Optimal protection devices allocation and coordination in MV distribution networks

Historically, the distribution network has been planned in order to operate in radial configuration. Protective relays are adopted to detect system abnormalities and to execute appropriate commands to isolate swiftly only the faulty component from the healthy system. Nowadays, the regulation schemes implemented by Regulators require that Distribution Companies reduce number and duration of supply interruptions by adopting new strategies in order to identify and isolate faults along distribution feeders. Two optimization problems arise: finding the optimal location of circuit breakers and the coordination among the overcurrent relay characteristics. In the paper, a novel algorithm to solve the overcurrent relay allocation and coordination problem in distribution networks based on genetic algorithm is proposed. Examples derived by a representative distribution network are presented.