Grid Islanding and Load shedding Schemes

1.0 Generators in parallel with grid : DG sets / TG sets are finding more and more applications as captive power sources in modern day industrial plants. A DG set owner may decide to connect his DG to the local Electricity Grid supply (ie) the DG will be synchronized to the grid. The main objective here is to feed the plant load will both by the grid as well as the DG set. Whenever a DG is connected to local grid, there can be two modes of operation as shown in fig.-1 and fig.-2 shown below: Please see fig.1. A DG is shown connected in parallel to EB power. Plant load is connected to the same bus where both DG and EB are present. Here the plant load is 9 MW. The DG capacity is 3 MW. The DG is connected to the bus where the grid supply is also connected. The DG delivers 3 MW. Remaining 6 MW is drawn from the grid. Here the user has less dependence on EB, and better control on the power availability - even if grid fails, he has at least 3 MW available to run critical loads. In this case the plant is said to be importing power.

Please see fig.-2 . Here the plant load is 2 MW. The DG capacity is 3 MW. The DG is connected to the bus where the grid supply is also connected. The DG delivers 2 MW to plant load. The DG has a spare 1 MW available from its generation - it delivers this 1 MW back into the grid. In this case the plant is said to be exporting power.

In both cases , the DG owner should obtain special permission from the local Electricity board to connect his DG in parallel to the grid. The local EB will permit DG paralleling, subject to the condition that the DG owner installs a Grid Islanding Scheme at the incomer of the plant. 2.0 What is Grid Islanding Scheme ? Grid Islanding scheme is a set of protective relays, connected at the incomer bus - these relays will sense a disturbance in the grid and give a trip command to the incomer breaker whenever the grid disturbance exceeds a set limit. By opening the incomer breaker, the plant is isolated from the grid. The plant as well as the DG is disconnected from the disturbed grid by the grid islanding scheme. The process of disconnecting the DG from the EB is called Islanding of the DG. 3. Why is the Grid Islanding Scheme required ? Grid Islanding scheme helps both the EB as well as the DG owner. In our country, due to several reasons, the grid is not stable and is always fluctuating with respect to voltage and frequency. In addition, Grid failures are frequent. Benefits to EB : The EB, who have the responsibility to maintain the grid, normally do not want an additional independent power source (like the DG) in their grid network, when the grid is disturbed. Since the power source is not in their control, it will complicate EB's methods of dealing with the disturbed grid. While the EB are in the process of solving the grid disturbance, they do not like to have another power source which they do not control and which may add to the disturbance. Once the DG (non EB power source) is disconnected from the grid, it becomes

easier for the EB to locate the source of disturbance and rectify the same. The main idea is that the EB eliminates the possibility of the DG feeding the disturbance. Hence the local EB will insist on installing the Grid islanding scheme in the DG owner's premises, before allowing the DG to be connected to grid. Benefits to DG owner: It is strongly advisable to disconnect the DG from the grid, when the grid is disturbed. The main reason is that the DG or the TG may get spoilt due to grid disturbances resulting in heavy repair costs and shut downs. It is necessary to protect the DG from grid disturbances. It is also better to disconnect the DG from EB whenever the EB fails, by opening the incomer. If not, the DG which is running will experience a severe jolt when the EB comes back. This will cause extreme damage to DG. 4. What are grid disturbances ? A grid is said to be disturbed when : a) there is an under voltage (U/V) b) there is over voltage (O/V) c) there is under frequency (U/F) d) there is over frequency (O/F) e) there is a rapid fall or rise in frequency ( +dF/dT or -dF/dT ) f) there is a power failure in the grid g) there is a fault in the grid It may also happen that the DG may experience a reverse power flow when operating in parallel with grid, without any of the above listed symptoms. This is due to changing PF conditions in the grid. This is not a major problem for the EB, but it is harmful to the DG. DGs may not be able to operate below a certain PF. If compelled to work with low PF, the DG will experience a reverse reactive power flow - this can damage the DG. On line Power factor control of DG is a better solution than islanding in such cases. Please refer to a separate document from L&T on PF control of DG / TG sets. 5.What are the relays which can detect Grid disturbances ? It should be noted that : a) an over loaded grid will give rise to fall in frequency b) a fault in the grid will give rise to fall in voltage. It is possible to detect each of the above symptoms by individual relays. While detection of U/V , O/V and faults can be done by simple electromechanical relays, the parameters like frequency, dF/dT have to be monitored by numerical relays . Numerical relays, with capability to perform mathematical algorithms and to offer very high accuracy & resolution ( settings in terms of 0.01 Hz) which are normally required to detect dF/dT. The EB supply failure condition ( the most frequent of the disturbances) is difficult to detect.

It can not be detected by under voltage relays - since the DG supply will be available on the bus. Normally the mains failure will be detected by a dF/dT relay . As a back up a reverse power relay or a vector surge relay is also used to detect a EB failure. If the DG is in export mode, a low forward power relay will be required to detect the EB failure. Grid faults are detected by directional Over current + Directional E/F relays. 6. What else is required along with grid islanding scheme ? A fast acting load management scheme and a reverse synchronization scheme are also required along with grid islanding scheme to ensure that DG operates properly after an islanding has occurred. It should be noted that that there can be two conditions of grid paralleling of DG sets. a) Case - 1 DG in parallel with grid, plant is importing power : Refer fig.1. Let us say that the incomer is opened by grid islanding scheme, when the plant load of 9 MW was fed by DG (3 MW) and EB(6MW). The moment incomer opens, the DG will have all the plant load coming onto it - there would be an overload of 6 MW. The generator protection relay will trip the DG, causing a total black out. This is not desirable - what we should have is that : - the DG should continue to run and deliver its 3 MW to critical , pre selected loads - the over load of 6 MW should be removed from the DG bus, soon after islanding so that DG does not trip on overload. This is achieved by a load shedding scheme. b) Case-2 DG in parallel with grid , plant is exporting power : Refer fig.2. The DG is exporting 1 MW into grid ( 30% of its rated capacity). If islanding occurs, the DG will have no path to dissipate the 1 MW - the immediate effect is that it may over speed or its terminal voltage may rise. Both will be detected by the over frequency and over voltage relays of the DG and they will trip the DG, causing power black out. This is not desirable. We should ensure that the DG continues to run by automatically changing its its power level to suit the 2 MW plant load. This is achieved by having a fast load shading scheme. c) Case - 3 The DG has islanded on EB failure Let us consider that DG is continuing to run , after islanding due to proper load management schemes explained above. Please also note that the incomer is open. Let us now say that the EB power has come back. At this time it is desirable to restore the original condition of DG set - parallel connection with grid, without wasting any time. The DG has to be synchronized with grid , on its return.

The user has two choices a) manual synchronization : this will take any where between 15 min to 1 hour depending upon the availability and skills of the operator. b) Auto synchronization : This is the best choice - this scheme will detect the return of the EB power, adjust the frequency and voltage of the DG set , and close the breaker automatically - all within a maximum of 3 minutes from the time of EB return. This is a great advantage to user - it improves power availability to plant ( in the import mode) . It improves export revenues to the user ( in the export mode). Special auto synchronising relays are available to achieve the above level of performance. What is L&T solution for all this? L&T can offer a comprehensive Grid Islanding , Auto Synchronising , Load shedding and Load shading scheme. Please see Fig 3. The complete scheme consists of various relays to carry out the operations as follows: Grid Islading is carried out by the following relays: a) a special numerical relay UFD34. The salient features of UFD34 are : user can set 4 levels frequency settings ( either U/F or O/F) user can set two levels of dF/dT user can set two levels voltages ( U/V or O/V) One level of dE/dT

The dF/dT can be "anded" through software with any of the 4 U/F elements. Wit this feature the user can reliably detect a rapidly falling frequency in the bus , without any spurious triggers. Relay gives out 4 independent contacts. One of these can be used for opening the incomer . The remaining three contacts can be used for load shedding, based on progressive under frequency. The voltage elements detect an U/V or O/V . The dE/dT element helps to detect a fault in the grid ( a fault in the grid will result in rapid fall of voltage) b) a directional Over current + directional E/F relay DM30 - this is a numerical relay which senses high fault currents flowing from the DG to the grid and issues trip command. c) a high sensitivity reverse power relay MRP11 - this relay has possibility is set a reverse power of 0.5 %. This very useful to sense mains failure in import mode. d) A power management relay MW33 - this will help sensing low forward power in export

mode . At the same time user can set a max limit to power export. This relay also monitors the PF in the bus - another parameter which can be monitored at the bus. e) An under voltage relay MV12 is provided to detect re-appearance of voltage in grid. f) A vector surge relay UM30-SV - this can be a back up for detecting mains failure. Load shedding is carried out with following relays : a) The UFD34 relay, which was used for islanding, can also be provide contacts for load shedding Matrix module MX 7-5 - this is a logic module. This will accept 7 inputs and provide 5 out puts which can be configured to follow a specific logical sequence of the 7 inputs. Power management relay MW33 - this will help to have a load shedding scheme based on power levels. Load shading is provided buy the relay RRS - this measures the power out of the DG - it also receives an auxiliary contact from the incomer breaker. If incomer opens, this relay immediately give decrease pulses to exciter and governor to bring the power levels of the DG to the required levels of plant load. Reverse synchronization is provided by Auto synchronizing relay SPM21. Please refer a separate document from L&T on Auto Synchroninsing with SPM21 relay. L&T offers all the above relays as a single source solution. The user can now select any of the relays to suit his requirements at a given site . L&T has a team of full fledged application specialists to study, recommend, supply, install and commission a comprehensive grids islanding, load shedding, load shading and auto synchronizing scheme.

R.Seshadri

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