Fault type and location detection in islanded microgrid with different control methods based converters

Abstract

In this paper the fault type and location detection in an islanded low voltage (LV) distribution network based microgrid with converters applying different control methods is studied. In the future most of the distributed generation (DG) units in microgrids will be connected to network through power electronic interfaces (e.g. converters) which usually have limited capability to feed fault current due to power devices protection reasons.Also converter control methods affect to the converter fault behavior. This means that during the faults the converter cannot feed larger current than the nominal current of it or it tries to keep active power fed to grid on the reference value, so that the current of converter increases to a certain limit. Simulations show that protection of islandedmicrogrid with converters could be based on changes in phase voltages and voltage RMS values at the connection points of DG units. But, due to different control methods of converters, the fault location estimation is not that simple in every case.The simulation studies are made with PSCAD simulation software package.