Groundings are necessary parts included in lightning and shock protection. In the case of a surge current, high current phenomena are observed inside the grounding. They are result of the electrical discharges around the electrode when the critical field is exceeded in a soil. An available mathematical model of grounding was used to conduct computer simulations and to evaluate the influence of current peak value on horizontal grounding parameters in two cases. In the first simulations, electrode placed in two different soils were considered. The second case was a test of the influence of current peak value on grounding electrodes of various lengths. Simulation results show that as soil resistivity increases in value, the surge impedance to static resistance ratio decreases. In the case of grounding electrodes lengths, it was confirmed that there is a need to use an operating parameter named effective grounding electrode length, because when it is exceeded, the characteristics of grounding is not significantly improved during conductance of lightning surges. The mathematical model used in the paper was verified in a comparison with laboratory tests conducted by K.S. Stiefanow and with mathematical model described by L. Grcev.

Fault location, isolation and self-restoration (FLISR) automation is an essential component of smart grids concept. It consists of a high level of comprehensive automation and monitoring of the distribution grid improving the quality of energy supplied to customers. This paper presents an algorithm for decentralized FLISR architecture with peer-to-peer communication using IEC 61860 GOOSE messages. An analysis of short circuit detection was presented due to the method of the grid earthing system. The proposed automation model was built based on communication logic between configured intelligent electronic devices (IED) from ABB and Siemens. The laboratory tests were conducted in a half-loop grid model with a bilateral power supply (typical urban grid). The laboratory research concerned three locations of short circuits: between substation and section point, between two section points and between section point and normally open point (NOP). The logic implementation was developed using State Sequencer software offered by Test Universe.

In self-healing grid systems, high utility in the use of greedy algorithms is observed. One of the most popular solutions is based on Prim’s algorithm. In the computation, the power grid is represented as a weighted graph. This paper presents a few possibilities of calculation of the numerical weight of a branch of the graph. The proposition of a modified edge weight calculation based on active power belongs to this group. The other solutions are novel subalgorithms bounded by real power, reactive power, and normalized factor. This factor is a mathematical combination of active and reactive power multiplied by influence coefficients. Requirements necessary for a power system are applied in the considered algorithms. Each of these proposed algorithms includes the power source limits, voltage level at busbars, and power system transmission features, such as transmission lines rated currents and power losses. All mentioned methods were compiled into separate algorithms, which can be used to compute graph model parameters. A simulation model based on Prim’s algorithm was prepared to compare the suitability of presented concepts. All weights of the subalgorithms were compared to each other. That is why different power system restoration strategies may require various methods of calculating weights of the graph’s branches.

Most of the fault wave localization methods are based on the analysis of line current transformed by current transformers and are limited to high voltage grids. Fault wave localization in medium voltage grids is still being developed. This paper presents a new real-time algorithm for the identification of travelling waves in a distribution grid using voltage signal and the short-time matrix pencil method. To obtain the secondary side voltage waveforms at substation, the model of a resistive voltage sensor based on the broadband measurements from 10 Hz to 20 MHz was developed. The tested sensor amplifies the frequencies associated with travelling waves more than utility frequency allowing for the identification. Short-circuit simulations on the IEEE 34-bus feeder was performed to test the algorithm. The developed method can detect even the waves of low amplitude.

The recent trends in the development of power systems are focused on the Self-Healing Grid technology fusing renewable energy sources. In the event of a failure of the power system, automated distribution grids should continue to supply energy to consumers. Unfortunately, there are currently a limited number of algorithms for rebuilding a power system with renewable energy sources. This problem is possible to solve by implementing restoration algorithms based on graph theory. This article presents the new modification of Prim’s algorithm, which has been adapted to operate on a power grid containing several power sources, including renewable energy sources. This solution is unique because Prim’s algorithm is ultimately dedicated to single-source graph topologies, while the proposed solution is adapted to multi-source topologies. In the algorithm, the power system is modeled by the adjacency matrices. The adjacency matrixes for the considered undirected graphs are symmetric. The novel logic is based on the original method of determining weights depending on active power, reactive power and active power losses. The developed solution was verified by performing a simulation on a test model of the distribution grid powered by a renewable energy source. The control logic concept was compared with the reference algorithms, which were chosen from the ideas representing available approaches based on graph theory present in the scientific publications. The conducted research confirmed the effectiveness and validity of the novel restoration strategy. The presented algorithm may be applied as a restoration logic dedicated to power distribution systems.

Self-healing grids are one of the most developing concepts applied in electrical engineering. Each restoration strategy requires advanced algorithms responsible for the creation of local power systems. Multi-agent automation solutions dedicated for smart grids are mostly based on Prim’s algorithm. Graph theory in that field also leaves many problems unsolved. This paper is focused on a variation of Prim’s algorithm utility for a multi-sourced power system topology. The logic described in the paper is a novel concept combined with a proposal of a multi-parametrized weight calculation formula representing transmission features of energy delivered to loads present in a considered grid. The weight is expressed as the combination of three elements: real power, reactive power, and real power losses. The proposal of a novel algorithm was verified in a simulation model of a power system. The new restoration logic was compared with the proposal of the strategy presented in other recently published articles. The novel concept of restoration strategy dedicated to multi-sourced power systems was verified positively by simulations. The proposed solution proved its usefulness and applicability.