As distributed generation penetrates the electric power grid at higher power levels, grid interface issues with distributed generation must be addressed. The current power system consists of central power generators, while the future power system will include many more distributed resources. The centralized power generation system is controlled by utility operators, but many distributed resources will not be controlled by utility operators. Distributed generation must use smart control techniques for high reliability and ideal grid interface. This thesis discusses the grid interface issue of anti-islanding. An electric island occurs when a circuit breaker in the electric power system trips. The distributed resource should disconnect from the electric grid for safety reasons. This thesis will give an overview of the possible methods. Each method will be analyzed using the ability to detect under the non-detection zone and the economic feasibility of the method. This thesis proposes two addition cases for analysis that exist in the electric power system: the effect of multiple methods in parallel in the non-detection zone and the possibility of a false trip caused by a load step. Multiple methods in parallel are possible because the islanding detection method is patentable, so each grid interface inverter company is likely to implement a different islanding detection method. The load step represents a load change when a load is switched on. / Master of Science

The rapid emergence of distributed fuel cell powered generations (DFPGs) operating in parallel with utility has brought a number of technical concerns as more DFPGs are connected to utility grid. One of the most challenging problems is known as islanding phenomenon. This situation occurs when a network is disconnected from utility grid and is energized by local DFPGs. It can possibly result in injury to utility personnel arriving to service isolated feeders, equipment damage, and system malfunction. In response to the concern, this dissertation aims to develop a robust anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of DFPGs. In the first part, digital signal processor (DSP) controlled power electronic converters for utility interconnection of DFPGs are developed. Current control in a direct-quadrature (dq) synchronous frame is proposed. The real and reactive power is controlled by regulating inverter currents. The proposed digital current control in a synchronous frame significantly enhances the performance of DFPGs. In the second part, the robust anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of a DFPG is developed. The power control algorithm is proposed based on analysis of a real and reactive power mismatch. It continuously perturbs (±5%) the reactive power supplied by the DFPG while monitoring the voltage and frequency. If islanding were to occur, a measurable frequency deviation would take place, upon which the real power of the DFPG is further reduced to 80%; a drop in voltage positively confirms islanding. This method is shown to be robust and reliable. In the third part, an improved anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of multiple DFPGs is presented. The cross correlation method is proposed and implemented in conjunction with the power control algorithm. It calculates the cross correlation index of a rate of change of the frequency deviation and (±5%) the reactive power. If this index increases above 50%, the chance of islanding is high. The algorithm initiates (±10%) the reactive power and continues to calculate the correlation index. If the index exceeds 80%, islanding is now confirmed. The proposed method is robust and capable of detecting islanding in the presence of several DFPGs independently operating. Analysis, simulation and experimental results are presented and discussed.

This thesis presents a method of detecting electrical islands in low voltage distributed generator networks by measuring negative sequence impedance differences between islanded and utility connections. Extensive testing was conducted on a commercial building and 25 kV distributed generator fed network by measuring naturally occurring and artificially injected negative sequence components. Similarly, this technique was tested using the IEEE 399-1990 bus test case using the EMTP software. The practical measurements have been matched to simulations where further system performance characteristics of detecting power system islands has been successfully demonstrated. Measured results indicate that unbalanced load conditions are naturally occurring and readily measurable while deliberately unbalanced loads can increase the accuracy of negative sequence impedance islanding detection. The typically low negative sequence impedance of induction motors was found to have only a small effect in low voltage busses, though large machines can effect the threshold settings. Careful placement of the island detector is required in these situations. The negative sequence impedance measurement method is an improvement on previous impedance measurement techniques for islanding detection due to its accuracy, and distinctly large threshold window which have challenged previous impedance based islanding detection techniques.

The rapid emergence of distributed fuel cell powered generations (DFPGs) operating in parallel with utility has brought a number of technical concerns as more DFPGs are connected to utility grid. One of the most challenging problems is known as islanding phenomenon. This situation occurs when a network is disconnected from utility grid and is energized by local DFPGs. It can possibly result in injury to utility personnel arriving to service isolated feeders, equipment damage, and system malfunction. In response to the concern, this dissertation aims to develop a robust anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of DFPGs. In the first part, digital signal processor (DSP) controlled power electronic converters for utility interconnection of DFPGs are developed. Current control in a direct-quadrature (dq) synchronous frame is proposed. The real and reactive power is controlled by regulating inverter currents. The proposed digital current control in a synchronous frame significantly enhances the performance of DFPGs. In the second part, the robust anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of a DFPG is developed. The power control algorithm is proposed based on analysis of a real and reactive power mismatch. It continuously perturbs (±5%) the reactive power supplied by the DFPG while monitoring the voltage and frequency. If islanding were to occur, a measurable frequency deviation would take place, upon which the real power of the DFPG is further reduced to 80%; a drop in voltage positively confirms islanding. This method is shown to be robust and reliable. In the third part, an improved anti-islanding algorithm for utility interconnection of multiple DFPGs is presented. The cross correlation method is proposed and implemented in conjunction with the power control algorithm. It calculates the cross correlation index of a rate of change of the frequency deviation and (±5%) the reactive power. If this index increases above 50%, the chance of islanding is high. The algorithm initiates (±10%) the reactive power and continues to calculate the correlation index. If the index exceeds 80%, islanding is now confirmed. The proposed method is robust and capable of detecting islanding in the presence of several DFPGs independently operating. Analysis, simulation and experimental results are presented and discussed.

This thesis presents a method of detecting electrical islands in low voltage distributed generator networks by measuring negative sequence impedance differences between islanded and utility connections. Extensive testing was conducted on a commercial building and 25 kV distributed generator fed network by measuring naturally occurring and artificially injected negative sequence components. Similarly, this technique was tested using the IEEE 399-1990 bus test case using the EMTP software. The practical measurements have been matched to simulations where further system performance characteristics of detecting power system islands has been successfully demonstrated. Measured results indicate that unbalanced load conditions are naturally occurring and readily measurable while deliberately unbalanced loads can increase the accuracy of negative sequence impedance islanding detection. The typically low negative sequence impedance of induction motors was found to have only a small effect in low voltage busses, though large machines can effect the threshold settings. Careful placement of the island detector is required in these situations. The negative sequence impedance measurement method is an improvement on previous impedance measurement techniques for islanding detection due to its accuracy, and distinctly large threshold window which have challenged previous impedance based islanding detection techniques.

This thesis presents a method of detecting electrical islands in low voltage distributed generator networks by measuring negative sequence impedance differences between islanded and utility connections. Extensive testing was conducted on a commercial building and 25 kV distributed generator fed network by measuring naturally occurring and artificially injected negative sequence components. Similarly, this technique was tested using the IEEE 399-1990 bus test case using the EMTP software. The practical measurements have been matched to simulations where further system performance characteristics of detecting power system islands has been successfully demonstrated. Measured results indicate that unbalanced load conditions are naturally occurring and readily measurable while deliberately unbalanced loads can increase the accuracy of negative sequence impedance islanding detection. The typically low negative sequence impedance of induction motors was found to have only a small effect in low voltage busses, though large machines can effect the threshold settings. Careful placement of the island detector is required in these situations. The negative sequence impedance measurement method is an improvement on previous impedance measurement techniques for islanding detection due to its accuracy, and distinctly large threshold window which have challenged previous impedance based islanding detection techniques. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Um dos principais problemas que podem ocorrer em sistemas de distribuição ou de subtransmissão de energia elétrica com geração distribuída (GD) é o ilhamento. O ilhamento ocorre quando um ou mais geradores distribuídos alimentam uma porção do sistema que se encontra eletricamente isolada do restante do sistema elétrico. Logo, geradores distribuídos têm de ser equipados com esquema de proteção anti-ilhamento, pois a operação ilhada pode colocar em risco a segurança das pessoas e equipamentos e pode deteriorar a qualidade da energia elétrica suprida aos consumidores locais. Este trabalho está inserido no contexto de proteção de sistemas elétricos de distribuição com GD e propõe uma nova técnica passiva-inteligente de proteção anti-ilhamento para geradores síncronos distribuídos. O método proposto utiliza a mineração de dados do Data Mining of Code Repositories (DAMICORE), o qual possui grandes potencialidades para descobrir correlações em dados complexos. Para realizar essa tarefa, três algoritmos são executados em sequência. São eles: o Normalized Compression Distance (NCD) para calcular a matriz de distância do conjunto de dados; o Neighbor-Joining (NJ) para construir as árvores filogenéticas; e por fim o Fast Newman (FN) para buscar grupos na árvore filogenética nos quais os dados apresentam alto grau de independência. O método de detecção de ilhamento nesta dissertação utiliza 10 características importantes dos sinais de tensão e corrente trifásicas no ponto de acoplamento comum (PAC). Essas 10 características são utilizadas como entrada ao DAMICORE para formular um algoritmo baseado em mineração de dados capaz de detectar ilhamento e de diferenciá-los de outros tipos de distúrbios. Os resultados mostram que o método identifica o ilhamento corretamente, detectando-o rapidamente, especialmente nos casos em que a detecção do ilhamento por relés baseados em medidas de frequência falha ou é lenta. / One of the main issues that can occur into distribution power systems with distributed generation is islanding. Islanding occurs when one or more distributed generators feed a portion of the distribution system that becomes electrically isolated from the rest of the power system. Thus, distributed generators have to be equipped with anti-islanding protection schemes, because the islanded operation may put at risk the safety of people and the equipment. It can also deteriorate the power quality supplied to local consumers. This work is in the context of the protection schemes for distribution power systems with distributed generation and it proposes a new intelligent passive anti-islanding protection scheme for distributed synchronous generators. The scheme is based on the Data Mining of Code Repositories (DAMICORE), which finds the similarity within complex data sets. This task is performed by computing the following algorithms, in sequence: the Normalized Compression Distance (NCD) to calculate a distance matrix among the data sets; the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) to build the phylogenetic trees; and the Fast Newman (FN) to find clusters with high degree of independence by using the phylogenetic trees. The proposed method comprises the extraction of 10 important features of the three-phase voltages and currents measured at the point of common coupling of the distributed generator. These 10 features are then used as input to the DAMICORE in order to formulate a data mining-based algorithm capable of detecting islanding and of distinguishing it from other disturbances. The results show that the method identifies the islanding correctly, detecting it quickly, especially where the detection of islanding by frequency-based relays are slow.

Um dos principais problemas que podem ocorrer em sistemas de distribuição ou de subtransmissão de energia elétrica com geração distribuída (GD) é o ilhamento. O ilhamento ocorre quando um ou mais geradores distribuídos alimentam uma porção do sistema que se encontra eletricamente isolada do restante do sistema elétrico. Logo, geradores distribuídos têm de ser equipados com esquema de proteção anti-ilhamento, pois a operação ilhada pode colocar em risco a segurança das pessoas e equipamentos e pode deteriorar a qualidade da energia elétrica suprida aos consumidores locais. Este trabalho está inserido no contexto de proteção de sistemas elétricos de distribuição com GD e propõe uma nova técnica passiva-inteligente de proteção anti-ilhamento para geradores síncronos distribuídos. O método proposto utiliza a mineração de dados do Data Mining of Code Repositories (DAMICORE), o qual possui grandes potencialidades para descobrir correlações em dados complexos. Para realizar essa tarefa, três algoritmos são executados em sequência. São eles: o Normalized Compression Distance (NCD) para calcular a matriz de distância do conjunto de dados; o Neighbor-Joining (NJ) para construir as árvores filogenéticas; e por fim o Fast Newman (FN) para buscar grupos na árvore filogenética nos quais os dados apresentam alto grau de independência. O método de detecção de ilhamento nesta dissertação utiliza 10 características importantes dos sinais de tensão e corrente trifásicas no ponto de acoplamento comum (PAC). Essas 10 características são utilizadas como entrada ao DAMICORE para formular um algoritmo baseado em mineração de dados capaz de detectar ilhamento e de diferenciá-los de outros tipos de distúrbios. Os resultados mostram que o método identifica o ilhamento corretamente, detectando-o rapidamente, especialmente nos casos em que a detecção do ilhamento por relés baseados em medidas de frequência falha ou é lenta. / One of the main issues that can occur into distribution power systems with distributed generation is islanding. Islanding occurs when one or more distributed generators feed a portion of the distribution system that becomes electrically isolated from the rest of the power system. Thus, distributed generators have to be equipped with anti-islanding protection schemes, because the islanded operation may put at risk the safety of people and the equipment. It can also deteriorate the power quality supplied to local consumers. This work is in the context of the protection schemes for distribution power systems with distributed generation and it proposes a new intelligent passive anti-islanding protection scheme for distributed synchronous generators. The scheme is based on the Data Mining of Code Repositories (DAMICORE), which finds the similarity within complex data sets. This task is performed by computing the following algorithms, in sequence: the Normalized Compression Distance (NCD) to calculate a distance matrix among the data sets; the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) to build the phylogenetic trees; and the Fast Newman (FN) to find clusters with high degree of independence by using the phylogenetic trees. The proposed method comprises the extraction of 10 important features of the three-phase voltages and currents measured at the point of common coupling of the distributed generator. These 10 features are then used as input to the DAMICORE in order to formulate a data mining-based algorithm capable of detecting islanding and of distinguishing it from other disturbances. The results show that the method identifies the islanding correctly, detecting it quickly, especially where the detection of islanding by frequency-based relays are slow.

abstract: The past few decades have seen a consistent growth of distributed PV sources. Distributed PV, like other DG sources, can be located at or near load centers and provide benefits which traditional generation may lack. However, distribution systems were not designed to accommodate such power generation sources as these sources might lead to operational as well as power quality issues. A high penetration of distributed PV resources may lead to bi-directional power flow resulting in voltage swells, increased losses and overloading of conductors. Voltage unbalance is a concern in distribution systems and the effect of single-phase residential PV systems on voltage unbalance needs to be explored. Furthermore, the islanding of DGs presents a technical hurdle towards the seamless integration of DG sources with the electricity grid. The work done in this thesis explores two important aspects of grid inte-gration of distributed PV generation, namely, the impact on power quality and anti-islanding. A test distribution system, representing a realistic distribution feeder in Arizona is modeled to study both the aforementioned aspects. The im-pact of distributed PV on voltage profile, voltage unbalance and distribution sys-tem primary losses are studied using CYMDIST. Furthermore, a PSCAD model of the inverter with anti-island controls is developed and the efficacy of the anti-islanding techniques is studied. Based on the simulations, generalized conclusions are drawn and the problems/benefits are elucidated. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Electrical Engineering 2013

ABSTRACT Designing Anti-Islanding Detection Using the Synchrophasor Vector Processor Ruth Huang The need for distributed generation (DG) has become more and more popular because of the adverse effects of fossil fuels and the fear of running out of fossil fuels. By having DG, there are less transmission losses, voltage support, controllability of the system, decreased costs in transmission and distribution, power quality improvement, energy efficiency, and reduced reserve margin. The adverse effects of DG are voltage flicker, harmonics, and islanding. Islanding occurs when the DG continues to energize the power system when the main utility is disconnected. Detecting islanding is important for personnel safety, speedy restoration, and equipment protection. This paper describes the different islanding methods currently used and the benefits of combining two passive islanding detection methods, under/over voltage detection and voltage phase jump detection methods, using the synchrophasor vector processor (SVP).