A multi-agent-based integrated self-healing and adaptive protection system for power distribution systems with distributed generation

Abstract The development of self-healing systems in the context of power distribution networks has increased significantly over the last years. However, such feature causes changes in the power grid structure, which may affect the coordination of protection systems. This work proposes a self-healing system (SHS) integrated with an adaptive protection system (APS) based on multi-agent systems (MAS). This approach aims at minimizing adverse impacts caused by the network restoration on the protection systems of distribution networks that contain distributed generation (DG). The SHS uses negotiation among agents to maximize the number of restored loads, while the agents of the APS reset the protection settings after changes occur in the network topology and state of DGs. The APS is capable of changing the current setting group and, if necessary, calculating new settings that can be sent to the relays to ensure the accurate coordination of protection systems. The proposed schemes are evaluated in a test workbench using commercial digital relays in different scenarios comprising DG penetration levels and network topology changes. The results clearly demonstrate that this strategy is fast and reliable when enhancing and providing robustness to the self-healing procedure.