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Microgrid Protection Issues -A Case Study

Article · February 2020

DOI: 10.20247/IJARTET.2020.0703001

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 Microgrid Protection Issues – A Case Study
B. Koti Reddy

Abstract- Today’s electrical power system is facing a number of

challenges which includes age old equipment, continuous growing Distribution grid sections that host production capacities,
demand, demand for electrification of remote areas and controllable loads and storage facilities with the rollout of
conservation of natural resources. Microgrid is one of the solution more and more DERs. With the advancements in Power
for these challenges which meets the local demands through
electronics, Microgrids are set to grow in a fast phase in
Distributed Generations and is parallel with utility grids if exists.
There are certain technical and regulatory issues to be considered coming years [3]. There are many benefits with microgrids:
in Microgrid systems. One of the major technical issues will be of
electrical protection which needs to be analysed in Microgrids. The  Reduced transmission & Distribution losses.
protection issues of microgrid are case studied in this paper  Useful to serve remote places.
including simulation with a software and a conclusion is arrived.  Provides clean and cheap energy from DERs
 Improves stability of existing grids.
Index Terms: Microgrid, Protection System Management, PV
system, Distributed Energy Resource, Relay Coordination, Point of  Meets mandatory requirements of renewable energy.
Common Coupling.  Offers different service options to customers.
 Reduces grid congestion and peak load shedding.

I. INTRODUCTION II. CHALLENGES

The ongoing demand for continuous qualitative electrical Microgrid introduces many operational challenges viz.
power from the consumers as well as electricity in remote Technical, Financial and Legal issues which must be
areas opened the doors for de-regulated electricity markets addressed by utilities while adopting microgrids. The main
and many innovations. Microgrid is one of the ideas Technical issues are synchronism, voltage stability, fault
developed to meet these demands. Even though it is at an currents, protection and communications [4].The other main
infant stage, it will be a quick alternate to the existing power challenges are the cost of DERs, lack of user-friendly
system problems of Reliability, Stability and technology, resistance to change, cost of new protection and
Efficiency(RSE). A microgrid is a group of interconnected communication equipment, skill development, storage issues,
loads and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) within a advanced infrastructure like SCADA costs etc. The scope of
clearly defined electrical boundary that acts as a single this paper is restricted to protection issues and will be
controllable entity with respect to the grid [1]. It can connect discussed in subsequent paragraphs. The future DERs,
or disconnect from the grid to enable it to operate in both Storage devices and Loads can be added without any hurdles
grid-connected or island (standalone) mode. A simple model like adding RAM or Hard Disk to the existing system in a
of microgrid is shown in fig.1 [2] which is self explanatory. desktop.
Microgrids are
III. MICROGRID CATEGORIES
Microgrids are classified into various categories, as shown
in table 1, based on their power rating, and control [5].

Table 1 Classification of Microgrids

Category A B C D
Segment LV MV MV Primary
Segment Segment Feeder station
Rating <2 MW <5 MW <20 MW >20 MW
Application Small Smaller Smaller to Mini grid,
individual to large, large, Solar PV,
facilities S PV and SPV biomass and
Fig 1 Microgrid Concept like Wind Wind Wind power
Schools & power. power and for large
Hospitals storage industries.
with SPV. facility.
Control A switch Switches Switch to Controls
for for kept OFF substation
B. Koti Reddy, Electrical Maintenance division, Heavy Water isolation. isolation. the feeder. with
Plant, Dept. of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India, Manuguru, India. transformers
Other than above classification these are other varieties based water Pump Motor and CB3 is controlling the lumped load
on mode of operation like grid-connected and island and (100 KVA) of the selected area. Simulations are done with the
AC/DC & AC-DC types. This classification is of more
important while dealing with stability and protection issues.

IV. PROTECTION
A Microgrid is a customer group of controllable play-and-
play micro-DERs and storage devices which are placed
optimally closer to customer. The Protection System
Management (PSM) in mirogrids is very challenging due to
two-way or bi-directional power flow and device adequacy.
The protection system has to isolate the microgrid from utility
grid in case of fault on either side. It should protect existing
system &devices and grid when fault occurs on either side.
Hence a properly co-ordinated protection system is required
in microgrids network with strict control of isolations. The
protective relays shall be time-graded for over current and
earth faults [6]. It is proposed to take case study of known
microgrid and perform all the checks like load flow, fault
currents and relay co-ordination with the help of e-tap
software. ETAP Power station is the most sophisticated
engineering power system analysis tool on the market now
supports around 10,000 IEEE Bus projects. The main work
models of e-tap are shown in fig 2. Fig 3 Existing mini-grid

Fig 2 e-tap components

V. CASE STUDY
One of a known existing mini-grid is shown in fig 3 which Fig 4 Microgrid.
is self explanatory. With the addition of 100 KWp Solar Photo
Voltaic (SPV) power plant with a battery storage system (not help of e-tap software for the following scenarios:
shown in fig), the same has become as a microgrid, as shown 1. Pre and post-Microgrid load flow.
in fig 4. Here the CB 1 and T1(250 KVA, 6.6/0.433 KV) are 2. Pre and post-Microgrid fault current estimations for a
for extension of power supply from utility grid. At the point three phase bolted fault at grid side and load side.
of common coupling (PCC), the CB2 with relay R2 isolates 3. Pre & post-Microgrid Relay coordination for above
the microgrid from utility grid in case of fault on either of the faults.
side. CB5 & 6 is controlling SPV plant, CB4 is for 75 KW 4. Inference of results.
1. Pre and post-Microgrid load flow: Screenshot (with 4. Inference of results: All the simulation results of
current in Amps) of pre and post-microgrid simulation relays operation time are shown in table 2.
result are shown in fig 5 and 6 respectively.

Fig 5 Load flow in Pre-Microgrid Fig 7 Fault current in Pre-Microgrid

Fig 6 Load flow in post-Microgrid

2. Pre and post-Microgrid fault current estimations, as per

IEC 60909, are shown in fig 7 and 8 respectively.
3. Pre & post-Microgrid Relay coordination: Simulations are
done for pre and post-Microgrid fault at PCC and result Fig 8 Fault current in Post-Microgrid
sheets are shown in fig 9 and 10 respectively.
 and Wind as long as the sun shines and wind blows on earth.
It is concluded that for grid side faults, all the DERs to be
preferably isolated to protect them as well as reduce their
contribution to fault currents. It is also to be ensured that the
grounding system at microgrid area shall be perfect for better
safety of the system.

Table 2: Simulation results

Simula- Pre- Post-Microgrid Remarks
tion Microgrid From Grid From SPV
at PCC at PCC at PCC
Load Load is
flow 275.2 122.2 161.2 shared.
(Amps)
Fault 7.91 0.206 Marginal
current 7.91 (total=8.02 increase
(KA) KA) with SPV.
Relay operation for fault at (CB-Relay-Time in Mille seconds)
Fig 9 Relays Operation in Pre-Microgrid CB2- R2- 80 CB2- R2- 80
PCC Nil
CB1-R1-1353 CB1-R1-1353
CB3-R3-50 CB3-R3-50
Lump
CB2-R2-80 CB2-R2-80 Nil
load
CB1-R1-1353 CB1-R1-1353
Pump CB4- R4- 60 CB4- R4- 60
Nil
Motor CB2-R2-80 CB2-R2-80
CB5- R5- 40
SPV NA Nil
CB2-R2-80

REFERENCES

[1] IEEE Joint task force on quadrennial energy review, IEEE, USA,
September-2014.
[2] B Koti Reddy, B Sree Bindu, “Recent Challenges in Electrical
Engineering and the Solution with IT”, International Journal of Recent
Technology and Engineering (IJRTE), Volume-8, Issue-2S11,
September 2019.
[3] S. Chowdhury, S.P. Chowdhury, P.C. Crosley, IET Renewable energy
series 6 in 2009.
[4] [Link], El-Saadany and M. Salama, “Distributed generation
microgrid operation, Control and Protection”. IEEE Power
System Conference, pp. 105-111- March 2006.
[5] “US DOE/CEC Microgrids Research Assessment”, Navis and Consulting
Inc, May-2006.
Fig 10. Relays Operation in Post-Microgrid (Screen shot) [6] B. Ramakoti [Link]., “Study of Fault Currents and Relay Coordination of a
Chemical Industry After Integrating with PV Generation and Simulation
with a Software”, International Journal of Engineering Trends and
From the results shown in table 2, it is evident that the addition
Technology, Volume 42, Number 5, Dec-2016.
of DERs particularly SPVs will not cause much change in fault [7] IEEE P1547-D8 standard,2013.7]
currents and relay coordination. The impact of DER at PCC is
to be checked with the help of Stiffness Ratio (SR) [7] which is Author Profile
used to evaluate the impact of DERs on system fault levels.
SR = System fault current including DER/DER fault current B. Koti Reddy, working as Scientific Officer with
As a general rule, if SR of more than 50, DERs are less likely DAE, Govt of India. Member in IEEE, ISTE and FIE.
to create any voltage problem on grids. Looking after Operation and maintenance of 33 KV
In our case study, SR= 8.023/0.206=39 which is reasonable Power distribution network, with a connected load of 50
and controllable MW and 12 MW Solar Power Plant. Actively involved
in Relay coordination studies, major overhauling of electrical equipment,
maintenance of LT and HT switchgear, VFDS, EV Car and various Batteries.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
Involved in imparting training to newly recruited Engineers, Supervisors and
Microgrids have remarkable importance on existing technicians. Associated with mini industrial projects of UG and PG students
electrical power system market. They shall be encouraged of various colleges. Received DAE Group achievement award for 3 times in
fully so as to harness the renewable energy resources like Sun Energy conservation with VFDs and many new diversified projects .

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