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The risk of catastrophic wildfire has challenged our societies and impacted various industries, with imminent danger to people's lives, financial burden, and irreparable damages to the environment, among other consequences. While progressive wildfires can impact power system operation and customer reliability and resilience, the relationship between power systems and wildfires is mutual: power systems can also contribute to wildfires. Wildfire risk of power systems is related to, in particular, fault-induced ignition events that can quickly turn into wildfires. While some electric utilities are working on approaches to mitigate such risk, the need for further research, development and demonstration of novel methodologies still exists. This paper identifies, analyzes, and compares the practices that can be further employed by utilities to manage the risk and mitigate the impact of power-system generated wildfires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a stochastic optimization model for preparatory operation of distributed energy resources that enhance the resilience of critical loads against extreme weather events. Adopting hurricanes as a case study of extreme weather events, a high-precision spatio-temporal hurricane impact analysis model is first developed to enhance the situational awareness of automated distribution systems and generate a set of hurricane-induced outage scenarios. A stochastic mixed-integer conic programming model is then developed for co-optimizing the preparatory schedule of distributed energy storage and distributed generation ahead of hurricane along with post-event decisions of restoring services to customers, while minimizing the expected cost of energy not served as the index to measure the resilience. The proposed model prioritizes the service restoration of critical loads by integrating customer interruption cost function, which captures the customer type and outage costs as well as interruption duration in making restoration decisions. Additionally, a conic power flow model is adopted to accurately capture network operation constraints in pre- and post-outage scenarios. Numerical results conducted on the IEEE 33-bus system show that the proposed model can enhance the performance of automated distribution systems in responding to hurricane-induced outages by efficiently utilizing grid resources to improve the resilience of critical loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new method to select single-line-to-ground (SLG) fault feeder in resonant grounding power distribution system based on compensation characteristic of extinction coil in different frequencies. The proposed method is insusceptible to the influence of device polarity reverse installation. Firstly, through analyzing the zero sequence equivalent circuit under a SLG fault, the difference of zero sequence current share in fundamental frequency and second-harmonic frequency is investigated. And then, according to the change of current share (CCS), fault feeder selection criterion and steps are established. Finally, numerous simulation tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in identifying the faulty feeder or the faulty bus. Besides, its reliability is also verified by tests with different system parameters and different fault conditions. Specially, device polarity reverse installation tests and comparisons are also implemented, which shows the advantages of the proposed method in dealing with device polarity reverse installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual magnetic flux can cause significant problems in electric power system operation if not taken into consideration. The laboratory setup and experimental procedure for determining the residual magnetic flux value of a single-phase transformer using a minor hysteresis loop are presented in this paper. Using the proposed method, residual magnetic flux could be determined without prior knowledge about the last de-energization of the transformer. Only voltage and current measurements are needed, and any physical intervention in the core or in some other parts of the transformer is unnecessary. Also, a significantly lower voltage than the transformer's nominal is used to determine the residual magnetic flux value in the proposed method. The pros and cons of the proposed method, as well as plans for future research are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) are the result of solar storms or a high-altitude nuclear detonation. On the power systems, they might lead to the flow of quasi-DC currents referred as Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs). These currents cause the AC current offset that may drive the power transformers into saturation. This leads to large draw of reactive power, causes transformer internal heating and increased noise level, damage to shunt capacitors, harmonic filters and maloperation of power system protection equipment. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of the GIC mitigation and elimination strategies and their respective limitations. It also introduces converter-based strategies as a new avenue of power system protection against GICs by presenting novel strategies that involve the integration of the proposed schemes between the neutral and ground of power transformers. One of the proposed schemes is a contribution to the approaches solely focused towards GIC mitigation, whereas, the other provides a variety of grid-support functions in addition to GIC elimination. The simulations performed in a Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL) environment verify the proposed schemes as a promising alternative to the current GIC mitigation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converter (MMC) based medium voltage DC (MVDC) distribution system has become a promising option in the future smart grid architecture due to many distinguishing features. However, MMC-MVDC distribution system is prone to face the short-term outage problem during bipolar DC faults, so how to implement DC fault ride-through (FRT) capability for MMC-MVDC is still a challenge. This paper intends to change the redundant half-bridge submodules (HBSMs) of the HB-MMC into the redundant full-bridge submodules (FBSMs), thus, a practical DC FRT method is proposed by using the combination of the hybrid MMC and the hybrid DC circuit breakers (CBs) for the MMC-MVDC system. Then, the DC fault current characteristics of the MMC with the proposed FRT method are discussed. Lastly, data analysis and simulations of a three-terminal MMC-MVDC system have been performed in PSCAD/EMTDC to validate the effectiveness of the proposed DC FRT method. The proposed DC FRT method is not only easy to implement, but also reduces the requirements and the investment of the DC CB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converter (MMC) based high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system is one of the important development trends of DC power grid. After fault isolation, the traditional reclosing method of MMC-HVDC system is directly reclosing DC circuit breaker (DCCB). Once the fault point still exists, DCCB will be tripped again. This method will make the DC system suffer from the secondary strike of fault in a short time, and seriously endanger the service life of DCCB. In order to overcome the drawbacks of the traditional reclosing schemes, this paper proposes a novel adaptive reclosing scheme based on pulse injection from parallel energy absorption module. When dc fault current is interrupted by DCCB, the fault energy stored in current-limiting reactors (CLR) and dc lines is transferred to energy absorption module automatically. By switching on IGBTs embedded in absorption module for a short time, a voltage pulse is injected directly into the faulty line without interference from CLR. Then the nature of fault is identified and the fault distance can also be calculated in the case of permanent faults. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed reclosing scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC transformer is an essential equipment for formation of multi-voltage-level DC grid. This paper proposes a novel non-isolated Boost-type alternate arm DC transformer (Boost-AADCT) for medium- and high-voltage level DC grid application. The Boost-AADCT is comprised of three submodule-cascaded arms, two thyristor-cascaded director switches, and two buffer capacitors. Bidirectional power transmission is achieved by alternatively charging and discharging of the intermediate arm following the Boost principle, while the pulsating power component caused by intermittent transmission is actively smoothened by grid-side buffer subcircuits formed by the buffer capacitors and grid-side arms. The active power buffering method increases the tolerance range of voltage ripple of the buffer capacitor, and the required energy storage capacity is resultantly reduced. Circuit configuration, operation principle, and mathematical model are first introduced. Then, the control strategy is proposed, the main circuit parameters are designed, and bidirectional fault-blocking capability is analyzed. Comparison with other DC-DC converters shows that the Boost-AADCT significantly reduces the requirement of semiconductors and has relatively lower synthetic cost. At last, performance of the Boost-AADCT and the proposed control strategies are evaluated by simulation tests conducted in MATLAB/Simulink environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new fault location method for transmission lines in MMC-HVDC grids based on dynamic state estimation (DSE) and gradient descent. The method only requires a short data window of 5 ms after the occurrence of the fault and therefore is applicable for MMC-HVDC grids with high-speed tripping techniques. The method first builds a high-fidelity linear dynamic model of the DC transmission line, which accurately describes physical laws of the transmission line during the fault. Afterwards, the consistency between the measurements and the linear dynamic model is evaluated through the DSE algorithm. Finally, the actual fault location which corresponds to the best consistency is determined via the gradient descent algorithm. Compared to the existing DSE based fault location methods which solve highly nonlinear DSE problems, the proposed method only needs to solve a series of linear DSE problems, which overcomes the issues such as large numerical error and high computational burden especially for transmission lines in MMC-HVDC grids. Numerical experiments validates the effectiveness of the proposed method, with different fault types, resistances and locations. In addition, the method only requires a relatively low sampling rate of 20k samples per second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently the hybrid multi-port DC circuit breaker (MP-DCCB) is becoming popular in protecting HVDC grids, thanks to their reduction of power electronics devices. In this paper, an enhanced multi-port current-limiting DCCB (MP-CLCB) for multiple line protection is proposed. The integrated fault current limiter (FCL) inside the MP-CLCB can clear the fault faster with slightly increased costs. To reduce the energy dissipation requirement for the surge arresters caused by the newly added current-limiting path, an energy transfer path which provides a loop with the inductors during the current decay stage is designed. The theoretical analysis of the pre-charging, current-limiting, fault interruption and energy dissipation of the MP-CLCB is carried out. Moreover, the design principles of the energy dissipation and the key parameters of the MP-CLCB are provided. The proposed approaches are verified through simulations in PSCAD/EMTDC. The results show that the MP-CLCB can replace multiple DCCBs, accelerate the fault current interruption and reduce the energy dissipation requirement for the surge arresters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-speed and selective dc line protection method is required for the safe operation of HVDC grids. In this paper, the expressions of the line-mode fault component voltage at the line end as well as its first peak time (FPT) when different internal and external faults occur are derived respectively. The conclusion proves that the FPT of line-mode fault component voltage for internal faults is smaller than that for backward and forward external faults, which is independent of fault impedance and fault type as well. Then a FPT-based non-unit ultra-high-speed dc line protection method for HVDC grids is proposed. The algorithm is verified by a four terminal ±400 kV MMC-HVDC grid PSCAD test model as well as implemented in the developed protection device and validated by the Zhangjiakou-Beijing MMC-HVDC grid RTDS test system. The test results show that i) the FPT-based protection algorithm is independent of fault impedance and fault type, ii) the proposed method can fast and correctly identify dc line faults in the HVDC grids, even with 500 Ω fault impedance, and iii) the sensitivity and fault identification time of the proposed method meet the engineering requirement of MMC-HVDC grids for dc line protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of the high impedance fault (HIF) in distribution systems is significant for power utilization safety. In addition to the low fault currents, traditional approaches are invalid to detect HIFs also due to the diverse characteristics, including the slight HIF nonlinearity during the weak arcing process, the distortion offset caused by the lag of heat dissipation, and the interference of background noise. This paper proposes a distortion-based algorithm to improve the reliability of HIF detection under various conditions. Firstly, the challenges brought by the diversity of HIF distortions are explained according to the field experiments in a 10 kV real-world distribution system. HIFs are classified into five types according to the distortions of their current waveforms. Secondly, a definition of interval slope is introduced to describe waveform distortions. The interval slope is extracted by combining methods of linear least square filtering (LLSF) and Grubbs-criterion-based robust local regression smoothing (Grubbs-RLRS), so that the distortions under different fault conditions can be uniformly described. Thirdly, an algorithm is proposed to judge the features presented by the interval slope, and distinguish from non-fault conditions. Finally, the reliability and security of the proposed algorithm are thoroughly analyzed with real-world HIFs and the simulated HIFs obtained in IEEE 34-bus and IEEE 123-bus systems. Results show the improvements of the proposed algorithm by the comparisons with other advanced algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomagnetic Disturbance (GMD) impacts a power system by causing the circulation of quasi-dc Geomagnetically-induced Currents (GICs) in transmission lines and high-voltage transformer windings leading to transformer saturation, increased reactive power losses, and voltage regulation problems. Utility planners use various analysis methods and simulation tools to analyze GMD system impacts. These techniques can be broadly categorized into load-flow-based (LF), transient stability type (TS), and electromagnetic transient type (EMT) methods. These methods are based on different modeling assumptions and solution techniques. There is a need for evaluation of these assumptions and cross-examination of results to ensure their accuracy. Such an evaluation is essential to ensure that planners performing required GMD vulnerability assessments have confidence in the results. This paper evaluates the LF, TS, and EMT methods through cross-examination of their results. The objective is to identify their limitations, assess the consistency of their results, and provide assumptions on their use for analysis of GMD system impacts. The study is conducted in consistence with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) GMD guidelines and standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault detection and location method are two significant techniques to recognize and clear the fault timely. This paper proposes a novel fault detection and location method for mesh-type DC microgrid. The key of this method is to implement similarity analysis on the sampled lines current and the lines current reference by employing an improved Pearson correlation coefficient. Firstly, the fault detection can be implemented by comparing the sampled lines current with steady-state lines current in a movable time window. And the fault line and fault type can be recognized based on the analysis on the correlation coefficient. Secondly, the fault location can be obtained by comparing the sampled lines current with calculation results of transient lines current, which corresponds to the estimated fault location scheme, within a fixed time window. The estimated location scheme, including the fault position and fault resistance, is updated by genetic algorithm, and will be determined when the correlation coefficient is higher than the threshold. Moreover, both numerical simulation and experiment results validate that the proposed method can recognize the fault line and fault type timely, while obtain the fault position and fault resistance accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase auto-reclosing (AR) scheme is widely employed in extra high voltage (EHV) transmission networks to quench transient faults without completely removing the faulted transmission line (TL). Long EHV TLs are commonly equipped with shunt reactors to reduce the Ferranti effect overvoltages. It is common practice to disconnect these reactors under the heavy load periods during the year. Considering this point, the AR technique should be able to work properly not only when the TL shunt reactors are in service, but also when they are disconnected. This paper puts forward a novel adaptive single-phase AR approach for shunt compensated TLs based on the general mathematical model of faulted phase voltage waveform after the line isolation, which is obtained by analytical analysis conducted on the TL's equivalent circuit. The effect of capacitor voltage transformer (CVT) on the voltage measurement is taken into account using a proper model for the CVT. Performing some data processing on the faulted phase measured voltage, useful features are extracted which are used by the support vector machine classifier to reliably detect the arc extinction instant. The proposed approach performance is evaluated by extensive simulation studies, accounting for different TL compensation schemes, transposition configurations, and arc conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delayed operation of distance relays zone-2 element for the faults at the end of the line is excessive. It reduces the fault clearing speed and therefore, is one of the main factors that can endanger power system stability. This paper proposes an impedance-based scheme for discrimination between the last 20% of the line length faults and the adjacent line faults, which are covered by the relay zone-2. The suggested non-pilot scheme uses a modified fault location formula for the accelerated zone-2 operation of distance relays. The negative- and zero-sequence components of local signals are utilized to calculate the accurate fault location after the remote circuit breaker (CB) operation. The proposed algorithm is independent of fault resistance, power flow direction, pre-fault condition, and it can clearly distinguish internal faults from the adjacent line faults. Simulation results show that the proposed method can identify the remote CB operation and thus can accelerate the tripping of zone-2 within a very short time for different fault locations, fault types, fault resistances, and load angles. Also, accurate fault location has been achieved under all simulation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new single ended fault location method for transmission line based on positive sequence superimposed network during auto-reclosing. The proposed method only requires local measurement data and can not only eliminate but also quantify the negative effects of fault resistance, fault distance, and unknown remote end source impedance, which are marked as the most challenging problems in single ended fault location algorithms. In this paper, by analyzing the operation of auto-reclosing, the transmission line model using positive sequence superimposed network during both fault time section and reclosing time section has been developed to establish the system equations regarding fault position and local measurement data of each discrete time section. In order to retrieve converged and accurate fault location from resulting nonlinear equations, the trust-region reflective algorithm is applied in this paper. Various case studies and evaluations based on EMTP/ATP and RTDS simulations have been carried out to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed new fault location method is also potentially economical as it can be relatively straightforward to implement in the standard protection hardware platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, clearing of DC faults in a hybrid multi-terminal HVDC transmission system consisting of line commutated converters (LCCs) and voltage source converters (VSCs) implemented using half-bridge modular multilevel converter (MMC) technology is investigated. While the hybrid HVDC system has several possible configurations, this paper focuses on two of them: 1) a half-bridge MMC-HVDC link piggy-backing on the transmission line of a LCC-HVDC link and 2) LCC-HVDC link tapped by half-bridge MMC inverters. The proposed dc fault recovery strategy employs a high rating series diode valve placed at each VSC inverter pole to block fault currents; AC circuit breakers to isolate the faulty VSC rectifier pole; and force retardation applied at LCC rectifier to extinguish the arc. Detailed simulations demonstrate fast fault recovery performance with the proposed fault recovery procedure. In the case where a single transmission line is shared by the LCC and VSC links, the VSC rectifier is subjected to considerably high current for a period of few hundreds of milliseconds, and the ac side voltage dips momentarily. During a single pole fault, interrupting power flow on the healthy pole of VSC rectifier may be necessary to maintain smooth operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the event of a single line to ground (SLG) fault in a non-effectively grounded distribution network, the faulted current is weak (only a few amperes or less) and the existing devices cannot accurately judge the faulted feeder. In this paper, we proposed algorithms that combine complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) and Hilbert transform to construct a multi-criteria comprehensive voting method. First, CEEMDAN algorithm is used to decompose the zero-sequence current to obtain the IMF1(the first intrinsic mode function) component and the Hilbert transform is used to calculate the instantaneous amplitude and instantaneous phase. Then, according to the three largest instantaneous amplitudes information, we constructed the characteristic instantaneous phase, characteristic instantaneous energy relative entropy and characteristic instantaneous zero sequence current polarity criteria from the phase, energy and polarity, respectively. Finally, we proposed a comprehensive voting method, which is specifically shown as follows: when two or more criteria show that one feeder or the bus has an SLG fault, it is voted that the feeder or the bus has an SLG fault. In contrast, if the judgment results of the three criteria are inconsistent, then we would return to recalculation and then vote. Compared with existing method, simulation tests and field experiments show that the method proposed in this paper has higher accuracy and a faster calculation speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC ice melting is an effective technical method against ice disaster on transmission lines. To satisfy the demand for simultaneous de-icing and reactive power compensation for substations, this paper proposed a large-capacity low-cost DC deicer with reactive power compensation, which is mainly composed of rectifier transformer, Static Var Generator (SVG) and diode rectifier. In the proposed topology, SVG and diode rectifier share the rectifier transformer, but rectifier transformer capacity is not increased compared with a single deicer. This paper firstly presents the proposed topology and analyzes its advantages. Then, the rectifier transformer design is introduced, and the SVG control strategy is presented. Simulation results for the proposed device are presented, and an engineering devices with a capacity of 21.8 MVA developed for the 220 kV Fuchong substation is described. The simulation and application results indicate that the proposed devices work well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an algorithm for fast, directional detection of phase-to-ground faults in isolated neutral distribution grids. The method reacts directionally and very fast to fault conditions (1–2 samples after fault inception, even without large di0/dt). Moreover, the method is able to detect low- and high-impedance faults (HIF), permanent or transient faults. The algorithm is independent of the sampling frequency, very robust to noise, and does not need calibration of the sensors. The direction detection method relies on the fault model identification, based on the zero-sequence grid capacitance estimate for isolated neutral grids. The estimate is obtained from the fault circuit differential equation, solved with the least-squares method, where appropriate numerical modifications have been introduced. The sign of the estimate provides the directional information, whereas the magnitude of the modified estimate indicates the fault. The directional principle is validated in simulation and the fault detection method is validated with real fault records from the RedNA project. The paper reworks the equations that define the nondetection zone, so that the method is comparable to the classical residual overcurrent and overvoltage functions, typically used to detect HIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fast dc short-circuit fault detection method for HVdc grids, which relies on the voltage across the dc fault-current-limiting reactor. In the proposed approach, primary detection uses only the single-terminal dc reactor voltage information and is shown to be able to identify the faulted line as well as the faulted pole within 1 ms. The backup detection is primarily required for high resistance faults and uses communication between the two sides of the line. Its speed is dependent on the travel time of signals between the two ends, but will operate, as shown in the paper, typically in 2 ms or less. The approach is justified using analytical calculations and exhaustively validated via electromagnetic transient simulation for pole-to-pole and pole-to-ground faults, different fault resistance, fault locations, and dc reactor values. The validation shows that the method is able to identify all genuine dc line faults, but is not prone to misoperation with ac line faults, different loading levels, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection of HVDC grids against short circuits must act in the order of milliseconds to avoid damage to power electronic components and maintain a stable dc voltage. Therefore, ultra-fast protection algorithms are needed that detect the fault and identify its location. Recently developed communication-less HVDC grid protection algorithms provide high operation speed but are inherently limited in reach to provide selectivity. In this paper, a new method for protecting HVDC grids with long cables is proposed. The method combines protection algorithms, sensors integrated in the cable joints, and proactive hybrid breakers to achieve increased performance compared with the state-of-the-art without adding to the overall fault clearing time. This paper describes the proposed method, provides the theoretical basis for the algorithms, and presents the results of an in-depth analysis using electromagnetic transient (EMT)-type simulations. The simulations were performed in a detailed test system implemented in EMT-type software. Simulation results show that long cables can be protected along their entire length through a combination of the proposed algorithms, although the reach of the individual algorithms is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The medium-voltage grid is often planned in loops, but operated in a radial structure to allow a robust protection scheme. This allows the reconfiguration of the grid. This paper focuses on reconfiguration after a fault to re-establish the service, also referred to as self-healing. It includes the localization of faults and finds new grid configurations based on the actual status of the grid. The solving of the reconfiguration problem is nonpolynomial difficult. Finding an acceptable solution to resupply nonfaulted grid parts under tight time limits is difficult. The innovative contribution of this paper is an approach that finds new configurations as local as possible to the faulty area, evolvingly increasing the search space. New configurations are generated based on a heuristic method relying on graph theory. An aggregated fitness function is used to evaluate the solutions. For the realization, a distributed control architecture in the form of an advanced substation automation is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a new transformer, that is, the custom power active transformer (CPAT)—which integrates shunt and series equivalent circuits within the transformer's magnetic structure. Thus, it provides power system services using a single transformer. The CPAT equipped with a power converter can be utilized in distribution systems to control grid current and load-voltage waveforms while operating as a step-up or step-down transformer between the grid and load. Moreover, it can provide other services that any typical shunt-series compensation arrangement provides. The design and analysis of a single-phase CPAT are presented, showing the effect of coupling between windings and transformer parameters affecting CPAT operation. In this paper, control of the CPAT in a unified power-quality controller application is investigated to attenuate grid-current and load-voltage harmonics as well as compensate for reactive power requirements and mitigate grid inrush current. Through simulation and experimental implementation, the merits and performance of the CPAT were validated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fast and stable post-fault recovery is an essential part of a fault clearing strategy in HVDC grids. As the post-fault recovery may involve de-blocking converters, unwanted oscillations may be noticed in the voltages and currents. These oscillations occur at resonant frequencies, which stem from the interaction between the converter and the grid. Methods to identify HVDC grid resonances exist, but the focus is mainly on control interactions instead of during transient conditions such as post-fault recovery. This paper provides a method to analyze oscillations during post-fault recovery process, discusses their origins and proposes two methods to mitigate these. It is found that these oscillations are mainly due to incompatibility of the converter- and grid-side DC voltage at the moment of de-blocking, and the low damping characteristic of the grid at resonant frequencies. The first mitigation approach acts on the first aspect and avoids triggering of the oscillations by matching the voltage of the converter to that of the grid at the moment of de-blocking. The second mitigation approach acts on the second aspect by increasing damping at the DC-side through controls. Time domain simulations have shown that both methods effectively reduce the oscillations seen during post-fault system recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major challenges in half-bridge modular multilevel converter-based high-voltage dc (MMC-HVDC) grids is the rapid detection and isolation of short-circuit faults before converter blocking and the entire grid shutdown. With the advancement of the hybrid dc circuit breakers (HDCCBs) in the ultra-fast isolation of faults, a considerable part of the problem has been solved. In this paper, relying on the performance of these circuit breakers and using the cosine distance criterion, a new pilot protection scheme is designed and presented for detecting short-circuit faults in transmission lines of half-bridge MMC-HVDC grids. While this scheme requires a comparatively low sampling frequency, its fault detection speed is quite independent of fault resistance. Moreover, this protection has the correct performance for any fault location along the line under protection and is completely stable against all external faults. The results of the evaluations on a 4-bus test grid under different fault conditions confirm the correct, ultra-fast, stable, selective, and reliable performance of the proposed line protection scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initiation of ac fault may lead to the commutation failure, and the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system is still confronted with the risk of subsequent commutation failure (SCF) during recovery process prior to the fault clearance. In this paper, the mechanism of subsequent commutation failure is investigated through the analysis of controller response and ac-dc interaction under the symmetrical and asymmetrical faults. According to the modulation theory, a switching function method based on the line-to-line voltages is introduced to depict the voltage transfer characteristics of converters under asymmetrical faults. The early warning criterion and its corresponding early warning system for the subsequent commutation failure (SCF-EWS) are developed by taking the risks of controller regulation and the variations of electrical quantities into account. For the purpose of suppression, an emergency advance control strategy against the subsequent commutation failure (SCF-EAC) is also presented. The analysis and the proposed schemes are verified by the CIGRE benchmark model that is shipped with the PSCAD/EMTDC software under different fault conditions, and the simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) distribution systems have recently been considered as an alternative approach to electrical system infrastructure as they provide the additional flexibility and controllability required to facilitate the integration of more low carbon technologies (LCTs). However, DC protection systems and, more specifically high accuracy DC fault location, have been recognised as a key challenge to facilitating post-fault network maintenance. Most of the existing fault location techniques rely on current derivative or communications-based methods that are either very sensitive to noise or require a high level of data synchronisation. Fault energy has been recognized as a reliable indicator of more accurate fault location estimations. Therefore, this paper develops a mathematical model for describing fault energy during the transient period of DC faults. The method subsequently proposes a new fault let-through energy based DC fault location working strategy to facilitate post-fault network maintenance. The proposed method does not require data synchronisation regardless of the voltage, current, and the size of the converters connected to the LVDC feeder. The capabilities of the proposed fault location strategy are validated against different faults applied on an LVDC test network in PSCAD/EMTDC and shown to be more reliable and accurate than existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an advanced fault control for transformerless modular multilevel converters (MMCs) in AC/DC hybrid distribution networks (HDNs) under the single-phase grounding (SPG) fault. The characteristics of voltages and transmission paths of zero sequence currents in AC networks with different voltage levels and neutral grounding types under SPG faults are analyzed. According to the analysis, the SPG fault results in two issues: 1) the voltage imbalances in nonfaulted networks, which have negative influence on the operation of nonfaulted networks; 2) the overcurrent of MMC-based terminals results in the shutdown of MMCs instead of fault ride-through. To solve these two issues, two types of zero sequence fault control are proposed, which are suitable for different fault ride-through abilities of transformerless MMCs in AC/DC HDNs. The proposed fault control is implemented by an advanced zero sequence current controller (ZSCC). Furthermore, to reduce the effect of fault control on the sensitivity of current differential protection based on the zero sequence fault current, an improved set of current reference value is addressed. Finally, the theoretical analysis and proposed fault control are verified through simulations performed in MATLAB/Simulink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an adaptive fault current limiting control (AFCLC) for modular multilevel converters (MMC). Without introducing extra current limiting devices, this control scheme enables fast fault current suppression during DC faults. The AFCLC will be triggered automatically once DC faults occur. By adaptively reducing the output DC voltages of MMCs, the fault current can be suppressed. Compared with the existing current limiting methods, the proposed AFCLC has a better performance on fault current limiting, since it only depends on the real-time operating condition and no fault detection delay is imposed. Firstly, the principle of the proposed AFCLC together with the mathematical analysis is disclosed. Then, the sensitivity analysis of the impact of key control parameters on the current limiting effect is investigated. Finally, the effectiveness of AFCLC is demonstrated in a four-terminal HVDC grid test model. The simulation results show that the proposed AFCLC can reduce the interrupted current and energy absorption of a DCCB from 10.39 kA and 38.24 MJ to 4.62 kA and 8.32 MJ, respectively. The simulation results also prove that the AFCLC will not affect the accuracy of the DC fault detection algorithms under DC faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new fast-acting backup protection strategy for future hybrid ac-dc distribution networks. By examining the impedance measured by a distance protection relay measuring from the “ac-side” of the network, a unique characteristic is established for faults occurring on the “dc-side” of an embedded medium-voltage dc (MVDC) link, interconnecting two 33 kV distribution network sections. Based on the identified impedance characteristic, appropriate settings are developed and deployed on a verified software model of a commercially available distance protection relay. To remain stable for ac-side faults, it is found that the tripping logic of the device must be altered to provide correct time grading between standard, ac, protection zones and the fast-acting dc region, which can identify faults on the dc system within 40 ms. An additional confirmatory check is also employed to reduce the likelihood of mal-operation. Trials on a test system derived from an actual distribution network, which employs distance protection, are shown to provide stable operation for both ac-side and dc-side pole-pole and pole-pole-ground faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel and applicable approach to calculate the reactive power loss of converter transformer under dc bias. By using this proposed method, only general information of the converter transformer and the network is needed for the calculation within a certain dc current range. Specifically, a three-dimensional model of ± 800 kV converter transformer model for simulation test is established by the finite element method. Through simulation test, the electromagnetic characteristics and reactive loss characteristics of converter transformer under dc bias can be obtained, and the relationship between the bias current and the reactive loss of ± 800 kV converter transformer is quantified. Simulation results validate the feasibility of proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third-harmonic based schemes are used to detect stator-ground faults in high-impedance grounded generators. These methods use third-harmonic voltage measures in the neutral and in terminals to detect faults. As third-harmonic voltage levels are different according to each generator and operational point, simulations, studies and tests need to be carried out to ensure that the chosen third-harmonic scheme is able to cover the portion closest to neutral while the conventional method (59GN) covers the portion closest to the stator winding terminals. This paper presents the solution of the third-harmonic generator model used for a stator-ground fault study in terms of the mesh currents and uses the derived equations to develop a third-harmonic based fault location method. The fault location method was tested over 1785 simulations and presented a maximum error of 0.004 p.u., determining the fault location accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisits the generalized alpha plane (GAP) formulation applied to differential protection of multi-terminal apparatus. The GAP formulation is improved by aiming for three main goals: 1) control over the internal fault settlement region (FSR); 2) enabling a simple operation characteristic instead of a restraint characteristic; and, 3) The adjustments are not dependent to the device type. For this purpose, the GAP formulation is redefined in terms of two settings, which transform the FSR into a circumference with a controllable center and radius. Thereby, a circular operation characteristic with an adjustable radius is enabled around the FSR, for to improve security. To validate and test the performance of the improved GAP, numerous computer simulations have been carried out using Alternative Transients Program on different multi-terminal equipment (i.e., busbars, transmission lines, and power transformers). Furthermore, massive data analysis is held as a means to highlight the GAP's sensibility. The obtained results demonstrate a well-stable pre-fault point, a consistent circular FSR, and the effectiveness of the improved GAP even under severe conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection and current flow regulation of high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) grids requires the deployment of additional semiconductor-based equipment including dc circuit breakers (DCCBs) and current flow controllers (CFCs). However, the inclusion of multiple devices could significantly increase the total cost of an HVDC system. To potentially reduce costs, this paper presents an innovative multi-function integrated DCCB (MF-ICB). The proposed device exhibits a reduced number of semiconductor switches and can fully block dc faults at different locations while regulating dc currents. The configuration of the integrated solution and its operating principle are assessed, with its performance being examined in PSCAD/EMTDC using a three-terminal HVDC grid. Simulation results demonstrate the capability and effectiveness of the MF-ICB to regulate grid current and isolate dc faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some conditions, the flux in the core of current transformers (CT) increases. If this increase in flux leads to saturation of the protective core, it can create a lot of problems in power system protection. One of the hardware solutions to prevent the occurrence of core saturation in CT is the fixed switched resistor demagnetization method. Due to disadvantages such as dependence on CT parameters and inefficiencies in severe core saturation, the use of this method has not been expanded. This paper proposes a new method to improve the fixed switched resistor demagnetization method. In the proposed method, instead of using a fixed resistor in the circuit topology, an adjustable resistor with an auxiliary transformer is used. In the previous method, the control process is based on flux estimation from the secondary terminal voltage. The control process in the proposed method is based on the second derivative of CT secondary current. To verify the effectiveness of the suggested method, first simulation is done using COMSOL and MATLAB softwares and then all necessary electronic and control circuitry are designed and built. Experimental test is carried out on a 20 kV- 500/5 A CT. The simulation and experimental results show that this method prevents the CT from saturation in case of short circuit faults. The main advantages of this method are independent to CT parameters and efficient in severe core saturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control power flow and manage fault level in meshed MV networks, back-to-back voltage source converters (B2B-VSCs) are being used. However, their high cost and relatively low efficiency are of concerns. Partially rated series compensators, such as SSSCs or UPFCs, are desired but come with the challenge of protecting the device during grid faults. Their potential of use has been limited in comparison with the fully rated back-to-back converters. This paper proposes a new system topology including thyristor crowbars and a varistor to protect the SSSC in an MV network and improve the reliability and flexibility of the network operation. Using the proposed method, the time required for isolating the series compensator from the grid is reduced from at least 20 ms, corresponding to the interruption time of conventional circuit breakers, down to 3 μs in the worst case in addition to the grid fault detection delay. The performance is evaluated by simulation. A small-scale single-phase prototype operating at 230 V/16 A is tested in order to demonstrate the concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HVDC technologies are widely acknowledged as one of solutions for the interconnection of renewable energy resources with the main electric power grid. The application of the latest modular multi-level converter (MMC) makes power conversion much more efficient. Due to the relatively low impedance in a DC system, DC fault currents may rise to an extremely high level in a short period of time, which can be very dangerous for HVDC converters. To improve the sustainability and security of electricity transmission, protection solutions for HVDC systems are being developed. Nevertheless, they have various drawbacks on fault signal detection and timely clearance. This paper proposes a protection method that provides a fast and reliable solution addressing those drawbacks. A protection algorithm based on travelling wave simulation and analysis is proposed to detect abrupt transient signals. The algorithm shows high efficiency, reliability, selectivity and has low sampling frequency requirements. The proposed protection method has been validated through a cyber-physical simulation platform, developed using a real-time digital simulator (RTDS) and IEC 61850 communication links. The obtained results show that the proposed method has good potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate fault calculation is vital for the parameter design and protection research of high-voltage DC (HVDC) grids. This paper proposes a general method to calculate short-circuit faults in HVDC grids, and the method is based on the premise that the modular multilevel converter (MMC) blocking and the current interruption have not occurred. The MMC is based on the average value model, and the MMC current source can reflect the impacts of the AC system and MMC control mode. The fault calculations based on variable and constant MMC current sources are presented. The numerical inversion of the Laplace transform is used to obtain the voltages and currents in the time domain. The proposed method has the following merits: 1) it can accurately calculate voltages and currents while considering the fault-generated traveling wave effect and impacts of the AC system and MMC control mode; 2) it is more time efficient than the electromagnetic transient simulation; and 3) it is applicable to HVDC grids with different configurations, such as symmetrical bipolar and asymmetrical monopolar. The proposed method is validated by comparisons with previous calculation methods and PSCAD/EMTDC simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a DC Circuit Breaker (DCCB) topology for the DC fault clearance of the Modular Multilevel Converter based High Voltage Direct Current (MMC-HVDC) grid. By utilizing the voltage clamping and current limiting functions of the pre-charged capacitors in the DCCB, the DC-side short-circuit fault is isolated. First, the topological mechanism and operational principle of the unidirectional topology are analyzed, and the bidirectional topology is provided for backup protection. Then, the residual energy dissipation branch of the DC transmission line is introduced and the reclosing strategy after the deionization process is provided. Further, a step-insert method of the clamping branch is designed to relieve the sudden change of the electrical stresses during the voltage clamping based fault clearance process. Compared to the conventional DCCB schemes, the main advantage of the proposed topology is the decoupling of fast fault isolation and slow energy dissipation processes, which will accelerate the power recovery speed of the healthy parts of the HVDC grid. The proposed approaches are verified first by fully detailed Electro-Magnetic Transient (EMT) simulations on PSCAD/EMTDC then by a down-scaled hardware experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the ultra-fast, selective, and reliable requirements of the DC fault protection, a protection scheme for modular multilevel converter based HVDC grids is proposed in this paper. The protection scheme is consisted of main protection, directional pilot protection, and faulty pole identification. The new fault directional criterion is achieved by employing the surge arriving time difference of line-mode backward traveling wave and line-mode forward traveling wave. This criterion is valid even when the fault current limiting reactors (FCLRs) are installed at the converter side of DC bus. The main protection without communication and complex computation relies on co-operation of the derivative of line-mode forward traveling wave and the directional criterion. The directional pilot protection by comparing the double end directional criteria can be used as a backup protection. The accumulation of zero-mode component is adopted to discriminate the faulty pole. Simulations have demonstrated that the proposed scheme is capable of identifying various types of faults with different fault resistances at different positions. The robustness analysis shows that the protection scheme presented is not sensitive to the FCLR size, noise environment, sampling frequency, and the operation of hybrid DC circuit breakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) in the transmission network for improving its adaptability and resilience has a high impact on the behavior of power swing (PS) impedance characteristics and performance of protection schemes. This paper introduces a qualitative study on the effects of thyristor controlled series capacitor (TCSC) on the distance protection strategies for PS and also suggest modifications in the conventional distance protection logic. Power Swing Blocking (PSB) is a complimentary feature integrated with the conventional distance relay to detect PS. However, the addition of TCSC along with its fast-acting control loop results in the PSB scheme to experience a reduction in the recorded time by the timer thus leading to failure in detecting the encroachment of the apparent impedance to be a PS and thus causes maloperation of the distance relay. An Empirical Wavelet Based technique has been proposed to rectify these maloperations in TCSC incorporated transmission lines to contribute to improve stability by preventing undesirable tripping. The case studies have been implemented on the WSCC 9 bus system with the detailed dynamic model of the TCSC. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the suggested technique in overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional distance relay strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power flow controllers and circuit breakers are important devices in a DC grid, and combining them and expanding their ports can save many components. This paper proposes an integrated multiport DC power flow controller with a DC circuit breaker that can achieve power flow control and fault removal on multiple DC lines during steady and fault states, respectively. First, the device's topology based on modular multilevel converters is proposed, and the principles of power flow control and self-power balance based on bridge arm voltage are introduced. Second, it is improved by adding a fault removal capability. The equivalent circuit and fault currents in different time sequences are analyzed, and the component parameter selection method is designed. Third, in the PSCAD/EMTDC, the power flow control and fault removal capabilities are verified using three conditions: flow control, line fault, and bus fault. Finally, the number of components and steady-state losses are analyzed. Overall, the proposed device has power flow control and fault removal functions as well as a certain limiting effect on the fault current, which greatly reduces the system construction cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converter based high voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) transmission is the prospective technology for large-scale wind farms integration. In this paper, a comprehensive coordinated control strategy for DC fault ride-through (FRT) of wind farms connected to the grid through bipolar MMC-HVDC transmission is proposed. To reduce the requirement of breaking speed and capacity of DC breakers, an active current-limiting control method is proposed to limit the rise rate of DC fault current, and the principle of parameter selection is designed. After DC breakers isolate fault, the control mode switching methods of bipolar MMC are designed to make the fault pole MMC operate as a STATCOM to support the AC grid and improve the active power transmission capability of the healthy pole MMC, which can reduce the impact range of unbalanced power between wind farms and converter station. In addition, a coordinated control strategy for wind farms load-shedding considering speed constraints is designed to realize the optimal distribution of load-shedding power among wind turbines, which can regulate unbalanced power together with the healthy pole MMC to realize DC FRT. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control methods are verified by simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of renewable energy, multi-terminal flexible DC grids composed of modular multilevel converters have been widely used in power systems. To ensure the safe and stable operation of a DC grid, this paper proposes a DC line protection scheme for MMC-based DC grids using AC/DC transient information. In the proposed scheme, the difference between the transient voltage root mean square ratios (DTVR) on both sides of the current-limiting inductor of DC lines is used to identify the DC line fault, and the instantaneous zero sequence voltage (IZSV) of the AC side of the converter station is used to discriminate the faulted poles. According to the theoretical analysis result, a fault criterion setting method suitable for faulted pole discrimination is proposed. The proposed scheme is based on local information and tested in a PSCAD/EMTDC model of a four-terminal MMC-based DC grid. The simulation results show that the scheme can fast and accurately identify faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating solar generation brings about unique challenges in power system protection. Previous studies have found inverter-based resources featuring distinct fault responses compared to conventional generators. The reduction in fault current magnitude and lack of negative and zero sequence currents can fundamentally impact the way that the power system is protected. This letter studies the negative-sequence current injection from transmission-connected solar farms. Using field recorded data, this letter reveals the negative-sequence current injection behaviors of solar farms by analyzing how inverters respond to faults. In addition, the paper studies how the negative-sequence current can impact negative-sequence directional elements used in protective relays. The response of protective relays’ is evaluated by replaying field events using actual relay settings applied on conventional systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in renewable energy recourses technologies have paved the way for increased utilization of DC grids in modern power systems. In particular, high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission cables are used to harvest offshore energy. Since failure diagnosis and repair of the buried offshore cables under the sea bed involve quite laborious tasks, accurate fault location is of vital importance. This paper proposes a novel fault location method based on the synchronized measurement of conductors and sheaths currents in each terminal without requiring the voltage signal. Unlike the traveling-wave-based methods, the proposed method is developed for multi-terminal HVDC systems without requiring any high precision measurement infrastructure. The proposed method can be implemented for different system topologies as well as fault resistance and fault distance. The fault location method can provide accurate results even if 10 ms time window samples are imported into the proposed algorithm. In addition, accuracy of the fault location using the proposed method is not affected significantly by noisy condition. Different test systems have been simulated to evaluate performance of the proposed method in various scenarios. Obtained results confirm that the proposed practical method can provide the accurate fault location for all different scenarios and conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel hybrid-arm modular multilevel converters (HA-MMCs) topology with DC low voltage operation and fault ride-through capability is proposed for unidirectional HVDC bulk power transmission. The HA-MMCs topology is a combination of two types of converter arms: the half-bridge sub-module based arm (HBSM-arm) and the diagonal bridge sub-module based arm (DBSM-arm). Replacing the traditional HBSM-MMC, the HA-MMCs are operated in current and reactive power control modes during normal conditions and can work as the rectifier or the inverter. Since the DBSM can provide bipolar voltages with unipolar currents, the HA-MMCs need not change its control strategy under DC low voltage conditions caused by the high-impedance faults. Under DC pole-to-pole or pole-to-ground faults, the HA-MMCs can both clear the DC fault current and work as the static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) to provide reactive power to support the AC grid. Compared with other MMC topologies with DC fault ride-through capability, the HA-MMCs topology is more economical for significantly decreasing the number of power devices. The operation states, control strategy and DC low voltage operation capability of the HA-MMCs are presented and simulation results of the LCC-HA-MMC hybrid system using PSCAD/EMTDC validate the characteristics and advantages of the HA-MMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordination of resistive-type superconducting fault current limiters (R-SFCLs) and DC circuit breakers (DCCBs) have been investigated. However, the use of R-SFCLs with mechanical DCCBs (M-DCCBs) in hybrid transmission systems has not been studied. The objective of this paper is to investigate the parameter requirements of R-SFCLs and M-DCCBs for a detailed system protection strategy in a hybrid AC/DC system considering the influence of AC faults and three types of DC faults. When the AC fault is far from all MMCs, its impact on the DC system is weak. If the AC fault is close to one MMC, it will produce a strong transient response in the DC part. Therefore, a bypass switch in parallel with an R-SFCL is used to remove the R-SFCL from the system if it quenches during the AC fault. Then, the parameters of the protection devices are designed based on pole-to-pole DC fault. System restoration can be achieved within 200 ms after the fault. For pole-to-neutral and pole-to-ground faults, except for the R-SFCLs at the faulty pole, the R-SFCLs at the healthy pole will also quench, but the resistances are very low. The system may be restored within 250 ms after the DC fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]