MICROGRID DIRECT TRANSFER TRIP DESIGN AND SIMULATION

Powertech Labs is offering a new service to design, simulate, and test direct transfer trip for microgrid implementation.

Protection Co-ordination of Microgrids

The rapid development of distributed energy resources (DER)—such as solar photovoltaics, wind energy, battery storage, and hydrogen and electric vehicles—is revolutionizing the energy industry. For utilities, one common challenge in the proliferation of DER is to ensure the proper management of the microgrid in protection co-ordination with the utility grid.

For example, microgrids are usually located in remote or rural areas and connected to the utility’s long radial distribution feeders. In these configurations, when a fault is detected by the utility recloser, the recloser should send a protection trip signal to the microgrid controller to disconnect the microgrid from the system. This direct transfer trip (DTT) prevents the microgrid from islanding with the utility’s downstream feeders.

Powertech Services

Powertech Labs provides the facilities and staff expertise for clients to design and simulate a DTT system. Services include:

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  • Study, design, and sizing for microgrid implementation
  • Direct transfer trip and protection validation
  • Simulation of microgrid, DER, and protection schemes using Real Time Digital Simulation (RTDS) to confirm the DTT control scheme for both the microgrid and grid-tie (where applicable).
  • Available Resources
  • Our teams have decades of experience designing and testing utility industry equipment and DER technologies. Onsite outdoor and indoor labs include:
  • Realistic, utility-scale, and utility-integrated operating environment
  • Broad portfolio of DER co-located (for convenience) and inter-operable
  • Live 25 kV poleyard with open-loop distribution system, including distribution automation devices, SCADA, and communications systems
  • Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing using RTDS system
  • Real-time automation controller (RTAC)

Benefits

Simulation and testing of DTT systems enable utilities to safely and efficiently proceed with microgrid implementation. Benefits include:

  • Voltage control
  • Overload mitigation
  • DER selection, sizing, and curtailment design
  • Islanding protection and management

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Vidya Vankayala604.598.5010
Director
Grid Modernization
Email→

Richard Guo – 604.590.7453
Smart Grid Engineer
Grid Modernization
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