Experimental study of numerical relay for over-current protection in solar panel for securing the hydrogen production

Abstract

Every electrical system in solar panel can fail during electrical faults. In this incidence, high fault current can occur. Such current must be interrupted by a protective system. The research was supported by experimental tests. In work conditions close to real, the numerical relay REF542plus was tested for both instantaneous and extremely inverse definite minimum time IDMT over-current protection functions with the help of CMC 365 injection and test equipment associated to Test Universe software. Protecting hybrid solar panels generating by different renewable energy sources for hydrogen production from over-current is very important for improving the energy efficiency in one hand, and securing the function in critical condition from damage of the solar cells in second hand. The contribution of this research is controlling the over-current in the solar panel for securing the continuation of the hydrogen production from renewable energy sources in short time. The obtained results allowed the observation of the relay's behavior when subjected to certain faults; where the solar panel keeps producing the hydrogen.