A Novel Adaptive Wide Area Protection Scheme for Smart Grids with Distributed Generation

Traditional protection systems are facing new challenges as consequences of distributed generators (DGs) integration into distribution systems. The aim of this paper is to propose a novel adaptive protection scheme based on wide area protection (WAP) approaches and architectures to accommodate DGs impacts on conventional protection schemes. The proposed scheme consists of a communication based algorithm for detecting and isolating faults on buses or feeders connecting the buses in any interconnected distribution system. It analyzes all currents passing through the system using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and utilizes the spectral energy of detail 3 coefficients to locate the fault and hence issue a trip decision for appropriate protective devices to isolate the faulty part. A 9-bus interconnected distribution system with two wind farms is simulated to test the proposed protection scheme. The proposed protection algorithm is modeled using MAT LAB. The interconnected system and wind farms are simulated using PSCAD software.