ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF EV PENETRATION ON PROTECTION COORDINATION
Date
2023-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus
Abstract
The global electric vehicle (EV) market has witnessed significant growth in recent years,
driven by concerns over climate change, advances in battery technology, and supportive
government policies. To address environmental pollution and the increasing energy
consumption associated with conventional transportation systems, the adoption of EVs has
emerged as a more sustainable alternative. However, the rapid increase in EV charging loads
has raised significant operational challenges for power grids. This research project focuses
on the impact of EV integration on relay and protection coordination in distribution systems.
Relay and protection coordination plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe and reliable
operation of distribution systems by detecting abnormal conditions, such as faults or
abnormal load conditions, and isolating the affected section to prevent further damage or
outages. With the proliferation of EVs, the increased charging load introduces harmonic
currents that can disrupt the operational parameters of the power grid. This study utilizes the
IEEE standard 33 bus distribution system as a testbed to evaluate protection coordination
using genetic optimization techniques.
By adding EV chargers at various nodes of the distribution system, the project assesses the
time required for circuit breakers to trip in the event of a fault, evaluating the effectiveness
of protection coordination techniques in the presence of EVs. The findings reveal that while
the replacement of standard loads with EV chargers leads to a slight increase in the net RMS
value of current and introduces harmonic currents, the sequence of relay operation remains
unaltered. However, the relay operation time is affected, and in scenarios with bulk
penetration of EV chargers, the increased harmonic current can cause overloading and other
faults, resulting in relay trips.
To ensure the proper protection of the system, it is recommended to increase the pickup
current for the relays. By adjusting the pickup current level, the relays will trip at higher
current levels, mitigating false tripping caused by harmonic currents from EV chargers. The
study emphasizes that meticulous design and planning are essential to maintain the reliability
and protection of power distribution systems when integrating EV chargers.
Description
This research contributes to the understanding of the challenges associated with protection
coordination in distribution systems with the integration of EVs. The results underscore the
importance of accounting for harmonic currents and adjusting relay settings to accommodate
the increased demand associated with EV charging. Future work should focus on further
optimizing protection coordination techniques to handle the growing penetration of EVs,
ensuring the stability and reliability of power grids in the face of increasing environmental
and energy demands.
Keywords
Electric Vehicle (EV),, PROTECTION,, COORDINATION