A CURRENT RETENTION BASED PROTECTION ALGORITHM FOR DC MICROGRIDS

Abstract

Microgrids have been identified as a step towards goals of global green energy generation as they offer attractive options of renewable resource inclusion in decentralized energy networks, thus providing incentive towards meeting a booming energy demand sustainably. They are however impaired by the characteristic nature of Distributed Renewable Energy Resources (DRERs). While DRERs and microgrids offer the advantage of sustainable energy generation and autonomous operation with respect to the traditional grid, their intermittency and unconventional characteristics due to deviation from the traditional power grid structures causes trepidation while opting for them. A cause of concern while employing microgrids in daily use is the peril to personnel and equipment during the occurrence of a fault. To mitigate severe loss of life and property, it is important to develop and design protection algorithms for microgrids. While there is a comparatively large pool of knowledge on AC microgrid protection, DC microgrid protection is challenging and is being focused on by researchers around the world. The unorthodox nature of these networks cause conventional protection algorithms to be unsuitable and make the protection of these microgrids tasking. The work in this paper aims to contribute to efforts in the protection of hybrid microgrids. While the work in this paper is limited to the DC side of the grid, the proposed algorithm is able to detect and identify the location of various types of DC faults. The algorithm is verified on a secondary radial hybrid microgrid and is further compared with existing DC protection algorithms on various performance parameters.