2015 International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Communication Networks

Optimum Coordination of Overcurrent Relays using Dual Simplex

and
GeneticAlgorithm
s

Madhumitha R, Parul Sharma, Deepika Mewara

School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
(SELECT) VIT University, Chennai, India
madhumitha.r2012@vit.ac.in, parul.sharma2012@vit.ac.in,
deepika.mewara2012@vit.ac.in

O. V. Gnana Swathika, Hemamalini.

S
Faculty, School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
(SELECT) VIT University, Chennai, India
gnanaswathika.ov@vit.ac.in,
hemamalini.s@vit.ac.in
relays. Optimization techniques are now employed for
Abstract— Protection system includes a series of devices this purpose. This paper compares dual simplex (an
whose main purpose is to protect people and primary electric iterative method) with genetic
power equipment from the effects of faults. Fault currents
cause damage to equipment and are also hazardous to
personnel. Thus, there should be a primary and a backup
system with proper time grading between systems, i.e. tripping
time should be maximum for the point farthest from the fault
location. Overcurrent (OC) relays are used as backup
protection against these faults. The coordination time interval
must be maintained among relays during faults. Various
algorithms are used to optimize the time of operation of these
OC relays. This paper implements Dual Simplex and Genetic
Algorithms (GA) on a radial network and identifies the time
multiplier setting (TMS) of the relay. This facilitates in
achieving suitable OC relay coordination of the network.

Keywords- overcurrent relays; constrained optimization; time

multiplier setting; dual simplex; genetic algorithm

I. INTRODUCTION
The main function of electric power distribution is
to carry power from the transmission system to
consumers. Distribution of electric power to different
consumers is done at low voltage levels [1]. In general,
there are three types of distribution systems: radial, loop
and network. The type used by the utility company
depends on the services required, location and economics
.Coordination is easier for current based devices if they are
in a radial network.
The radial distribution system has one power source for
a group of customers. If there is a power failure,
all consumers are jeopardized. Protective relays detect
and locate fault with the help of current transformers and
voltage transformers and issue a command to the circuit
breaker to disconnect the faulty element. The relays closer
to the fault should operate first as compared to the ones
farther away [2]. Thus the time of operation of relays
closer to the fault should be the least. There are chances
of mal-operation of the relays in complex networks, which
creates the need for optimum coordination of OC
algorithm (GA) 2015 (an International
evolutionary Conference
method) on
to Computational Intelligence and
achieve optimum relay coordination in a radial network.
II. OC RELAY COORDINATION FOR A FOUR-BUS RADIAL
SYSTEM
OC relays are directional or non-directional [3]. The
former is usually preferred to the latter since directional OC
relays do not require coordination with the relays behind
them. The four bus radial system is considered as shown in
Fig.1. Relays R1 to R4 are the directional overcurrent relays.
Fault is considered at four locations: just after R4, just after
R3, just after R2 and just after R1. According to the fault
location, the primary protection always acts first and if it
fails, then the backup protection is used.
978-1-5090-0076-0/15 $31.00 © 2015 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/CICN.2015.342
978-1-5090-0076-0/15 $31.00 © 2015 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/CICN.2015.342
Fig. 1.
A radial four bus system
Communication Networks
When the fault occurs at F, R4 operates first since it is
the primary relay. Let R4 operate 0.2 s after the fault
inception. This time lag is created to prevent the relay
from operating for transient current surges in feeder [1, 3].
Relay R3 should operate after a fixed time, known as the
coordination time interval (CTI), which equals to the sum
of operating time of circuit breaker at bus 4, overshoot time
of relay R3 and 0.2 s. In a similar way, relays R2 and R1
may succeed in operation. The constraints are formulated
and are solved using dual simplex and genetic algorithm
(GA) to obtain the time multiplier setting (TMS) of the
relays [4].This eventually facilitates in identifying the time
of operation of the relay.
III. PROBLEM FORMULATION
The relay coordination problem is stated as an
optimization problem. Here the, Top for the relays is to
be minimized, according to (1).
n
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 Min z = ∑ topj (1) 2. Obtain the linear programming problem
j=1
in maximization form.
where, 3. Check if all constraints are in ≤ form.

topj is the operating time for the primary relay at j, for a 4. Convert all the constraint into equalities by
fault at j under the following constraints [1]: adding slack variables.
5. Make a table using slack variables as
A. Relay Characteristics – basic
For all the relays, inverse definite minimum variables and all variables as non-basics.
time 6. Find Zj-Cj for all columns.
(IDMT) characteristics are assumed [1], i.e. λ is 0.14 and 7. If all values are positive then, optimal solution
is is obtained.
0.02.

= ( ) (2) 8. If not, then select the key row with largest

negative
The Plug multiplier setting (PSM) is given %
value and find & ' values for each row.
by (3)
( 9. The largest negative ratios’ basic variable
)
PSM = leaves the table and the Xj variable enters the
(4) table.
10. Develop the next improved solution by
t opj = λ ∗ (TMS) ∗ (PSM)# – 1$
repeating the process till optimum solution is
achieved.
i.e. topj = α(TMS) (5) 11. Stop.
From (5) and (1) the objective function is obtained
as: V. GENETIC ALGORITHM
n
Min z = ∑ αj(TMS)j
(6)
j=1 A. Genetic
Algorithm(GA)
The value of TMS is hence determined [3].
Genetic algorithm is inspired by Darwin's theory
B. Bounds on Operating Time – of evolution. It starts with a set of solutions
Minimum topjtopjMaximum topj (7) (represented by chromosomes) called population [6].
where Solutions from one population are taken and used to
Minimum topj the minimum time required form a new population (offspring). The selection is done
for operation of the relay at j according to their fitness - the more suitable they are, the
for fault at ‘j’ more chances they have for reproduction.
Maximum topj the time required for operation The basic steps in GA are as follows [7,
of 8]:
the relay at j for a fault at ‘j’. 1. Start.
2. Create initial, random population of organisms.
3. Define the fitness function and GA
C. Coordination Time Criteria – 4. parameters.
Evaluate fitness of each organism.
There is a constraint to maintain the CTI (coordination 5. If optimal solution is found, go to step 13.
time interval) between relays [3]. The difference 6. Else, select pairs for reproduction.
between the operating times of the primary relay and the 7. Perform crossover to form new
backup relay must be greater than or equal to the CTI. 8. offspring. Mutate new offspring.
Topjb - topj ≥ ∆t (8) 9. Place it in the new population.
where, 10. Check the fitness of the new population.
topjb the operating time of the backup relay j, for a fault 11. Go to step 5.
at ‘j’ 12. Display the final results.
∆t the coordination time interval (CTI). 13. Stop.

IV. DUAL SIMPLEX METHOD

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The dual simplex method is used to solve a linear
programming problem. It is used to retain optimality while
bringing the primal set of equation back to feasibility. It
is particularly useful for re-optimizing a problem after
a constraint is added or some parameters are changed so
that the previously optimal basis is no longer feasible [4].
The algorithm is [4, 5]:
1. Start.
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VI. APPLICATION OF ALGORITHM
A. CASE I : 4- bus radial network
Consider the 4 bus radial system shown in Fig.1. The plug
setting of all the relays is 1. The source is of 66kV,
100
MVA. Minimum operating time for each relay is considered
as 0.2 s and the CTI is taken as 0.57 s. The CT ratio at
all the buses is taken as 200:5. The PMS and α values
are calculated using (3) and (2), and are tabulated as shown
in Table I.
Let x1, x2, x3, x4 be TMS of relay R1, R2, R3 and B. CASE II: 2- bus radial network
R4 respectively. The problem can be stated as:
Min z = 2.52 x1 + 2.74 x2 + 3.46 x3 + 3.59 x4
Subject to 2.81 x1 - 2.74 x2 ≥
0.57
3.49 x2 – 3.46 x3 ≥ 0.57
3.61 x3 – 3.59 x4 ≥ 0.57
2.52 x1 ≥ 0.2
2.74 x2 ≥ 0.2
3.46 x3 ≥ 0.2
3.59 x1 ≥ 0.2 Fig. 2. The radial two bus system in consideration

TABLE I. PSM AND VALUES Consider the 2 bus radial system shown in Fig.2. It includes
a 220 kV, 100 MVA source (also taken as the base kV
Relays and base MVA of the system). The CTI for the relay is
Fault Position
R1 R2 R3 R4 taken as
1)Just beyond R1 0.57 s. The maximum fault current just beyond relay R1
is
PSM 14.924 -
2108A and beyond R2 is found to be 1703 A. Using these
2.520 - values PMS and α are derived using (3) and (2) respectively
2) Just beyond R2 and is tabulated in Table III. The plug settings of both
PSM 11.376 12.052 - - the relays are assumed to be 1. Fault is considered just after
R2 and just after R1. According to the fault location,
2.809 2.742 - - the primary and backup relays are selected. Primary
protection always acts first and in case it fails to clear the
3) Just beyond R3 fault, then the backup protection comes into play. Both R1
PSM - 7.14 7.276 - and R2 are directional relays.
- 3.4915 3.4577 - R2 being the primary relay operates first when the fault
occurs at F. Let R2 operate 0.2 s after the fault inception
4) Just beyond R4
to ensure that it does not operate for current surges .Relay
PSM - - 6.708 6.74 R1 should operate after the CTI, which equals to the
- - 3.6083 3.5991 sum of operating time of circuit breaker (CB) at bus 2,
overshoot time of relay R1 and 0.2 sec.
The lower and upper limit of TMS for all the relays Let x1 and x2 be TMS values of relay R1 and R2
is assumed to be 0 and 1 respectively. The value of the respectively. The problem is stated as:
TMS obtained using dual simplex and GA is as shown in
Table II. Min z = 3.21 x1 + 3.57 x2.
Subject to
TABLE II. TMS VALUES
TMS of relays 7.38 x1 – 3.57 x2 ≥ 0.57
3.21 x1 ≥ 0.2
x1 x2 x3 x4
3.57 x2 ≥ 0.2
Dual Simplex 0.568 0.375 0.213 0.055
GA 0.577 0.379 0.213 0.056 TABLE III. PSM AND VALUES

Relay
Fault Position
R1 R2
1)Just beyond R1
PSM 8.432 -
α 3.21 -
2) Just beyond R2
PSM 2.556 6.812
α 7.38 3.57

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 [6] K. Deb.”Optimization for Engineering Design –Algorithms and
The lower and upper limit of TMS of all the relays is Examples”, Prentice Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi, 2006.
assumed to be 0 and 1 respectively. The value of the [7] R.L. Haupt, and S.E.Haupt,”Practical Genetic Algorithms,second
TMS obtained using dual simplex and GA is shown in edition,” John Wiley and sons,Inc.,Publication Hoboken,New
Jersey,2004.
Table IV.
[8] P.P.Bedekar, and S.R. Bhide,” Optimization of multivariable
nonlinear functions using genetic algorithms”,IEEE International
TABLE IV. TMS VALUES Advance Computing Conference (IACC),Thapar University,

TMS of relays

x1 x2
Dual
Simplex 0.104 0.056
GA 0.104 0.056

Genetic algorithm effectively searches through a large

and complex search space and are effective when less data
is known .But the time consumed by genetic algorithm
is high, since the amount of data it handles is large
[7,8]. However, dual simplex algorithms are useful in
sensitivity analysis. After problem solved, if changes
occur in right hand side constants vector, dual simplex
iterations are used to get new optimum solutions. In dual
simplex method if an initial dual feasible basis is not
available, an artificial dual feasible basis is constructed
through an artificial constraint. The time consumed by both
the algorithms can vary based on the tools used for
computation.
VII. CONCLUSION
The optimum solution of time multiplier setting
of relays was found using dual simplex and genetic
algorithms for 2-bus and 4-bus radial networks. The highly
constrained optimization problem is converted into an
unconstrained optimization problem through genetic
algorithm by defining a new objective function, with the
bounds on relay operating time as limits. Dual simplex
method is used to solve the optimization problem as a
linear programming problem. Depending on the relay
and breaker specifications and system requirements, the
optimum solutions for TMS was conveniently obtained
and verified through both algorithms.
REFERENCES
[1] Prashant P. Bedekar, Sudhir R. Bhide, Vijay S. Kale, “Optimum
Coordiantion of Overcurrent relays in Distribution system using Dual
Simplex Method”, ICETET-09.
[2] Paithankar Y. G. and Bhide S. R., “Fundamentals of Power System
Protection”, Prentice Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi, 2007.
[3] Badri Ram,and Vishwakarma D. N.,”Power System Protection and
Switchgear,” Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company Limited,New
Delhi,2008.
[4] Manohar Singh, B. K. Panigrahi and A. R. Abhyankar, “Optimal
Overcurrent Relay Coordination in Distribution System”.
[5] Chao-Rong Chen, Cheng-Hung Lee, Chi-Juin Chang, “Optimal
Overcurrent Rel;ay Coordination in Power Distribution System Using
a New Approach”, Elsevier, October 2012.

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