Optimizing TOC and IOC units of directional overcurrent relays in mutually coupled circuits using evolutionary PSO: Requirements and modeling

Abstract

The efficient coordination of directional overcurrent relays is a challenging problem. Recent papers in the literature have focused on developing efficient algorithms to solve this issue. However, there is a lack of reporting practical procedures that affects the mathematical formulation to ensure accurate outputs by any optimization algorithm. In this paper, we show a comprehensive procedure that considers mutually coupled circuits via Graph Theory, the requirements of short-circuit current calculation, contingencies to be considered as well as the setting of Instantaneous Overcurrent (IOC) and Time Overcurrent (TOC) units, both for phase and ground protection. The simulation has been carried out by using a real electric network and C++ language programming. Computational simulation has shown the performance of the method, which provides high-quality solutions, with adequate coordination of the selected protective devices that increase the efficiency in setting this type of protection with safety. Evolutionary Particle Swarm Optimization (EPSO) outperformed conventional Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) as the best metaheuristic for optimally minimizing the proposed problem, achieving faster convergence times for the phase overcurrent protection scenario (16.36 s vs. 22.27 s and 17.03 s, respectively), and also for the ground overcurrent protection scenario (19.87 s vs. 20.44 s and 20.11 s, respectively).