Smart Grid Protection - I

Dr. Premlata jena

Electrical Engineering Department

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 Protection issues in smart grid
Macrogrid Microgrid Internal fault
The protection system must G

MC
G
MC MC
G

respond to both utility grid CB1 Feeder C

and microgrid faults MC

G
G G Priority
loads
MC MC

Microgrid faults: From Macrogrid Bus CB2 Feeder B

Protection isolates Distribution

Transformer
SS

MC MC

the smallest possible section in macrogrid PCC

CC
G G

of the radial feeder to

Non-priority loads
CB3 Feeder A

eliminate the fault.

PCC: Point of Common Coupling
G : Microsource/Storage
SS : Static Switch
CB : Circuit Breaker
MC : Micro source Controller
: Protection System
: Sectional Circuit Breaker
CC : Central Controller

Grid-connected mode

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 Protection issues in smart grid
Macrogrid Microgrid

G G G

MC MC MC

Utility grid faults: CB1 Feeder C

Protection isolates MC
G
the microgrid from MC
G G
MC
Priority
loads

the utility grid as From Macrogrid Bus

OPEN
CB2 Feeder B

rapidly as Distribution
Transformer
SS

MC MC

necessary to in macrogrid PCC

CC
G G

Non-priority loads
protect the CB3 Feeder A

microgrid loads
PCC: Point of Common Coupling
G : Microsource/Storage
SS : Static Switch
CB : Circuit Breaker
MC : Micro source Controller
: Protection System
: Sectional Circuit Breaker
CC : Central Controller

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 Protection issues in smart grid

Dynamics in level of
fault currents
Bi-directional fault
current
Protection Issues
False tripping

Blinding of
Protection

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 Dynamics in level of fault currents
• The penetration of DER alters the level of fault current.
• Also, the magnitude of fault current is altered based on the modes of operation of the
microgrid .
LV LV
L L

Maingrid IGf Maingrid

OPEN

PCC CB1
Ig1f Ig2f PCC CB1
Ig1f Ig2f
G1 G2 G1 G2
If = IGf +Ig1f+Ig2f
L If =Ig1f+Ig2f L
(a) (b)

Magnitude of fault current (a) During grid-connected mode (b) Islanded mode

• This reduces the sensitivity of the protection devices.

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 Bi-directional fault current
• The penetration of DERs not only changes the level of fault current but also alters the
direction. LV
L

Maingrid IGf1
PCC CB1
CB2

Igf2 Igf1
IGf2
G1
F1
F2 L

Bi-directional fault current in microgrid

• Hence, the traditional unidirectional over current relays are unable to provide
safety protection for microgrids.
 False tripping
• This issue arises when a DER present in a healthy feeder contributes for a fault occurring on
LV
a adjacent feeder . R2 Feeder2
Maingrid
PCC CB1
Fault

Feeder1
R1

G1 L

False tripping in microgrid

• when fault current contribution of G1 exceeds current setting, then relay1 will be
tripped before the operation of faulted feeder relay2.
• As a result, the unnecessary power interruption will occur for loads connected to
healthy feeder1
 Blinding of Protection
• The utility grid contribution to the fault current is reduced due to contribution
from DG sources.
• As a result, the feeder relay is unable to detect the fault condition .
• This phenomenon is known as “Blinding of Protection” and it is demonstrated
with the help of Fig.
LV

IGf
Maingrid
PCC Relay

CB1
d Igf
G1
Fault

Blinding of protection in microgrid

 Cont...
 To discuss the protection issues briefly, a 4-bus distribution network as shown in fig with grid,
synchronous based DER (SBDER), Inverter based DER (IBDER) and having switches (S1-S3) and
I F,R6 = 5 × I SBD
relays (R1-R6) is considered. rated
R3 R4 S2
SBDER
SBD
I F
S1 R1 R2
GRID L
I IBD
I GRID
F
F

L L R5 F R6 S3
IBDER

withSBD > I noSBD

I F,R5 IBD
F,R5 I F,R6 = 2 × I rated
L
Flow of fault currents through relays in DN
 For fault point F
• Dynamics in level of fault currents:- R5
• False tripping:- R4 or R3
• Blinding of protection:- R1,R6
Thank You

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