Conclusions
The advanced methodology assesses a distribution grid area from the perspective of the Self-Healing in service restoration. The techno-economic benefits of the strategic deployment of reclosers framed in Self-Healing schemes are assessed, considering the contribution of the improvement of several reliability indices in the optimal solution definition, that comprises the optimal number of recloser to deploy in the distribution grid area and their locations, considering technical an economic aspects.
The proposed goal was to define a methodology capable of deal with the contemporary challenges related with the service restoration in distribution networks. The idea was to address these challenges in a investment planning perspective, assessing the possibility of investment in the distribution networks’ automation. Starting from this idea, the implementation of Self-Healing schemes for service restoration was addressed, based in Fault Detection Isolation and Restoration algorithms through reclosers strategically deployed along the network. The established process to the assessment of the economic viability of these types of investment was a cost-benefit analysis. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to assess the optimal solution in terms of the number and strategic location of recloser to deploy in a distribution grid area that leads to the profits' maximization during the lifecycle of the reclosers. The strategic deployment of reclosers in overhead distribution networks allows improvement in quality of service which results in economic benefits for the distribution system operator.
The distribution network’s empowering with distributed reclosers allow the improvement of the technical quality of service, reducing the energy not supplied, the number and the duration of permanent service interruptions. The reclosing capability also allows the reduction of the frequency of temporary service interruptions. Reclosers framed in Self-Healing schemes allow faster fault detection, isolation and service restoration thus minimizing the number of affected customers.
The methodology was applied on a real case scenario and the results achieved support the increased availability for investments in the distribution network automation, in particular in Self-Healing schemes using reclosers.
Self-Healing strategies increase the distribution system reliability and improve the technical quality of service. Reclosers provide additional contribution to the reduction of the energy not supplied and the number and duration of service interruptions, with particular interest to the decrease of temporary faults, a current concern for the distribution system operators worldwide.
The proposed goal was to define a methodology capable of deal with the contemporary challenges related with the service restoration in distribution networks. The idea was to address these challenges in a investment planning perspective, assessing the possibility of investment in the distribution networks’ automation. Starting from this idea, the implementation of Self-Healing schemes for service restoration was addressed, based in Fault Detection Isolation and Restoration algorithms through reclosers strategically deployed along the network. The established process to the assessment of the economic viability of these types of investment was a cost-benefit analysis. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to assess the optimal solution in terms of the number and strategic location of recloser to deploy in a distribution grid area that leads to the profits' maximization during the lifecycle of the reclosers. The strategic deployment of reclosers in overhead distribution networks allows improvement in quality of service which results in economic benefits for the distribution system operator.
The distribution network’s empowering with distributed reclosers allow the improvement of the technical quality of service, reducing the energy not supplied, the number and the duration of permanent service interruptions. The reclosing capability also allows the reduction of the frequency of temporary service interruptions. Reclosers framed in Self-Healing schemes allow faster fault detection, isolation and service restoration thus minimizing the number of affected customers.
The methodology was applied on a real case scenario and the results achieved support the increased availability for investments in the distribution network automation, in particular in Self-Healing schemes using reclosers.
Self-Healing strategies increase the distribution system reliability and improve the technical quality of service. Reclosers provide additional contribution to the reduction of the energy not supplied and the number and duration of service interruptions, with particular interest to the decrease of temporary faults, a current concern for the distribution system operators worldwide.
Summary of Results
The methodology implementation to this case study, considering an average load scenario as base case, resulted in a solution characterized by the deployment of 4 reclosers in the medium voltage overhead distribution network of the island of Faial, in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The optimal solution with 4 reclosers strategically deployed in the distribution network is achieved in 6 iterations and allows the maximization of the profit achievable over the devices lifetime period, a twenty years lifecycle.
The optimal solution allows the reduction of the Energy Not Supplied (ENS).
The optimal solution with 4 reclosers strategically deployed in the distribution network is achieved in 6 iterations and allows the maximization of the profit achievable over the devices lifetime period, a twenty years lifecycle.
The optimal solution allows the reduction of the Energy Not Supplied (ENS).
The economic profitability of the investment project comprising the archived solution is characterized by the definition of the Net Present Value (NPV) and Payback Period (PbP).
Future Work
The continuity of this work may be related with the improvement of the developed methodology, covering, for example, the inclusion of distributed generation and storage systems in the self-healed service restoration problem.
Self-Healing implementation also comprises the power losses reduction, through network reconfiguration. The recloser’s deployment can be addressed to a multi-objective approach, service restoration and losses minimization through network reconfiguration. The adaptation of the advanced methodology to other network topologies, such as radial networks, may also be a way forward in making the methodology more generic and useful for the planning of different types of distribution systems.
Self-Healing implementation also comprises the power losses reduction, through network reconfiguration. The recloser’s deployment can be addressed to a multi-objective approach, service restoration and losses minimization through network reconfiguration. The adaptation of the advanced methodology to other network topologies, such as radial networks, may also be a way forward in making the methodology more generic and useful for the planning of different types of distribution systems.