Communication-Based Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration for Microgrids

The traditional power system protection scheme is obsolete when it comes to microgrids, since they generate bidirectional power flows due to the presence of different sources of distributed generation. In case of failure, these sources contribute to short-circuit currents. It is for this reason that there are different fields of research around fault location methodologies. In this paper we present a communication-based fault location methodology, which uses directional fault passage indicators (FPIs) communicated with a control center. Through the information received by the FPIs, the location of faults and the isolation of the affected areas are carried out. In addition, it performs the restoration of service in healthy lines, if possible, by means of a reconfiguration of the topology of the microgrid through sectionalizers.