The main objective of this thesis was to develop appropriate system protection schemes against two important causes of failure in power systems, namely, long-term voltage instability and cascade tripping of overloaded transmission lines, mainly due to overloading. To this purpose a distributed undervoltage load shedding scheme against voltage instability, and a centralized protection meant to alleviate line overload are proposed. The former, through the chosen system protection scheme characteristics, has the ability to adjust its actions to the disturbance location and severity. This behavior is achieved without resorting to a dedicated communication network. The distributed controllers do not exchange information, but are rather informed of their respective actions through voltage measurements. Neither do the controllers require a model of the system. This and the absence of communication makes the protection scheme simple and reliable. The other protection scheme, inspired of model predictive control, is aimed at bringing the currents in the overloaded lines below their limits in the time interval left by protections, while accounting for constraints on control changes. Its closed-loop nature allows to compensate for model uncertainties and measurement noise. In order to tune the proposed system protection schemes parameters and validate their performance it was preferred to detect plausible cascading event scenarios. To this purpose, an algorithm meant to identify such complex sequences has been developed. It encompasses hidden failures and the resulting system response. The tests performed on small systems as well as on a real-life one confirm not only that proposed protection schemes appropriately deal with the problems for which they were designed, but also that they cooperate satisfactorily for combined voltage and thermal problems that are beyond their individual capabilities.

In the context of static Voltage Stability Assessment (VSA), as the power system load grows, bus voltages tend to drop. This reduction may lead to generator or load disconnections caused by undervoltage protection schemes. These events comprise sudden parametric variations that affect the equilibrium diagram and the Voltage Stability Margin (VSM) of power systems. Practical examples of such sudden load changes are caused by the mandatory disconnection of Distributed Generation (DG) units and Undervoltage Load Shedding (ULS). There are no thorough studies in the literature concerning these load parametric variations and the discontinuities that they cause in power system equilibria. This dissertation describes a predictor/corrector scheme specifically designed to handle these discontinuities, so it is possible to evaluate their effect on the VSM of power systems. This method successively calculates the load discontinuities that exist in the equilibrium locus of the system under analysis. It results in the sequence of sudden load variations that happens and their overall impact on the system. When applied to quantify the effect of DG mandatory disconnections and ULS, the proposed predictor/corrector scheme yielded better results than the traditional Continuation Power Flow (CPFLOW), which experienced convergence problems caused by the discontinuities under analysis. However, due to its design, the applicability of the proposed method should be restricted to power systems that go through several successive sudden load changes. In this sense, it should not be regarded as a replacement for the CPFLOW, but rather as a technique that could award this traditional VSA tool with new features to enhance its performance. / No contexto de análise estática de estabilidade de tensão, conforme a carga de um sistema de potência cresce, as tensões nas suas barras tendem a cair. Essa redução pode causar a desconexão de geradores e cargas devido a atuação de proteções de subtensão. Esses eventos representam variações abruptas de demanda que alteram o diagrama de equilíbrio de um sistema e sua Margem de Estabilidade de Tensão (MET). Exemplos práticos dessas variações são causados pelo desligamento mandatório de unidades de Geração Distribuída (GD) e pelo Corte de Carga por Subtensão (CCS). Não há estudos detalhados na literatura que trabalham especificamente com essas variações nos parâmetros da carga, nem com as descontinuidades que elas causam no diagrama de equilíbrio de sistemas de potência. Essa dissertação descreve um procedimento especificamente projetado para lidar com essas descontinuidades, de modo que seja possível avaliar seu efeito na MET de sistemas elétricos. Esse método calcula sucessivamente as descontinuidades de carga que existem no diagrama de equilíbrio do sistema em análise. Ele resulta na sequência de variações súbitas de carga que ocorre e no seu impacto no sistema. Quando o método foi aplicado para quantificar o efeito do desligamento mandatório de GD e do CCS, ele apresentou resultados melhores do que o tradicional Fluxo de Carga Continuado (CPFLOW), o qual sofreu problemas de convergência causados pelas descontinuidades em questão. Entretanto, devido ao seu projeto, o método proposto só deve ser utilizado para sistemas de potência que estão sujeitos a várias sucessivas variações abruptas de carga. Por essa razão, esse método não pode ser considerado um substituto do CPFLOW, mas sim como uma técnica capaz de agregar novas funcionalidades a essa ferramenta tradicional, amentando assim seu horizonte de aplicações.

In the context of static Voltage Stability Assessment (VSA), as the power system load grows, bus voltages tend to drop. This reduction may lead to generator or load disconnections caused by undervoltage protection schemes. These events comprise sudden parametric variations that affect the equilibrium diagram and the Voltage Stability Margin (VSM) of power systems. Practical examples of such sudden load changes are caused by the mandatory disconnection of Distributed Generation (DG) units and Undervoltage Load Shedding (ULS). There are no thorough studies in the literature concerning these load parametric variations and the discontinuities that they cause in power system equilibria. This dissertation describes a predictor/corrector scheme specifically designed to handle these discontinuities, so it is possible to evaluate their effect on the VSM of power systems. This method successively calculates the load discontinuities that exist in the equilibrium locus of the system under analysis. It results in the sequence of sudden load variations that happens and their overall impact on the system. When applied to quantify the effect of DG mandatory disconnections and ULS, the proposed predictor/corrector scheme yielded better results than the traditional Continuation Power Flow (CPFLOW), which experienced convergence problems caused by the discontinuities under analysis. However, due to its design, the applicability of the proposed method should be restricted to power systems that go through several successive sudden load changes. In this sense, it should not be regarded as a replacement for the CPFLOW, but rather as a technique that could award this traditional VSA tool with new features to enhance its performance. / No contexto de análise estática de estabilidade de tensão, conforme a carga de um sistema de potência cresce, as tensões nas suas barras tendem a cair. Essa redução pode causar a desconexão de geradores e cargas devido a atuação de proteções de subtensão. Esses eventos representam variações abruptas de demanda que alteram o diagrama de equilíbrio de um sistema e sua Margem de Estabilidade de Tensão (MET). Exemplos práticos dessas variações são causados pelo desligamento mandatório de unidades de Geração Distribuída (GD) e pelo Corte de Carga por Subtensão (CCS). Não há estudos detalhados na literatura que trabalham especificamente com essas variações nos parâmetros da carga, nem com as descontinuidades que elas causam no diagrama de equilíbrio de sistemas de potência. Essa dissertação descreve um procedimento especificamente projetado para lidar com essas descontinuidades, de modo que seja possível avaliar seu efeito na MET de sistemas elétricos. Esse método calcula sucessivamente as descontinuidades de carga que existem no diagrama de equilíbrio do sistema em análise. Ele resulta na sequência de variações súbitas de carga que ocorre e no seu impacto no sistema. Quando o método foi aplicado para quantificar o efeito do desligamento mandatório de GD e do CCS, ele apresentou resultados melhores do que o tradicional Fluxo de Carga Continuado (CPFLOW), o qual sofreu problemas de convergência causados pelas descontinuidades em questão. Entretanto, devido ao seu projeto, o método proposto só deve ser utilizado para sistemas de potência que estão sujeitos a várias sucessivas variações abruptas de carga. Por essa razão, esse método não pode ser considerado um substituto do CPFLOW, mas sim como uma técnica capaz de agregar novas funcionalidades a essa ferramenta tradicional, amentando assim seu horizonte de aplicações.

Demand for electrical power is increasing everyday. Along with the increase in power demand, the characteristics of the loads are also changing. From being high power consuming, simple, robust loads, today loads are more efficient, but at the same time more sensitive. The performance and life of these highly sensitive loads depend a lot on the quality of power supplied to them. <p>Power quality is any deviation of the voltage or current waveform from its normal sinusoidal waveshape. These disturbances include, but are not limited to, sag, undervoltage, interruption, swell, overvoltage, transients, harmonics, voltage flicker and any other distortions to the sinusoidal waveform. Occurrence of one or more of such disturbances is called a power quality event. Automatic classification of these disturbances is important for quick determination of the causes and to characterize possible impacts of the disturbances.<p>Modern microprocessor based protective relays have numerous integrated functions that allow them to provide information on power quality events. It is proposed to utilize the existing numerical relays to analyze the quality of power at any point in the power system. The numerical relays can be programmed to capture the oscillographic waveform or any disturbance on the analogue signal or change of state of the digital signals and store it in the form of Common Format For Transient Data Exchange (COMTRADE) format. These records are then transferred to a central monitoring workstation for off-line analysis. <p>This thesis describes a technique to automate the classification and analysis of the power quality events using relay recorded data. The technique uses voltage duration and magnitude (as specified in the IEEE Std. 1159 - 1995, IEEE Recommended Practice for Monitoring Electric Power Quality) of three phases to detect and classify the events. The classified results are then presented in a user-friendly graphical form. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is used to estimate the fundamental frequency and harmonic components in power systems. The graphical user interface of the power quality analysis tool is developed using Microsoft Visual C++ IDE and the algorithms are programmed in C++. <p>The proposed technique was tested using data obtained by simulating different power system disturbances as well as on the data recorded by relays. The algorithms were able to classify the power quality events accurately. In the future, this facility will: enhance the real time monitoring of power quality and provide statistical analysis of available power quality data. From the utility viewpoint, it would allow them to monitor power quality in a cost effective manner and assist in preventive and predictive maintenance besides helping them to fix differential tariff based on the quality of the delivered power. It may also turn out to be a smart tool for them to penalize the consumer polluting the power quality.

Demand for electrical power is increasing everyday. Along with the increase in power demand, the characteristics of the loads are also changing. From being high power consuming, simple, robust loads, today loads are more efficient, but at the same time more sensitive. The performance and life of these highly sensitive loads depend a lot on the quality of power supplied to them. <p>Power quality is any deviation of the voltage or current waveform from its normal sinusoidal waveshape. These disturbances include, but are not limited to, sag, undervoltage, interruption, swell, overvoltage, transients, harmonics, voltage flicker and any other distortions to the sinusoidal waveform. Occurrence of one or more of such disturbances is called a power quality event. Automatic classification of these disturbances is important for quick determination of the causes and to characterize possible impacts of the disturbances.<p>Modern microprocessor based protective relays have numerous integrated functions that allow them to provide information on power quality events. It is proposed to utilize the existing numerical relays to analyze the quality of power at any point in the power system. The numerical relays can be programmed to capture the oscillographic waveform or any disturbance on the analogue signal or change of state of the digital signals and store it in the form of Common Format For Transient Data Exchange (COMTRADE) format. These records are then transferred to a central monitoring workstation for off-line analysis. <p>This thesis describes a technique to automate the classification and analysis of the power quality events using relay recorded data. The technique uses voltage duration and magnitude (as specified in the IEEE Std. 1159 - 1995, IEEE Recommended Practice for Monitoring Electric Power Quality) of three phases to detect and classify the events. The classified results are then presented in a user-friendly graphical form. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is used to estimate the fundamental frequency and harmonic components in power systems. The graphical user interface of the power quality analysis tool is developed using Microsoft Visual C++ IDE and the algorithms are programmed in C++. <p>The proposed technique was tested using data obtained by simulating different power system disturbances as well as on the data recorded by relays. The algorithms were able to classify the power quality events accurately. In the future, this facility will: enhance the real time monitoring of power quality and provide statistical analysis of available power quality data. From the utility viewpoint, it would allow them to monitor power quality in a cost effective manner and assist in preventive and predictive maintenance besides helping them to fix differential tariff based on the quality of the delivered power. It may also turn out to be a smart tool for them to penalize the consumer polluting the power quality.