An Approach to Adaptive Protection Scheme for a PV Generator Based Microgrid

Abstract

This paper presents operation of photovoltaic (PV) generator based microgrid to analyze fault characteristics under islanded and grid connected modes of operation. Line-Line-Line (LLL) and Line-Line-Ground (LLG) faults are simulated both in islanded and grid connected modes using Matlab/Simulink software. The waveforms of fault current attributes in each mode are detected. The simulation results show that different modes of microgrid operation contribute to the fault current with different levels. The necessity to have adaptive protection schemes for PV based microgrid structures is revealed from the attributes of the fault characteristics. Accordingly, a suitable protection scheme that capable of sensing different modes of operation of PV based microgrid is proposed to facilitate adaptive protection for the microgrid model.