SMART GRID

DETECTION OF ENERGY THEFT AND DEFECTIVE SMART METERS

The project aims to study consumers’ energy utilization behaviour and evaluate their anomaly coefficients so as to identify the periods and locations of energy frauds as well as faulty smart meters. A metric known as the loss factor, is proposed in the model to estimate the percentage of technical losses and measurement noises in the power distribution networks. A low-voltage power distribution test rig (i.e., metering infrastructure consists of a collector at substation and three smart meters at consumers’ households), replicating a modern smart grid is constructed in the laboratory. A series of electrical tests are conducted and test results obtained are correlated with Matlab simulation results in order to validate the reliability and performance of the entire energy theft detection system.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADAPTIVE PROTECTION SCHEME USING REAL-TIME SIMULATOR

This research aims to develop a protection scheme to allow coordination of more than 4 main-backup overcurrent relay pairs, without exceeding the operating time constraint of 1.2 seconds. An adaptive overcurrent protection scheme has been devised for the aforementioned purpose. Thus unwanted power interruptions to the customers, caused by the grouping of the relays, will be avoided. Moreover, the damaging effect of fault on the whole power system will be reduced by decreasing the operating times of the coordinating relays. A HIL (Hardware-in-Loop) configuration, incorporating Real Time Simulator (Opal-RT), Current Amplifier (Omicron’s CMA 156) and Directional Numerical relay (Alstom Grid’s P14D), is being used for proving the concept.

ENERGY SECURITY FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION via SMART MICROGRID

Integration of energy systems such as solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants into power grid has become a challenging subject nowadays. One of those important applications of energy system is to provide secure and redundant electrical power for remote area where the connection to the main power network is neither possible nor economic for utility providers. To electrify a rural area, an independent (islanded) distribution network has to be formed (i.e. microgrid). Microgrid must provide its local loads with high quality power. Microgrid can provide the rural area with low cost and secure electrical energy. Remote area can produce their own needful electrical power for their general application such as telecommunication, heating and cooling, health care, and water treatment.

POWER QUALITY AND SYSTEM PROTECTION

THE STUDY OF DIRECTIONAL OVERCURRENT RELAY AND DIRECTIONAL EARTH-FAULT PROTECTION APPLICATION FOR 33 KV UNDERGROUND CABLE SYSTEM IN MALAYSIA

This research investigates a suitable relay connection and the maximum torque angle for the directional relay for 33 kV underground network. In this study, a section of 33 kV underground network in Kuala Lumpur (KL) city has been analysed. All faults types have been simulated at all possible location in the network. The obtained voltage and current were then used to determine the operation of directional overcurrent and earth-fault relay. The relay operation is tested for two cases; (1) Case A – all breaker closed and (2) Case B – breaker at either end is open.