Decentralised reconfiguration of a Microgrid electrical network using reclosers

The present study is aimed at investigating possibilities for increasing the reliability of power supply to remote consumers via electric networks having distributed power generation sources by means of automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs) and appropriate management systems. At the present time, the number of small electrical networks based on renewable energy generation sources in local areas is growing. Although consumers located in remote rural areas continue to suffer from low power supply reliability, in case of loss of the main source, all or part of the consumer base in such areas can be supplied with electricity from available small power generation sources. However, the assurance of reliable power supply to consumers in remote areas is hampered by a lack of appropriate technological solutions for managing such networks when the main power source fails. A decentralised method for controlling a network with autonomous power generation in case of loss of main power source supply, allowing the subsequent restoration of normal circuit and mode for a recloser electric network, is proposed and studied. Such networks acquire the properties of a Microgrid, capable of working both autonomously and in parallel with an external network. Division and restoration of integrity occurs at automatic sectioning points using reclosers, while the restoration of the integrity of the network with parallel operation of sources requires synchronisation of components at reclosers remote from sources. As a solution, the addition of a synchroniser at the recloser control cabinet is proposed.

Microgrid, small-scale hydrogeneration, decentralized control, Microgrid, operating and automatic emergency response system, automatic unit for sectionalizing, recloser