Enhanced fault protection coordination in wind-solar distribution grids utilizing improved hyper spherical search...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Power Systems Engineering
• Optimization Algorithms

Background:

• Renewable energy integration into distribution networks complicates protective relay coordination due to variable fault currents and dynamic conditions.
• Traditional methods struggle with the complexities of modern, renewable-dominant power grids.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate an Improved Hyper Spherical Search Algorithm (IHSSA) for optimal relay coordination in power systems with integrated renewable energy sources (RES).
• To enhance the accuracy and efficiency of protective relay coordination algorithms in dynamic and high-dimensional optimization scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Developed the IHSSA by integrating dynamic adjustment mechanisms into the conventional hyperspherical search for adaptive exploration-exploitation balance.
• Assessed IHSSA performance on a 220/6.6 kV substation model with a hybrid wind-solar distribution grid (10 feeders, 5 renewable generators).
• Validated the algorithm's practical viability using a real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setup with OPAL-RT OP5600 and IEC 61,850-compatible relays.

Main Results:

• IHSSA demonstrated superior performance compared to Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA).
• Achieved an 18% reduction in relay operation time and a 15% improvement in coordination margin under extreme fault conditions.
• Reduced fault clearing settling time to 120 ms, showcasing enhanced adaptation to renewable energy intermittency.

Conclusions:

• IHSSA offers a robust, adaptive, and scalable solution for protection coordination in renewable-dominant distribution systems.
• The proposed method significantly improves system dependability and operational resilience.
• The real-time HIL validation confirms the practical applicability of IHSSA in modern power grids.