Islanding detection techniques in distributed generation

• Grant number: 11/15334-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Industrial Electronics, Electronic Systems and Controls
• Principal Investigator: Vilma Alves de Oliveira
• Grantee: Cassius Rossi de Aguiar
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The interest in finding structures that allow the integration of alternative energy sources as a form of energy generation has been encouraged by regulatory bodies and the Ministry of Energy in order to minimize the effects of energy crisis. As a result, the connection of distributed generation systems (DG) using DC-AC converters are the objective of an intense research in order to promote solutions to the problems of instability and detection of contingencies when distributed generation systems are connected to the grid. In this context, an important requirement for integration of distributed generation in the grid is the system's capability to detect the islanding condition. The islanding occurs when the DG system continues supplying electric power to the grid even when the power flow from the main grid is interrupted, causing damage to the operators who perform maintenance, in the equipments connected to the DG, and in the load that the system is islanded. For this reason, the project aims to use a structure that uses GD multilevel converters for connection to distribution systems and to perform analysis of islanding detection techniques so that the electricity produced by alternative sources have quality and safety within national and international standards. And that islanding situations can be characterized and differentiated. At the end of the project, it is expected that the results obtained give information to the utilities companies and self-producers and producers of energy for the grid connection operation and also the necessary procedures (detection and identification) to be adopted when the distribution system is under contingency (islanding).