An Adaptive Protection Algorithm For Distribution Systems With Distributed Generation

An Adaptive Protection Algorithm for Distribution
Systems with Distributed Generation

Jamile Pinheiro Nascimento
Nubia Silva Dantas Brito, Benemar Alencar de Souza
Department of Electrical Engineering

Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG)
Campina Grande, PB. Brazil
jamile.nascimento@ee.ufcg.edu.br
Abstract An adaptive protection algorithm is proposed to solve
protection coordination problems in distribution systems with
distributed generation is proposed. The algorithm modifies
relays settings on-line, using circuit breakers state as input
information. At the end, it was found that even with the
connection or disconnection of distributed generators (DG),
distribution system continued to be protected. The IEEE 13
node test system and the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS)
were used to validate the proposed algorithm
Index Terms-- Adaptive protection, distributed generation,
overcurrent relay.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Over the past years, the technology advances were

achieved due to electricity [1], which is delivered to the final
customers according to the generation, transmission and
distribution processes. This traditional arrangement follows an
assumption of the unidirectional power flow, in order
generation-consumption. However, this conventional model is
changing, due to the gradual inclusion of generating units in
electrical distribution systems (EDS), called distributed
generation (DG). According to [2], this new scenario has the
following advantages:
Postponement of investments in expansion of

transmission and distribution systems.
Reduction in charging networks.
Minimization of losses.
Lower capital investment costs.
The generation may be located close to the load,
which can greatly reduce transmission costs.
Due to these benefits, several countries created policy

drivers encouraging the use of DG, including Brazil, in which
has been in place since 2012 when the National Electric
Energy Agency (ANEEL) allowed the use of DG in EDS [1].
Despite these many advantages, the insertion of the DG in
EDS can result in various problems such as [3]:
Department of Electrical Engineering

Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG)
Campina Grande, PB. Brazil
nubia@dee.ufcg.edu.br
benemar @dee.ufcg.edu.br
Increased short circuit level.

Power flow reversal.
Requirements of new protection techniques.
Problems related to stability and reliability.
Voltage fluctuations.
Islanding, i.e., the system with the DG can be isolated
from the utility.
This work is related to the new forms of protection.

According to the literature, the classical protection philosophy
acts in a fixed and predetermined manner, so that changes in
system topology may cause malfunctioning on protection
system operation. Therefore, the presence of DG in EDS
requires the use of new protection techniques.
In the current status of the state of the art, highlight has
been given to researches related to adaptive protection [4]-[6].
According to [7], adaptive protection (AP) can be defined as a
protection philosophy which permits and seeks to make
adjustments to various protection functions in order to make
them more attuned to prevailing power system conditions.
In this paper, an AP method to solve the impact of DG
insertion on overcurrent distribution networks protection is
proposed. The method considers that the status of each DG in
a distribution system is associated with the status of its circuit
breaker, updating new setting values in the overcurrent relays.
The method was applied to the IEEE 13 node system [8] and
implemented in the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) [9].
II.
PROPOSED
METHOD
From the literature, several researchers have been focusing

in adaptive protection, which aims to modify relay settings in
real time in order to adapt the protection system to any
changes in the electrical system [10]-[12]. In this context and
taking as premises the simplicity of implementation and
applicability in real relays, i.e., non-intervention in the internal
relay code, the developed algorithm is presented in Fig. 1.
The authors of this paper thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for allowing this work.
The diagram shows a generic distribution system

containing some DG units which communicate with an AP
system, called central control, represented by a central
processing unit. The AP system will only consider the relays
connected to the branches with DG.
Step 1: Receives regularly information about the

circuit breakers status.
Step 2: Is there a change in circuit breakers status?
Step 3: If so, recalculate the group setting based on
(1).
Step 4: Send the setting group concerning the new
operation scenario for the relays associated with the
branches with DG.
Generally, this procedure works, except in islanding

situations. As a result, the algorithm imposes the condition in
which (1) is satisfied only when the system is not islanded.
III.
RESULTS
To evaluate the proposed method, the IEEE 13 nodes

system (Fig. 2), available for EPS analysis, was used [8].
Despite being relatively small, this system has very peculiar
characteristics: short and relatively highly loaded feeder, lines
with variety of phasing, unbalanced loads.
Figure 1. Flow chart of the proposed algorithm.
Briefly, the algorithm receives periodically information

about the status of circuit breakers responsible for isolating, in
case of any disturbance, the branches containing the DG on
the system. Then, the algorithm monitors these states,
repeating this procedure until there is a change in the state of
any breaker. If a change occurs, the algorithm interprets as a
connection or disconnection of DG. In this situation, the
algorithm recalculates the new setting group based on the state
of combination of the circuit breakers and sends it to the relay.
Setting groups correspond to various pickup configurations
that exist internally in digital relays [13]. In this work, these
groups are associated with the possible operation scenarios in
the system, which depends on the amount of DG in operation.
The setting groups are configured offline, which allows the
user to select one of these settings as relay operation pickup.
The calculation was performed according to (1):
SGiN = 1DG
Therefore, the setting group (SG) regarding certain

operating scenario is the arithmetic sum of the circuit breakers
status (BDG) associated with DG system. If the system is in the
scenario in which all DG units are turned off, then SGj, will
have the value of i+1, which means that the position setting in
the relay group will correspond to the maximum slot number
plus a generator unit. This relationship is simple and it does
not require high computational effort, providing quick
processing and real time applicability. In summary, the central
control proceed as follows:
In this work, two DG were included on the nodes 633 and

675, whose data are provided in Table II. The DG are
connected with the EDS through transformers with relation
1:1, for the purpose of isolation between DG and the system.
Figure 2. Modified IEEE 13 node system.
This test system was implemented on RTDS , a simulator

originally developed for the study of electromagnetic
transients, which is able to perform simulations in power
systems with operation in real time [9].
Following the requirements of Normative Resolution
482/2012 of ANEEL [1], the protection system has been
adapted to receive all DG, which was achieved by installing
directional overcurrent relays controlled by the AP in the
sections containing DG, in the early sections 650, 632-634 and
671-675. The associated relays were named 650, 633 and 675,
respectively.
The possible operating scenarios are described in Table I.
Noting that the values of overcurrent relays adjustments for
the respective sets were performed offline using conventional
techniques [15].
Currents in the System Input without AP
Current (kA)
0
-1
OPERATION SCENARIOS OF ADAPTIVE PROTECTION.
Position Setting Group

1
2
3
For analysis, we considered the following occurrence: all

generators are connected to the system and operating
normally, when at a given moment, a fault occurs in the
system, disabling one or more distributed generators. It is
worth emphasizing that the RTDS for being a simulator in real
time, the instant application of the fault may not be the same
for the cases without and with adaptive protection, since these
cases have not been simulated at the same time.
180
200
I633a
I633b
I633c
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Time (ms)
Currents in the Branch 671-675 without AP
180
200
I675a
I675b
I675c
1
0
-1
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
Figure 3. Case 1 without adaptive protection: currents.

Currents in the System Input
1.5
Input current in phase a

Input current in phase b
Input current in phase c
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
200
I633a
I633b
I633c
1
Current (kA)
180
Currents in the Branch 632-634
1.5
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
20
40
2
Current (kA)
At the fault inception time (52.0 ms), the relay 675

identifies the event and then immediately, sends a trip
signal to the circuit breaker that isolates the affected
area (78.55 ms).
At this time, the circuit breaker which changed state is
sent to the adaptive protective block, which identifies
that there was a change of topology (69.40 ms),
identifying the new setting group for which the relay
should operate.
A single trip signal has been sent by the relay 675 and
consequently, single acting breaker was associated
with that relay, indicating that the protection system
operated correctly.
60
80
100
120
140
160
Time (ms)
In the system with adaptive protection (Fig. 4 and Fig.6),

the observations are as follows:
40
0
-1
Current (kA)

identifies the event and then immediately, sends a trip
signal (82.5 ms) to the circuit breaker that isolates the
affected area (91.0 ms).
The fault is extinguished in approximately two and a
half (2.5) cycles.
There is loss of coordination for backup protection
(relay 650) and then false tripping of relay 633.
20
In this scenario, consider the occurrence of a double-lineto-ground (ACG) fault on the node 675. As shown, the system
without adaptive protection (Fig. 3 and Fig.5):
2
Current (kA)
Number of Distributed Generators

1
2
0
Current (kA)
TABLE I.

60
80
100
120
140
Time (ms)
160
200
I675a
I675b
I675c
1
0
-1
180
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
Figure 4. Case 1 with adaptive protection: currents.
180
200
Breaker State
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
State Breaker 633 without AP
Current (kA)
Breaker 650
0.5
0
Breaker 633
0.5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
0
-2
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
Current (kA)
Figure 5. Case 1 without adaptive protection: setting group of relays and

circuit breakers state.
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 650
140
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 633
140
160
180
200
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 675
140
160
180
200
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140

immediately identifies the event and then sends a trip
signal to the breaker that isolates the affected area
(67.25 ms).
Since the protection setting is fixed and
predetermined, the relay 650 is sensitive to the pickup
too for this scenario. So that the relay operates
incorrectly at t = 59.95 ms (Figure 9), triggering the
breaker when there is no disturbance.
(68.45 ms).
Instead of what occurs in the non-adaptive protection
system, the relay 650 changes its setting group already
configured for scenario 3, avoiding the false trip.
160
180
200

2
0
-2
-4
20
40
60
200
As can be seen, the system with AP:
40
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
I675a
I675b
I675c
2
0
-2
-4
20
40
60
80
100
Time (ms)
120
140
160
180
200

1
Breaker State
20
For Case 2, it was considered a scenario in which only the

DG 675 is connected to the EDS and operating normally,
when at a given time, there is a three-phase fault at node 675
(Fig. 7 to 10). As shown, the system without AP:
20
Breaker 650
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Breaker 675
Breaker State
Figure 6. Case 1 with adaptive protection: setting group of relays and

Breaker 675
0.5
200
200
Breaker 633
-4
Current (kA)
Breaker State
180
180
-2
Breaker 650
1
0
160
160
I675a
I675b
I675c
Relay Setting Group
60
80
100
120
140
Time (ms)
Current (kA)
SG
40
Relay Setting Group
2
1.5
20
Breaker 675
0.5
0
200

-4
0
0.5
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200

Relay Setting Group
SG
Breaker State
Breaker State
Relay Setting Group
2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Similar results were obtained for the system with AP. Due
to the fact of the system is heavily loaded and considering that
the inclusion of synchronous machines substantially
aggravates this situation, the occurrence of single-phase faults
does not modify significantly the current values.
200
State Breaker 650
Breaker 650
1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
State Breaker 675
Breaker 675
0.5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
breakers state.
In case 3, it was considered a scenario in which all DG are

connected to the system and operating normally, when at a
given time a BG fault occurs on node 633 (Figures 11 to 14).
As viewed, the system without AP:

(76.55 ms).
The only trip signal was sent from the relay 633.
The current in the branch involved with the fault
extinguished indicating that protection has operated
correctly.
From the obtained results, one can conclude that in most of

these cases, the proposed method was better than the
conventional method, since the latter failed to satisfy the basic
requirements of a protection system [15]. Moreover, as the
calculation of the pickup currents for each scenario was made
offline from short-circuit studies in various scenarios, it can be
inferred that the proposed method will work satisfactorily for
greater number of cases. Another important fact observed
regards to the speed of action, which is due to the simplicity of
the calculation of the setting group. It is important to inform
either the RTDS simulation did not consider the delay in
changing the setting group, which according to some
manufacturers can be up to 5 seconds [16].
A very interesting feature of this method is that the PA is
external to relays, with no need for drastic changes in the
conventional protection system. Of course, it is necessary for
the protection system responsible for branches with DG to use
digital relays. This is a differential of the proposed method
compared to other methods available in literature, which need
to implement a new type of relay that processed the proposed
method [4] - [5].
1.5

Current (kA)
0
-0.5
0
20
40
1.5
60
80
100
120
140
Time (ms)
160
180
Current (kA)
200
0.5
20
40
60
80
100
Time (ms)
120
140
160
180
20
40
1.5
60
80
100
120
140
Time (ms)
160
180
200
I675a
I675b
I675c
1
0.5
0
-0.5
0
20
40
60
80
100
Time (ms)
120
140
160
180
200
200

I633a
I633b
I633c
1.5
-0.5
-1
-1
-1
0.5
-0.5
I633a
I633b
I633c
Current (kA)
Current (kA)
Current (kA)
1
0.5
-1

1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
20
40
60
80
100
Time (ms)
120
140
160
180
200
1.5
I675a
I675b
I675c
Current (kA)
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
20
40
60
80
100
Time (ms)
120
140
160
180
200
compared to classical protection in most cases; b) the change

in setting group is virtually instantaneous.
In terms of implementation offline the calculation of the
adjustments can be refined via optimization methods. In
online mode, the algorithm proposed is only applicable to
systems with few DG, given the direct dependence on the
amount of setting group with the number of possible operating
scenarios to be considered.
Breaker 650
V.
Breaker State
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
APPENDIX
The parameters of the distributed generators are shown in

Table II [14].
Breaker 633
0.5
0
TABLE II.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Pb1 = 2.1 MW
Xd = 2.0
Xq = 0.2
Xq0 = 0.035
Breaker 675
1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
SG
Relay Setting Group
1.5
1
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 650
140
Breaker State
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 633
140
160
20
40
60
80
100
120
State Breaker 675
140
160
180
200
180
200
Breaker 675
0.5
0
200
Breaker 633
1
0
180
Breaker 650
1
0
160
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (ms)
140
160
180
200
IV.
CONCLUSION
An adaptive protection algorithm applied to EDS with

integration of DG was proposed and validated using IEEE 13
node system. The proposed algorithm aims to modify relay
settings in order to adjust the protection system to DG
scenario changes in the EDS. In this way, the algorithm
automatically selects protection settings, previously calculated
and intentionally positioned in slots, which keep the pickup of
the relays in order to associate them with the corresponding
scenario. Therefore, the AP block changes the setting group
whenever there is a change of scenario.
Analysis of the obtained results showed that: a) the
algorithm is robust and showed superior performance
Distributed Generators
Pb2=1.1MW
Vb=4160V
Xd = 0.263
Xd = 0.173
Xl = 0.18
Td=1.105
R = 2.85e-3
H = 2.6
Xq = 1.6
Td= 0.035
REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
Relay Setting Group
PARAMETERS OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATORS.
ANEEL. Atlas de energia eltrica do Brasil. 3rd.ed. Braslia, 2008.

N. Jenkins, R. Allan, P. Crossley, D. Kirschen and G. Strbac. Embedded
generation. London: IET Power and Energy Series 31, 2008, p. 3.
[3] S. K Salman. The impact of embedded generation of voltage
regualtion and losses of distribution networks. Proceedings of the IEE
Colloquium on the Impact of Embedded Generation on Distribution
Networks, 1996.
[4] P. Mahat, Z. Chen, B. Bak-Jensen, and C. L. Bak, "A Simple Adaptive
Overcurrent Protection of Distribution Systems With Distributed
Generation," IEEE Transaction on Smart Grid, vol. 2, pp. 428-437,
2011.
[5] J. Ma, C. Mi, T. Wang, J. Wu, and Z. Wang, "An adaptive protection
scheme for distributed systems with distributed generation," Power and
Energy Society General Meeting, 2011 IEEE, pp. 1-6, 2011.
[6] A. H. M. Soares and J. C. M. Vieira, "Case Study: Adaptive
Overcurrent Protection Scheme Applied to an Industrial Plant with
Cogeneration Units.," 2008 IEEE Transmission and Distribution
Conference and Exposition, 2008.
[7] A.G. Phadke and S.H. Horowitz, "Adaptive Relaying," IEEE Computer
Applications in Power, vol. 3, pp. 47-51, July 1990.
[8] IEEE Distribution Planning Working Group Report, Radial
distribution test feeders, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, August
1991, Volume 6, Number 3, pp 975-985.
[9] Real Time Digital Simulator Power System and Control User Manual,
RTDS Technologies, 2009.
[10] S. H. Horowitz, A. G. Phadke, and J. S. Thorp, "Adaptive Transmission
System Relaying," IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 3, no. 4,
pp. 1436-1445, October 1988.
[11] G. Rockefeller, "Adaptive transmission relaying concepts for improved
performance," IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 3, pp. 14461458, October 1988.
[12] A.K. Jampala, S.S. Venkata, and M.J. Damborg, "Adaptive
Transmission Protection: Concepts and Computational Issues," IEEE
Transaction on Power Delivery, vol. 4, pp. 177-185, January 1989.
[13] B. Kasztenny and K. Kuras, The Source Concept Considerations in a

Protective Relay, Annual Canadian Protection and Control Forum,
June 2001.
[14] Z. Miao, M. A. Choudhry, R. L. Klein. Dynamic simulation and
stability control of three-phase power distribution system with
distributed generators. Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting, v.2,
2002. IEEE.
[15] Anderson, P. M. Power system protection. IEEE Press Series on Power
Engineering, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 1999.
[16] Schweitzer, et al., SEL-311C-1 Transmission Protection System
Instruction Manual. USA, 2011.

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An Adaptive Protection Algorithm for Distribution

Systems with Distributed Generation

Nubia Silva Dantas Brito, Benemar Alencar de Souza

Department of Electrical Engineering

Over the past years, the technology advances were

Postponement of investments in expansion of

Due to these benefits, several countries created policy

Department of Electrical Engineering

Increased short circuit level.

This work is related to the new forms of protection.

From the literature, several researchers have been focusing

The diagram shows a generic distribution system

Step 1: Receives regularly information about the

Generally, this procedure works, except in islanding

To evaluate the proposed method, the IEEE 13 nodes

Briefly, the algorithm receives periodically information

Therefore, the setting group (SG) regarding certain

In this work, two DG were included on the nodes 633 and

Figure 2. Modified IEEE 13 node system.

This test system was implemented on RTDS , a simulator

Currents in the System Input without AP

OPERATION SCENARIOS OF ADAPTIVE PROTECTION.

Position Setting Group

For analysis, we considered the following occurrence: all

Figure 3. Case 1 without adaptive protection: currents.

Input current in phase a

Currents in the Branch 632-634

At the fault inception time (52.0 ms), the relay 675

In the system with adaptive protection (Fig. 4 and Fig.6),

At the fault inception time (47.0 ms), the relay 675

Number of Distributed Generators

Input current in phase a

Figure 4. Case 1 with adaptive protection: currents.

State Breaker 633 without AP

Figure 5. Case 1 without adaptive protection: setting group of relays and

At the fault inception time (41.25 ms), the relay 675

Input current in phase a

As can be seen, the system with AP:

Currents in the System Input

Currents in the Branch 671-675

Figure 8. Case 2 with adaptive protection: currents.

For Case 2, it was considered a scenario in which only the

State Breaker 675 without AP

Figure 6. Case 1 with adaptive protection: setting group of relays and

Figure 7. Case 2 without adaptive protection: currents.

Relay Setting Group

Relay Setting Group

State Breaker 675 without AP

Input current in phase a

Currents in the System Input without AP

State Breaker 650 without AP

Figure 9. Case 2 without adaptive protection: setting group of relays and

Relay Setting Group

Relay Setting Group

State Breaker 650

State Breaker 675

In case 3, it was considered a scenario in which all DG are

At the fault inception time (55.45 ms), the relay 633

From the obtained results, one can conclude that in most of

Input current in phase a

Figure 11. Case 3 without adaptive protection: currents.

Currents in the Branch 632-634

Input current in phase a