Directional Overcurrent Protection Design for Distribution Network: CIGRE European Medium-Voltage Benchmark Network †

Abstract

Overcurrent protection is a fundamental aspect of power system protection and is widely utilised in distribution networks. The increasing integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) into the conventional power system has introduced operating challenges due to the variability in fault directions. As a result, protection engineers must not only adjust basic parameters such as pickup current or time delay, but also carefully evaluate the directional protection to align with specific protection objectives and the devices being protected. The complexity of considering multiple aspects in the protection system design can pose challenges for operators in configuring their settings. Therefore, it is necessary to have a systematic approach for protection system design. For this purpose, this paper proposes a methodology for protection system design focusing on directional overcurrent protection setting configuration with detailed implementation. A well-known distribution network, the CIGRE European (EU) medium-voltage (MV) benchmark network, is used to test and validate the proposed methodology with the support of DIgSILENT PowerFactory version 2023 SP1. This article provides a useful document for the configuration of overcurrent protection systems in order to prepare for the challenges arising from the high integration of RESs in the future grid.