Dual-setting directional over-current relays: An optimal coordination in multiple source meshed distribution networks

To guarantee a safe operating scheme against the probable faults, an accurate and fast relaying scheme is of high priority. This challenge seems to be more sophisticated in multiple source meshed distribution networks hosting distributed generations (DGs). In this case, the current experiences bidirectional flows. More recently, dual-setting over-current relays are evolved as competent countermeasures for such cases. In this way, establishing an optimal coordination strategy is recognized as the first prerequisite in assuring a safe protection scheme. To this end, the present study aims at minimizing the overall operating time of primary and backup relays. Typically, the coordination problem is carried out by adjusting two parameters namely, pick up current (Ip) and time dial setting (TDS). In contradiction, the proposed approach follows a user-defined settings supported by some operating rules. Thus, besides the aforementioned settings, the coefficients of the inverse-time characteristics are also optimized. In other words, more flexibility is attained in adjusting relay’s characteristic in regard of the network’s loading and topological changes. Furthermore, inclusion of operating rules in main objectives, not only reduces the sum of operating time of all relays, but also increases the efficiency of backup relays regarding the break points in meshed networks. In other words, the covering zone by each backup relay is increased. The proposed approach demonstrates a non-linear programming fashion which is tackled based on genetic algorithm (GA). Several numerical studies are carried out to interrogate the validity of the proposed approach encountering different fault scenarios. The obtained results are encouraging.     

基于用户自定义特征的反时限有源配网保护方案

由于分布式电源输出功率的随机性与波动性,当分布式电源大量接入配电网后,传统的反时限过电流保护方案很难满足配电网保护选择性和速动性的要求。为此,文章通过研究数字反时限过流保护继电器,提出一种基于用户自定义特征的反时限过电流保护方案。保护方案将反时限继电器的特性常数(A)和反时限的类型常数(B)同继电器的时间整定系数、启动电流共同作为待优化的连续变量,并以最小故障电流时所有保护动作时间之和最小为目标函数,利用内点法求解保护的最优配置。方案保证了线路出口处故障时保护能快速动作,满足了配电网保护选择性和速动性的要求。最后,通过仿真分析,对保护方案进行了验证。     

快速后备保护研究

电力系统继电保护中后备保护按阶梯形配置整定，必然带来主干电网和发电厂后备保护动作时间太长、影响电网安全的问题。提出建立一种新的快速后备保护系统的思想，描述了变电站快速后备保护系统的结构和运行原理，建立了动作逻辑方程式。采用文中所述方法，变电站后备保护动作时间将小于1s，从而可大大缩短整个电网的后备保护动作时间。     

分布式电源对配网继电保护影响及综合改进保护方案

随着大规模分布式电源的接入,配电网的运行方式、潮流特性及短路电流等都将发生很大变化,这对配电网线路的反时限过电流保护产生较大影响。在传统电力系统反时限电流保护基础上,分析了分布式电源在故障发生时的助增电流对配电网反时限保护的影响机理和特性,提出一种利用电压因子修正的综合改进反时限过电流保护方案,以改善相邻线路保护间的配合特性来满足分布式电源接入下的继电保护要求。在PSCAD/EMTDC环境中建立了仿真模型,验证了所提方案选择性和速动性的有效性。     

An accurate technique for locating faults by distance relays

This paper presents a new protection scheme for improving the performance of the distance protective relays in transmission systems. The determination of fault zone by the proposed scheme is based on data sheared locally with other distance relays at the same station, in addition to a command from the distance relay on the other end of the protected line. Based on analyzing this information the relay decides the correct fault zone. With the proposed scheme, the first zone in the distance relay covers the full length of the protected line while the second zone covers the full length of any line following the protected line irrespective of its length, etc. The scheme is examined against wide range of setting problems of a real part of a HV network with real relay settings. It succeeds in solving distance relay setting problems, e.g. the problem of a long line following a short line or vice versa, low in-feed, open CB at one end and high impedance faults.     

超高压电网反时限零序过流保护简化整定方法

随着国内超高压电网中传统四段式定时限零序电流保护的整定配合越来越困难,反时限零序过流保护作为后备保护逐渐得到应用。但目前其定值整定多依赖工程经验,缺乏理论支撑,给实际应用带来诸多限制。为此,首先结合超高压电网变电站装设接地变压器的结构特点,分析了零序网络电流的自然差异分布特性,给出了简化整定的理论基础。然后提出采用全网统一定值整定原则的反时限零序过流保护简化整定方法。最后通过理论分析说明了简化整定后仍可保证选择性与灵敏性。利用国内某区域电网500 kV局部输电网算例进行计算,其结果证明了所提简化整定方法有效且合理。     

Fast isolation of faults in transmission systems using current transients

This paper presents a protection scheme that is capable of very fast isolation of faults in high voltage transmission systems. Proposed scheme comprises set of relays connected through a telecommunication network, located at different nodes of the system. Relays use wavelet coefficients of current signals to identify the fault directions relative to their location. Fault directions identified at different locations in the system can be combined to determine the faulted line (or busbar) and isolate it. A robust single ended traveling wave based fault distance estimation approach is proposed as a backup in case of communication failure. Investigations were carried out using time domain simulations in PSCAD/EMTDC for a high voltage transmission system.     

A Novel Multi-Objective Protection Coordination Scheme for a Microgrid with Optimal Deployment of Dual-Setting ROCOV Based Relays

Relay coordination is crucial in electrical power systems to protect against malfunctions and damage caused by unexpected events like short circuits. To address the challenge associated with the reverse direction of fault current, dual-setting (DS) directional over-current relays have evolved but failed to provide proper coordination during changes of load, generation, and network. In the meantime, with the increasing number of DS relays, the total relay operating time tends to saturate. Therefore, this paper proposes a protection scheme based on the optimal deployment of conventional and dual-setting rate of change of voltage (DS-ROCOV) relays in distribution systems. This holds true for varying network topologies and is unaffected by variations in load and generation. The objective of the proposed scheme is to ensure reliable and efficient protection against faults in distribution systems by minimizing the overall operating time with the optimal number of DS-ROCOV relays. The proposed protection scheme''s performance is evaluated for different coordination time interval values as well as in different microgrid scenarios. This paper outlines the design and implementation of the proposed protection scheme which is validated on the modified IEEE 14-bus system using simulations in Matlab/Simulink.     

Directional overcurrent and earth-fault protections for a biomass microgrid system in Malaysia

Over-current protection is principally intended to counteract excessive current in power systems. In distribution systems in Malaysia, non-directional over-current protection is adopted because of the radial nature of the power system used. Relay typically used in distribution network are designed to cater for current flow in one direction, i.e., from transmission network to load. However, with the forecasted increase in generation from renewable sources, it is important that adequate codes are in place with regards to their integration to sub-transmission/distribution network. Distribution network dynamically changes from “passive” to “active” network. With distributed generation connected to distribution network, power flows bi-directionally. Hence, directional over-current protection is adopted along the line between the transmission grid and the distributed generation. The bi-directional flow of power also complicates the earth fault protection. This is due to the presence of the distributed generation that will cause the line near the delta side of the transformer to be still energized after the operation of earth fault relay during single-phase-to-ground-fault. This paper investigates the directional over-current and earth fault protections used to protect the microgrid (biomass generator) in Malaysia. In this study, under-voltage relays are adopted at the delta side of the transformer to fully clear the single-line-to-ground fault, which cannot be cleared by earth fault relay. Three-phase-balanced fault and single-line-to-ground-fault at all possible locations in the network have been simulated. Simulation shows good coordination and discrimination between over-current relays.     

Implementation of Directional Over-current Relay Coordination Approaches in Electrical Networks

As the smart grid concept is employed in the electric power system, network load flow and topology changes intensively to meet the best generation-demand balancing point. These changes must account for protection devices to enhance their performance. The coordination of directional over-current relays is most commonly studied based on fixed network operation and topology within a mesh power system. But sub-transmission and distribution systems constantly operate differently to satisfy the variety of load demand levels throughout the day and year. Hence, if the setting of directional over-current relays changes according to the different operations of the system, then relay operation time and sensitivity can both be enhanced. This can potentially improve the protection performance in a smart grid system. Therefore, this study is carried out based on the comparison among three coordination approaches: conventional (fixed settings), discrete (groups of settings), and continuous or real time (dynamic settings).     

Protection relay system using information network for distribution system with DGs

We propose a new protection scheme for selective and quick disconnection of a fault area in a distribution system, which can be flexibly adopted for a large‐scale introduction of distributed generators (DGs). When a fault occurs, relays provide a binary state signal which is activated if, for instance, the current at the corresponding relay location exceeds a certain value. Although each relay cannot locate the fault point with only its own signal, it can locate the fault by utilizing signals from other relays together with its own signal. Because only a binary state signal is transmitted instead of the actual physical variable such as the magnitude of the fault current, the network traffic is much less than when a conventional protection scheme for a transmission system using an information system is applied to a distribution system. The following are the main results of a simulation on our proposed protection scheme: (1) the proposed protection scheme can successfully disconnect only a fault feeder when the relays use signals provided from the sending end of the fault feeder and all other DGs on the same feeder, (2) in the case of a fault on a DG connected feeder, the DG can be disconnected within 0.06 s. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 155(4): 30–35, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20232     

运用MAS的配电网保护和控制

随着信息设施的不断改善,大量的分布式发电机(DGs)将会接入配电网.为此,运用多代理技术提出了一个新的配电网保护方案.该方案中,各种不同的继电器被设计成继电器代理,区域内的继电器相互合作以定位和隔离故障.通过感知在继电器处的电流突然变化,来选择二元状态信号(电流的方向,幅值大小等)作为保护用信号.每个继电器同时利用同一...     

基于广域网和多智能体的自适应协调保护系统的研究

介绍了一个基于广域网和多智能体的自适应协调保护系统(MAWBACPS)。系统利用IP广域网实现电网广域信息的实时交换;利用多Agent系统在解决分布式在线问题的合作求解能力,实现保护之间动作的协调。提出了尽力自适应的协调保护新思想以及线路电流后备保护的网络化自适应整定的新方法。论文还介绍了MAWBACPS的结构、通信机制、协调控制策略以及相关的智能体设计。基于上述思想和方法研制了仿真系统,仿真试验结果表明:自适应定值计算所需的时间可以被控制在允许的范围内,从而在一般情况下均可实现电网后备保护的自适应协调动作。     

智能电网继电保护研究的进展(二)——保护配合方式的发展

智能电网使得保护利用远方信息不再困难,同时要求保护的定值能够自动跟踪网架的变化并保证故障切除后的系统坚强、自愈和高安全性。给出了主、后备保护的新型配置方案,后备保护利用相邻变电站状态信息,采用绝对选择性原理和多层次信息冗余,实现减少后备保护的数量并避免复杂的定值配合;以最后一次操作后系统不平衡能量最小为依据,减少操作对系统的冲击,给出了优化重合闸整定时间的理论和算法;以提高故障切除后系统的强壮性为目标,提出了同杆双回线的六相综合重合闸方案。     

小电阻接地配电网零序保护的改进研究

中性点经小电阻接地系统发生高阻接地故障时,由于传统零序过流保护达不到定值而无法跳闸,导致故障长时间存在,而且此时无故障告警信号,因此存在危害系统可靠运行及人身安全的隐患。对中性点经小电阻接地系统发生接地故障时的零序电流电压特征进行了分析,提出了利用阻容比闭锁条件改进零序保护的方案。阻容比闭锁条件的本质在于通过分析零序电流阻性部分和容性部分的不同组成进行故障线路的识别。阻容比闭锁条件不受电压互感器和电流互感器极性的影响,因此能够可靠使用专用零序电流互感器。加入阻容比闭锁条件后不改变原有的保护配置,易于实施,能够提升零序保护的高阻接地故障检测能力,及时切除故障,保证系统的可靠运行以及人身安全。     

电力系统的集成保护

通过介绍一种新颖的配电网保护方案来阐述集成保护的优越性。这个基于暂态极性方向比较的保护方案以伴随故障出现的暂态电流信号的检测和处理为基础,在配电网的各个变电站安装有专门设计的保护继电器,继电器的暂态检测单元检测故障生成的故障分量电信号,并将暂态极性识别算法应用于叠加故障分量信号上,判断信号的极性。通过对来自连接到变电站的所有线路的信号极性进行比较,可以确定出故障的方向。通过处理来自各变电站的方向信息,判别出实际的故障线路,从而实现电网的集成保护。     

New coordination approach to minimize the number of re-adjusted relays when adding DGs in interconnected power systems with a minimum value of fault current limiter

The presence of DGs in power networks tends to negatively affect relays coordination. Adding fault current limiters FCLs is one of the possible solutions to mitigate negative impacts of DGs addition on protection systems. Traditional schemes have estimated the minimum value of FCL to restore relays coordination when adding DGs without resetting of any relays. That minimum value of FCL in such case is called a critical value, where below this value the relays coordination will be lost.Nowadays, designing FCL to simultaneously achieve two conflicted objectives of good performance and low cost is considered a great challenge. The paper introduces a new scheme to determine to what extent we could decrease FCL impedance value below its critical value with re-adjusting the original settings of only one adaptive relay to get relays coordination. Decreasing FCL value below its critical value will reduce the cost especially for superconductivity FCL. The proposed scheme can determine the location of that selected relay to be an adaptive one and estimate its re-adjusted new settings to be applied when DGs are added while inserting the reduced value of FCL.Actually the proposed scheme can be applied for any networks irrespective of the number of added DGs and their capacities; while having an adaptive relay is the only requirement to implement it.The proposed approach is implemented and effectively tested on the large well-known interconnected IEEE-39 bus test system with 84 relays. Its results are compared with other approaches where, no re-adjusted relays settings are applied. A noteworthy advantage of the proposed scheme is the ability to implement a reduced FCL value than the critical value, by adjusting only one relay settings in the whole network. The proposed scheme may also be extended to re-adjust settings of more than one relay and get further reduced value of FCL. Furthermore, it is also shown that a more optimum value of the total operating time of all primary relays for near end faults is achieved when applying the proposed method rather than other traditional schemes.     

Algorithmic-knowledge-based adaptive coordination in transmission protection

Changes in power system operating conditions can affect both the reach point of distance relays and the coordination of distance and overcurrent relays. To improve the performance of the protection system, an adaptive scheme of relay settings is proposed. That is possible since the protection relays became digital . This paper describes a system for online adaptive setting and coordination of protection relays in meshed networks where the backup protection is achieved in remote form. After changes in the state of the network, an expert system (ES) performs the detection and proposes the correction of erroneous settings of protection zones and miscoordinations between relays at different stations; through an algorithm based on a fast determination of a nonminimal set of "break-points" (BPs) relays , new time characteristics for the coordination are found. The results of the application of the developed system to a test network of 34 nodes, 55 branches, and 110 relays are shown.     

基于风险的继电保护定值薄弱区域在线辨识

在线校核对于提高电网的运行水平具有重要作用,但在应用于大规模电网时,由于不满足校核要求的保护数目较多,用户很难确定这些保护定值的薄弱程度。基于此,文中以距离保护为例分析了不满足校核要求时保护不正确动作的概率,并选取相对负荷损失量度其后果,实现了当前运行方式下基于风险的定值薄弱区域在线辨识;同时,从系统运行波动角度给出了历史运行方式下的定值薄弱分析。两者相辅相成,共同为用户及时制定合理的定值维护策略提供依据。工程示例验证了该方法的合理性和可行性。     

Non-communication protection method for meshed and radial distribution networks with synchronous-based DG

This paper presents an efficient protection method which can be used for both meshed and radial distribution networks (DNs) with synchronous-based distributed generation (SBDG) units. The method does not require any communication system in the both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation. The microprocessor-based relays used in the DNs are programmed with a new time-current-voltage characteristic utilising only local fault voltage and current magnitudes. The proposed method is verified by simulation study on the DN of IEEE 30-bus test system as a meshed network in grid-connected mode. The method is also tested on an Iranian practical radial DN in the both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation. The test cases include different fault conditions, with SBDG at various locations and different DG penetration levels, and also without any SBDG in the networks. It is shown in a comparative study that the new time-current-voltage characteristic achieves a notable reduction in total relay operating times without any communication links. In addition, the method uses the same protection settings for the both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation.