Analytical method for directional overcurrent relays coordination in microgrids

Abstract

Microgrids are consisting of interconnected loads and distributed generators which can operate with and without utility. The significant implementation of microgrids challenged the protection engineers especially in designing protection microgrid schemes. This challenge comes from the bi-directional fault current variation and the dynamic behavior of microgrids. The implementation of artificial intelligent (AI) techniques for coordinating the directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs) in Microgrids (MGs) is a promising solution. However, all the (AI) techniques estimate the solutions and achieve the objective function after an extensive number of iterations. This paperwork proposes an analytical method for solving the coordination of (DOC) relays in meshed Microgrids which operates in grid connected mode. The proposed analytical method needs a lesser simulation time than the (AI) techniques to find the proper settings for the coordinated directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs). A file code is written using MATLAB software to implement and test this methodology.