1

1 Article

2 Adaptive Protection for Potential UPRM Microgrid system

3 Lionel Orama-Exclusa1, Fernando Lozano-I2

4 1
lionel.orama@ece.edu
5 2
fernando.lozano@ece.edu
6 * Electrical and computer Engineering Department, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus, Puerto
7 Rico/US.

8 Abstract: This research has been developed in response to frequent and prolonged power outages
9 by the utility owing to lightning, hurricanes, earthquakes, including continuous faults affecting
10 the University Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM). Outages are due in part to outdated electrical
11 infrastructure. To deal with the situation the installation of two cogenators, 2 megawatts (MW) in
12 total capacity, has been proposed. This will be considered a distributed energy resource (DERs).
13 The UPRM electrical distribution system can become a feasible microgrid system model that, if
14 implemented, can mitigate the effects of future power outages. To attain this objective, this
15 research focused on using modern technology equipment within the UPRM electrical distribution.
16 A model of a microgrid architecture in DigSilent software was implemented, which could operate
17 in grid isolated mode, and parallel with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). Each
18 operation mode is related to over-current protection settings and dynamic protection setting
19 schemes to mitigate abnormal conditions and increase the level of resilience and security. Results
20 show that the adaptive protection program designed for the campus-wide microgrid is efficient
21 and that maintains a balance among both power generation and its demand when the utility
22 Citation: Citation: Orama, L. An service is missing.
Examination of Households’
23 Attitudes towards Renewable Keywords: Microgrid Control System, Intelligent Device Electronic and System Control and
24 Energy Source Investments in Lower Acquisition Data.
25 Silesian Voivodeship. Energies 2023,
16, 7100.
https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207100

26 Received: 15 December 2023 Re- 1. Introduction

27 vised: 20 December 2023 Accepted: The interconnected electrical distribution systems, transmission lines, generators,
28 24 December 2023 Published: 15 Oc- transformers, and loads on the Caribbean Sea Island of Puerto Rico are all part of a
29 tober 2023 centralized power grid operated by a company called LUMA.
30 A smaller portion of the electrical power system that can operate isolated from the
31 utility grid can be considered a microgrid. A microgrid can be represented as a smaller
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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3 Energies 2023, 16, x. https://doi.org/10.3390/xxxxx www.mdpi.com/journal/energies

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32 part of the existing power system infrastructure, generally located downstream of the
33 substation stepdown transformer.
34 Conventional power systems are being impacted by the penetration of DER or
35 Distributed Generation (DG). Enhancing resilience and reliability of power systems by
36 insertion of DERs, decreases transmission line losses. For these reasons, microgrid
37 systems create new issues with their interoperability with utilities, for instance the
38 conventional protection systems are not able to detect several rated fault current
39 contributions by DERs and the utility grid cannot address such current faults. This
40 happens when interconnecting operation changes to grid-islanded operation within a
41 microgrid. Recall that the rated fault current depends on the impedance from the utility
42 grid or external source (Zs) and impedance from DERs (Zg).
43 A fairly accurate representation is engaged herein, where the effects of microgrid
44 protection, Figure 1., presents DGs on fault current contribution, according to [1] and [2].

45

46 Figure 1. Contribution of fault current due to three-phase faults in the utmost of feeder.(Adapted from
47 [12])

48 A fault in the feeder downstream has two fault current contributions: the utility
49 grid and the DG. For which, it is necessary to convert the circuit shown into an
50 equivalent circuit for the analysis of the rated fault current.
51 In this regard, the impedance is defined by a distance parameter due to DG location
52 and the total length from the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) to feeders or buses.
53
d
l=
d tot
54
( 1)
55
56 Where, d is a distance between PCC and adjacent feeder, and also dtot is an entire
57 length of the feeder. The equivalent network of Figure 1 can be represented by the
58 simplified circuit in Figure 2.

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59 ZL is total line impedance, also I1 and I2 are the mesh currents from the utility and
60 from the DG, respectively. On the other hand, Us is the utility grid's Thevenin
61 equivalent voltage Ug is the DG's voltage. Then, to compute I1 and I2:

62
[ ][
Us
Ug
=
Z s+ Z L ( 1−l )∗Z L I
][ ]
. 1
( 1−l )∗Z L Z g+ ( 1−l )∗Z L I 2
( 2)

63

64 Figure 2. Equivalent NetworktoFigure1.

65 In equation (2), I1 is provided by the utility grid fault current Ik_grid, and I2 are
66 provided by the DGs fault current contribution Ik_gen. Thus, to compute Thevenin
67 impedance it is necessary to convert the circuit in Figure 2 into an equivalent circuit
68 shown in Figure 3.

69

70 Figure 3. The equivalent thevening for Figure 2.

71
72 Therefore, the Thevenin impedance is:
73
( Z s +l. Z L ) . Z g
Z th= + (1−l ) . Z L
Z S+ l. Z L + Z g
74
( 3)
75

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76 In equation (3), ZS = jXS is represented by grid impedance, Zg = jXg is represented

77 by the generator impedance, and also ZL = RL +jXL describes Line impedance. The
78 three-phase short-circuit current is computed by:
79
U th
I k ,3 ph= + ( 1−l ) . Z L
√3 . Zth
80
(4 )
81
82 Substituting equation (3) into (4) produce:
83
U th .(Z g +l . Z L + Z S )
I k ,3 ph= ( 5)
84 √3 . [(Z ¿ ¿ L . Z g + Z S . Z g + Z S . Z L )+ l. Z L ( Z L −Z S )−(l 2 . Z 2L )]¿
85
86 Afterwards, by knowing the three-phase fault current, the current division law can
87 be applied. The utility grid provided to the fault current Ik, grid is represented by:
88
Zg
I k , grid= .I
Z g +l . Z g + Z S K ,3 ph
89
(6 )
90
91 Replacing equation (5) in equation (6) gives both the fault current utility grid
92 contribution and distributed generator:
U th . Z g
I k , grid= ( 7)
93 √ 3 .[(Z ¿ ¿ L . Z g+ Z S . Z g +Z S . Z L )+l . Z L ( Z L −Z S ) −(l 2 . Z 2L )]¿
94
95 Applying equation (2.5) the short circuit current Ik;3ph is computed . If impedance
96 Zg could be neglected, due to fewer DER penetration, the utility grid contribution to the
97 short circuit current dominates even more. Besides, its Zg would be bigger so that the
98 utility grid contribution to the short circuit current decreases in the circuit.
99
100 On the other hand, want to know Ik;3ph in isolated mode, then, impedances ZS,
101 l:ZL coming down to zero, including US, and consequently the new Ik;3ph decrease.
102 Remark, for this scenario ZL must be different to zero.
103 Fault conditions are the most common of all faults are short circuits in microgrid
104 protection systems, those are studied within the time domain so that a configuration of
105 the modern relays is prescribed adequately. It comprises three-stages: pre-fault (or
106 steady-state), fault, and post fault. The MGCCS shall assess the failure and determines

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107 when the circuit shall be isolated by the circuit breaker in the faulted area within the
108 microgrid protection zones (see [3] and [4]).
109 The circuit with the fault is isolated because the consequences such as between the
110 phase-conductor failures can cause severe damage to the circuit, also an arc blast or fire
111 cand destroy the equipment of a grid system, it can also cause burn or/and electrical shock
112 on the maintenance personnel working around the equipment.
113 The protection apparatus should receive a signal that includes fault data from the
114 system sensor. By ensuring the stability of the microgrid system with appropriate
115 programming by the MGCCS is essential, permitting the microgrid system restoration
116 when its system operates in island mode [10].
117 The faults are classified in power protection systems as symmetrical or
118 unsymmetrical faults. A balanced system, on the one hand, requires three-phase
119 voltages with a phase shift 120 degrees between them due to balanced voltage sources or
120 balanced load, and a fault duty in this system will cause symmetrical faults. In contrast,
121 an imbalanced system, on the other hand, is caused due to their different load ranges,
122 and a fault duty in this system will cause in unsymmetrical faults.
123 Moreover, potential short circuit fault conditions include three phases to earth,
124 three phases clear of the earth, phase to phase, single phase to earth, two phases to earth,
125 and phase to phase plus single phase to earth. Ground faults only involve a phase
126 conductor to the ground and phase faults involve two or more phase conductors with or
127 without ground in a conventional distribution system. However, in most cases where a
128 distribution system is underground the most common type of failure is single-phase to
129 ground.
130 However, for microgrid protection the most common type of failure has been given
131 in twos scenarios. On the one hand, Protection Blinding or Under-reach that is based on
132 a topology duly presented in Figure 2{5, for a fault at bus 2 near Load 2 (L2), DG1
133 provides a fraction of the fault current (Ik;gen). The relay R1 might not operate owing to
134 the fault current contribution from the utility grid ( Ik;grid) that is feeding to the fault,
135 since DG1 is connected close to the fault location, reducing the fault current supplied by
136 the utility that is measured by relay R1.
137

138

139 Figure 4. Circuit of protection blinding due to 3-phase fault into bus2.

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140 On the other hand, Bidirectional Current Flow Protection For the circuit provided in
141 Figure 2{6, which presents two cases first, when a fault occurs in Bus 2, the fault current
142 always shows downstream, as in the previous case, toward the fault location. On the
143 other hand, whether the fault occurs close to PCC, hence the location of the fault current
144 changes due to fault current contribution by DG1. Relay R1 ought to discriminate the
145 direction of fault current because the phenomenon and etc., the coordination and causes
146 selectivity problems in the traditional overcurrent protection.
147

148

149 Figure 5. Bidirectional Circuit with bidirectional fault current of both the bus PCC and Bus2.

150 A case of study has been developed in this research addressed for the University of
151 Puerto Rico UPRM as potential microgrid system. The modeling was developed under
152 two electrical software (DigSilent Power Factory & Matlab) in creating a program that
153 works under the criteria of a moder devices of the protection system.
154

155 2. UPRM Electrical Distribution Modeling

156 First, the equivalent Thevenin network (called external grid) is located on the
157 primary side of the power substation transformer, which is using as a point common
158 coupling for the microgrid. It will be utilizing the equivalent external network, where
159 the data is given by the utility. The actual electrical distribution system inside the UPRM
160 was upgraded to become a potential microgrid system draws on its adaptive system
161 protection on a modern device (see Figure).

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162

163 Figure 6. The left picture is the UPRM aerial snapshot; and the right picture is the central Chiller (yellow
164 block), micro turbines (while block), the university substation (red block).

165
166 The electrical schemes along with pint of coupling PCC have been set so that it can
167 be able to support a digital programming under layers from Digsilent Power Factory as
168 can be saw in the next figure.
169

170

171 Figure 7.Proposed UPRM potential microgrid system.

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172
173 Adaptive protection under a microgrid control system MGCCS has been entered
174 on electrical software in forming a co-simulation between Matlab and DigSilent power
175 factory.
176

177 3. Method of Analysis

178 To attain the project's goal, it was splitted into two phases. Firstly, phase 1
179 considered the base case of the UPRM microgrid system by upgrading the UPRM
180 distribution system concerning the modern protection devices, which must be mounted
181 in the key feeder's circuit of the UPRM ungrounded distribution system. This phase
182 concludes when using practical diagrams of current protection system modules, the
183 URPM delivery system is updated by recommendations or guidelines and serves as a
184 base case. Considering, that we have been modeling the entire UPRM microgrid system
185 into the DigSilent Power Factory software.
186 Subsequently, phase 2 deals with the use of the base case obtained from phase I to
187 compute power flow and short circuit analysis by simulating UPRM distribution system
188 upgrades for all operating modes, which is considered to be a microgrid system. This
189 microgrid system was evaluated across four scenarios containing defects allocated inside
190 the main circuit of this microgrid system. Considering, into an operation mode such as
191 the transition from microgrid-interconnected toward microgrid-islanded operation in
192 the domain of time, adaptive protection program is developed. The object to avoid A
193 blackout for the electrical network system due to imbalances between power consumed
194 and power supplied via interoperability between the DigSilent and Matlab software.
195 Phase 2 comprises 3 operation modes from the UPRM, microgrid system, which
196 was obtained from phase 1, where the first operation mode contains two scenarios,
197 which covers this UPRM microgrid system and also covers two cases, such as the turn-
198 on or turn-on of the CHP cogeneration that is considered as a DER. The second
199 operation mode involves a transition from microgrid-interconnected toward microgrid-
200 isolated mode by way of an adaptive algorithm, which is developed upon this system, in
201 order to avoid misoperation of the modern relay via the circuit breaker within DigSilent
202 software. This ends when protection schemes due to short circuit computing related to
203 overcurrent protection are shown at each operation mode of this microgrid system,
204 including the adaptive program developed, see Figure[m].
205

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206

207 The upgrading at existing UPRM substation was developed to become a Microgrid
208 system, only changing their protective relays from an update relay to modern relays,
209 including their electrical cabinets. Furthermore, in this university have purchase a new
210 cogenators for enhancing its reliability when an unnatural phenomenon occurs in site.
211 By installing Digital Multifunctional Relays (DMFR) duly installed inside UPRM
212 substation for operating as microgrid control system the dynamic protection schemes
213 under adaptive protection was developed to verify if the protection schemes for
214 microgrid system are changing when the co-generators are connected in parallel mode
215 to the utility, disconnected from utility and during its transition mode. The
216 configuration of the relay setting was done to passing the transition scenario without
217 lose the providing electricity to the UPRM potential microgrid system.

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218

219 4. Method of Analysis

220 We have been considered the UPRM substation as a power grid study because only
221 comprises two power transformers, which is special to digital communication between
222 both.
223 Protection schemes for DER connected in parallel mode was calculated to demonstrate that
224 fault current level is different for the different scenarios on a distribution transformer belong to
225 Chemical building inside UPRM distribution network.
226

227

228 The short circuit current when the DER is operating in parallel mode was computed
229 in the low voltage side from distribution transformer.

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230

231 When a power outage occurs, the Luma utility is turn off and appear a transition
232 mode that start when the power outages occurs and finish when the cogeneration is
233 proving electricity for the critical infrastructure inside the UPRM. The transition mode
234 consists with a ramp, where the active power and reactive power is losing due to power
235 outages. Given the cogenators comprises its own active and reactive level, it will not
236 provide electricity to whole UPRM system. However, the microgrid control system shall
237 select the critical loads and turn on to them, so that the system can lose its stability.

238

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239

240 The final transition comprises when finish successfully transition mode and the
241 new distribution system is on operation condition.
242

243

244

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245

246
247 The above figure show that the scheme protective for a microgrid operating on
248 island mode is absolutely minor that when the distribution system have been
249 interconnected to the utility.

250 5. Conclusions
251 This work has been devoted to the modeling of a stand-alone microgrid system
252 based on ungrounded distribution system type of the UPRM inside DigSilent by way of
253 the implementation of modern protection equipment according to suitable
254 communication system, strategically. In this manner, this distribution system can
255 become in a standalone microgrid system via the Microgrid Central Control System
256 installed, which is achieved placing in university substation of UPRM campus.
257 Microgrid protection, resilience, reliability, and sustainability must be considered,
258 including the traditional concept of selectivity because these concepts are of utmost
259 importance. In that sense, an accurate protection scheme is created for the microgrid
260 with the implementation of modern protection equipment. Therefore, we conclude that
261 the UPRM requires to be upgraded its protection system must be based on microgrid
262 protection zones and modern technologies integration. The single-line distribution

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263 system schematic provided by the UPRM electrical personnel and was updated to
264 accomplish a model in DigSilent software.
265
266 Funding: This research was funded by University of Puerto Rico under Dotal Founds.
267 Data Availability Statement: All statistical, financial, and non-financial statement data can be
268 found with the author. Available upon request.
269 Acknowledgments: I acknowledge the Electrical and computer Engineering Department,
270 University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus by permit me using the available data of the UPRM
271 Distribution system.
272 Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the
273 design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the
274 manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.”.
275 Abbreviations

276 List of abbreviations of the names of statistical measures:

277 PREPA Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
278 UPRM University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez Campus
279 DER Distributed Energy Resource
280 DG Distributed Generators
281 MGCCS MicroGrid Central Control System
282 MG Microgrid
283 PCC Point of Common Coupling
284 CHP Combined Heat and Power
285 CTI Coordination Time Interval
286 EMS Energy Management System
287 APS Adaptive Protection System
288 SCADA System control and Data Acquisition
289 DMFR Digital Multifunctional Relays
290 ATS Automatic Transfer Switch
291 CT Current Transformer
292 VT Voltage Transformer
293 PMS Pad-Mounted Switchgear
294 PLC Power Line Cable
295 HRG High Resistance Grounded
296 LRG Low Resistance Grounded
297 GOOSE Generic Object Oriented Substation Events
298 HMI Human Machine Interface
299 IDMT Inverse De nite Minimum Time
300 IEC International Electrical Commission
301 ISO International Organization for Standardization

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302 EPS Electric Power system

303 BPS Bulk Power System
304 AGIR Authority Governing Interconnection Requirements
305 IDE Intelligent Devices Electronics
306 GIS Geographical Interaction Simulation
307 DPL DigSilent Programming Language
308 EPRI Electrical Power Research Institute
309 DOCR Directional Overcurrent Relays
310 DNSP Distribution Network Service Providers (utility)
311 ANSI American National Standards Institute
312 BIL Basic Insulation Level
313 OA/FA Liquid-Immersed Transformers, self-cooled/forced air-cooled
314

315 References
316
317 1. B. Kruimer E. J. Coster, J. M. A. Myrzik and W. L. Kling. Integration issues of distributed generation in distribution grids.
318 IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 99, 2011.
319 2. J. Myrzik E. J. Coster and W. Kling. E ect of dg on distribution grid protection in distributed generation. IEEE The Institute of
320 Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2010.
321 3. Saeed Aminifar F. Teimourzadeh and Mahdi Shahidehpour M. Davarpanah. An adaptive reclosing scheme for preserving
322 dynamic security in low-inertia microgrids. IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Smart grid, 10:6228
323 6236, 2019.
324 4. J.C. DAS. Power Systems Handbook Short-Circuits in AC and DC Systems. CRC Press Taylor, Francis Group, 1ed edition,
325 2018.

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