Highly sensitive protection scheme considering the PV operation control models

Alasali, Feras; Albayadrah, Hamza; El-Naily, Naser; Loukil, Hassen; Holderbaum, William; Flah, Aymen; Saidi, Abdelaziz Salah

Abstract

The integration of distributed generation (DG) based on inverters into power systems has increased significantly, necessitating a thorough understanding of its impact on fault analysis and the performance of distribution networks' protection mechanisms. This study addresses this issue by examining how various inverter management modes influence protective relay systems within IEEE 9-bus redial and mesh networks, CIGRE and IEEE 33-bus networks featuring Photovoltaic (PV) farms and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), by IEEE1547–2018 and German grid code standards. By analyzing grid-connected scenarios with five distinct PV control modes, the research introduces a novel protection methodology termed the Photovoltaic Overcurrent Relay (PVOCR). This method introduces a current-voltage characteristic to optimally coordinate Overcurrent Relays (OCRs), aiming to reduce their operational time and eliminate mis-coordination events. The proposed PVOCR is evaluated against standard inverse time, SOCR, and modern adaptive voltage, VOCR, relay schemes across various fault scenarios differing in type and location. Furthermore, the PVOCR scheme effectively operates across all PV inverter modes without experiencing miscoordination events, whereas the SOCR and VOCR schemes encountered such issues during the operation of Control 4. These results underscore the potential utility of the PVOCR methodology in enhancing the reliability and efficiency of protection systems in inverter-based DG networks.

Citation

Alasali, F., Albayadrah, H., El-Naily, N., Loukil, H., Holderbaum, W., Flah, A., & Saidi, A. S. (in press). Highly sensitive protection scheme considering the PV operation control models. Electric Power Systems Research, 237, Article 111025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2024.111025

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 25, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Aug 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: Sep 5, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 5, 2024
• Journal: Electric Power Systems Research
• Print ISSN: 0378-7796
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 237
• Article Number: 111025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2024.111025