Multi-terminal medium voltage DC grids fault location and isolation

Voltage source converters (VSCs) are highly vulnerable to DC fault current; thus, protection is one of the most important concerns associated with the implementation of multi-terminal VSC-based DC networks. This study proposes a protection strategy for medium voltage DC distribution systems. The str...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:IET generation, transmission & distribution transmission & distribution, 2016-11, Vol.10 (14), p.3517-3528
Main Authors: Monadi, Mehdi, Koch-Ciobotaru, Cosmin, Luna, Alvaro, Ignacio Candela, Jose, Rodriguez, Pedro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
backup protection
circuit breakers
communication network
Communication networks
communication‐assisted fault location method
DC circuit breakers
DC fault current
Direct current
Electric potential
fault currents
fault diagnosis
Fault location
Faults
hardware in the loop approach
medium voltage DC distribution system protection strategy
multiterminal DC distribution network protection
multiterminal medium voltage DC grid fault location‐isolation scheme
multiterminal VSC‐based DC networks
Networks
power convertors
power distribution faults
power distribution protection
power grids
Strategy
Voltage
voltage source converters
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Request full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Voltage source converters (VSCs) are highly vulnerable to DC fault current; thus, protection is one of the most important concerns associated with the implementation of multi-terminal VSC-based DC networks. This study proposes a protection strategy for medium voltage DC distribution systems. The strategy consists of a communication-assisted fault location method and a fault isolation scheme that provides an economic, fast and selective protection by means of using the minimum number of DC circuit breakers. This study also introduces a backup protection which is activated if communication network fails. The effectiveness of the proposed protection strategy is analysed through real-time simulation studies by use of the hardware-in-the-loop approach. Furthermore, the effects of fault isolation process on the connected loads are also investigated. The results show that the proposed strategy can effectively protect multi-terminal DC distribution networks and VSC stations against different types of faults.
ISSN:1751-8687
1751-8695
1751-8695
DOI:10.1049/iet-gtd.2016.0183