A Microgrid Test System for Protection Coordination Studies

Abstract

This paper proposes a comprehensive 26-bus microgrid (MG) test system designed to validate or propose new protection coordination schemes. The proposed MG test system comprises various components facilitating the simulation of diverse configurations and operating modes. It also presents a predefined overcurrent protection scheme which is validated with and without Distributed Generation (DG), offering detailed specifications and settings for the test network. The MG test system outlined in this paper incorporates multiple DG sources in different buses, multiple voltage levels, and two operating modes (with and without DG). Additionally, the overcurrent protection scheme considers multiple functions and devices simultaneously. The detailed features of the proposed protection coordination scheme enable the simulation of various fault types and contingencies. The paper also presents specific details of the MG test system under different single-phase and three-phase faults, reporting bus voltages in nodes, transformer and line loadability, short-circuit currents, and operating times. The MG test system is meant to serve as a valuable tool for researchers to conduct comparative studies and develop new strategies regarding the operation and planning of MGs.