ramps. This means that islanding detection methods could not detect islanding if there are fluctuations that do not exceed the grid code requirements, known as the non-detection zone (NDZ). A survey on the benefits of islanding detection techniques is provided, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each one. NDZs size of the most common passive islanding detection methods are calculated and obtained by simulation and compared with the limits obtained by ENTSO-E and islanding standards in the function of grid codes requirements in order to compare the effectiveness of different techniques and the suitability of each one

Microgrid Protection Systems

Micro grids are miniature version of conventional large power grids functioning either autonomously or with inter connection to the main grid. Primary function of micro grid is to serve power at distribution level. Distributed energy resources (DERs) connected to the micro grid enables reliable and efficient operation of micro grid. Protection of micro grids assumed importance due to increased penetration of distributed energy resources. Most of the distribution systems in earlier days are radial in nature and protection systems are designed for that. These protection systems pose serious challenges when applied to present day distribution systems which are mesh connected and fed by the distributed energy resources. Limitation of the conventional protection scheme demands new insights and methodologies for micro grid protection. Due to intermediate current injection from DERs the conventional coordination of over current (O/C) relays is not possible. Further in meshed systems the fault current flow is bidirectional. Hence the protection of micro grid systems with DERs require different approach to ensure faults are cleared in less time and minimal number of consumers connected to the system are affected. A comprehensive analysis of the suitable techniques applicable for micro grid protection is presented in this chapter

Methodology for characterizing electric power system response and locating the energized capacitor banks using conventional power quality data

textA relatively small harmonic current with frequencies near or at the power system parallel resonant frequencies could excite the power system into a resonance condition. While a capacitor bank is not the root cause of the condition, it facilitates and helps cause the problem. This is because when the capacitor bank is energized, the system resonant frequency could shift closer to existing harmonic frequencies produced by nonlinear loads. Therefore, the objective of this dissertation is to quantify the power system characteristics corresponding to the parallel resonant frequencies and system damping. Additionally, since a capacitor bank actively facilitates the resonance condition, the relative or exact location of the involved bank must be determined. This dissertation first presents a practical and accurate methodology to estimate system parallel resonant frequencies by performing spectral analysis of the voltage and current transient data immediately after the capacitor bank switching. The proposed method is also robust in that the accuracy of the resulting estimates is not affected by prevalent harmonics in the system. This dissertation provides two efficient algorithms for estimating the system damping parameters using the Hilbert and analytic wavelet transforms. These algorithms take advantage of the principle of an asymptotic or weaklymodulated signal, for which the signal phase varies much more rapidly than the amplitude. The zero-input voltage response or free response of the capacitor bank energizing can be categorized into these asymptotic signals, and one can assign a unique time-varying amplitude with the system damping information and phase pair by building analytic signals. System model reduction theory also allows us to interpret or quantify this damping as an effective X/R ratio. This dissertation defines two fundamental signatures of shunt capacitor bank energizing. It demonstrates that these two signatures can be utilized to accurately determine the relative location of an energized capacitor bank whether it is upstream or downstream from the monitoring location. This dissertation also presents an efficient and accurate methodology for finding the exact location of an energized capacitor bank. Once a PQ monitor is found to be upstream from the capacitor bank by the relative location finding algorithm, the proposed algorithm can further determine the exact location of the switched capacitor bank by estimating the distance between the PQ monitor and the energized capacitor bank. Thus, one can pinpoint the energized capacitor bank causing the resonance.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Islanding Detection in Micro-grids using Sum of Voltage and Current Wavelet Coefficients Energy before the Main Circuit Breaker Side

This paper presents wavelet based islanding detection in distributed generation (DG) interfaced to the microgrid. Also a new fast method is developed for islanding detection based on measuring the utility currents and voltages signals processed by discrete wavelet transform. These currents and voltages signals are measured before the main circuit breaker of microgrid network and their features extracted by discrete wavelet transform. These features are sum of wavelet coefficients energy and are used for distinguishing the islanding conditions from non-islanding ones. Because of changing in measuring point of currents and voltages signals from point of common coupling (PCC) in traditional methods to before the main circuit breaker in proposed method, this new method detects the islanding conditions faster than the other methods. The proposed method has been examined under various scenarios; including mains supply faults, various one, two, or three phases' grid faults, and changes of rate of produced energy on IEEE 1547 anti-islanding test system. The numerical studies show the feasibility and applicability of the proposed method with satisfactory results