Abstract:
Southern California Edison is evaluating a new switch automation technology, referred to as the Remote Integrated Switch (RIS). The RIS includes a new control and communication scheme forming a distribution automation application with advanced functionality. The RIS system is designed to work on a grid with increased penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). DERs require advanced protection and control algorithms that can rapidly account for dynamic changes in load flow and energy resource availability while performing fault localization, isolation, and load restoration to maintain stability and reliability of the grid. The RIS is a decentralized system, where field automation controllers work together as a team to resolve fault scenarios, governing circuit switching responses in pre-defined geographical areas. Each participating controller or team member employs its system logic based on a Neural Network while incorporating local measurements and information received from other team members into its decision process.
The previous RIS system development phase was successfully accomplished with a field deployment utilizing slow communication infrastructure and DNP3 communication protocol. Due to the inherent latency of the 900MHz legacy communication infrastructure, the average system response and reconfiguration after a fault event was approximately 2 minutes. This paper focuses on a new phase of the project, where the system employs the IEC 61850 protocol with GOOSE messaging. Utilizing the LTE communication infrastructure for the technology demonstration, system demonstrates a sub-second fault response time. The communication infrastructure includes 23 LTE modems connected over VPN to a cellular carrier. In order to test the system under different fault conditions, authors perform simultaneous secondary injection for 22 RIS devices using real time digital simulation (RTDS) equipment. The digital RTDS model is compiled based on data from the real circuits to ensure high fidelity of the system response and testing results. This paper will discuss the system’s governing rules, design concept, test results from various fault events and lessons learned during this development phase of the RIS project.
A. Elandaloussi, C. Huff, D. L. Ro, M. Balestrieri, A. Smit, A. Stinskiy, Presented at PAC World Global Conference 2021, Virtual Event, August 2021
