Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources

The optimal setting of directional overcurrent relays ensures the reliable protection and fast fault clearance of radial distribution networks. However, the increasing proliferation of inverter-based distributed energy resources can result in protection coordination failure or high operating times o...

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Main Authors: Jie Li, Jingtong Feng, Min Huang, Shenquan Liu, Gang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142061525001735
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author Jie Li
Jingtong Feng
Min Huang
Shenquan Liu
Gang Wang
author_facet Jie Li
Jingtong Feng
Min Huang
Shenquan Liu
Gang Wang
author_sort Jie Li
collection DOAJ
description The optimal setting of directional overcurrent relays ensures the reliable protection and fast fault clearance of radial distribution networks. However, the increasing proliferation of inverter-based distributed energy resources can result in protection coordination failure or high operating times of directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks. This paper investigates the adverse impacts of grid-connected inverter-based distributed energy resources that adopt the active/reactive power control strategy on the protection speed, sensitivity and selectivity of directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks. A multi-objective optimal protection coordination model is formulated, which incorporates the protection performance of directional overcurrent relays, operation conditions and economics that result from the inverter-based distributed energy resources and power grids. The Pareto-front of the proposed optimal protection coordination problem is obtained by the improved multi-objective particle swarm optimization, where a time–space section evaluation utilizes the K-means clustering method to improve the computational efficiency. Furthermore, an analytic hierarchy process and criteria importance through intercrieria correlation weights-based technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution algorithm is proposed to determine the optimal directional overcurrent relay settings. The developed coordinated framework is applied to a radial distribution network with inverter-based distributed energy resources in MATLAB and PSCAD/EMTDC simulation. The comparative analysis is provided and the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is validated through extensive case studies.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-2ddbe2d62511479cb12e049974abcc5b2025-08-20T02:09:48ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems0142-06152025-06-0116711062210.1016/j.ijepes.2025.110622Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resourcesJie Li0Jingtong Feng1Min Huang2Shenquan Liu3Gang Wang4School of Electric Power Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing 211167, ChinaGuangzhou Power Supply Bureau, Guangdong Power Grid Co. Ltd., Guangzhou 510630, ChinaSchool of Electric Power Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China; Corresponding author.School of Electric Power Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaSchool of Electric Power Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaThe optimal setting of directional overcurrent relays ensures the reliable protection and fast fault clearance of radial distribution networks. However, the increasing proliferation of inverter-based distributed energy resources can result in protection coordination failure or high operating times of directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks. This paper investigates the adverse impacts of grid-connected inverter-based distributed energy resources that adopt the active/reactive power control strategy on the protection speed, sensitivity and selectivity of directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks. A multi-objective optimal protection coordination model is formulated, which incorporates the protection performance of directional overcurrent relays, operation conditions and economics that result from the inverter-based distributed energy resources and power grids. The Pareto-front of the proposed optimal protection coordination problem is obtained by the improved multi-objective particle swarm optimization, where a time–space section evaluation utilizes the K-means clustering method to improve the computational efficiency. Furthermore, an analytic hierarchy process and criteria importance through intercrieria correlation weights-based technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution algorithm is proposed to determine the optimal directional overcurrent relay settings. The developed coordinated framework is applied to a radial distribution network with inverter-based distributed energy resources in MATLAB and PSCAD/EMTDC simulation. The comparative analysis is provided and the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is validated through extensive case studies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142061525001735Directional overcurrent relayInverter-based distributed energy resourcesMulti-objective particle swarm optimizationProtection coordinationRadial distribution network
spellingShingle Jie Li
Jingtong Feng
Min Huang
Shenquan Liu
Gang Wang
Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems
Directional overcurrent relay
Inverter-based distributed energy resources
Multi-objective particle swarm optimization
Protection coordination
Radial distribution network
title Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
title_full Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
title_fullStr Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
title_full_unstemmed Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
title_short Optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter-based distributed energy resources
title_sort optimal protection coordination for directional overcurrent relays in radial distribution networks with inverter based distributed energy resources
topic Directional overcurrent relay
Inverter-based distributed energy resources
Multi-objective particle swarm optimization
Protection coordination
Radial distribution network
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142061525001735
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AT minhuang optimalprotectioncoordinationfordirectionalovercurrentrelaysinradialdistributionnetworkswithinverterbaseddistributedenergyresources
AT shenquanliu optimalprotectioncoordinationfordirectionalovercurrentrelaysinradialdistributionnetworkswithinverterbaseddistributedenergyresources
AT gangwang optimalprotectioncoordinationfordirectionalovercurrentrelaysinradialdistributionnetworkswithinverterbaseddistributedenergyresources