Article
Optimization of IEDs Position in MV Smart Grids through
Integer Linear Programming
Francesco Bonavolontà
1,†
, Vincenzo Caragallo
2,†
, Alessandro Fatica
2,†
, Annalisa Liccardo
1,
*
,†
,
Adriano Masone
1,†
and Claudio Sterle
1,†
Citation: Bonavolontà, F.; Caragallo,
V.; Fatica, A.; Liccardo, A.; Masone,
A.; Sterle, C. Optimization of IEDs
Position in MV Smart Grids through
Integer Linear Programming. Energies
2021, 14, 3346. https://doi.org/
10.3390/en14113346
Academic Editors: Ricardo J. Bessa
and Ferdinanda Ponci
Received: 29 April 2021
Accepted: 26 May 2021
Published: 7 June 2021
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1
Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II,
80125 Naples, Italy; francesco.bonavolonta@unina.it (F.B.); adriano.masone@unina.it (A.M.);
claudio.sterle@unina.it (C.S.)
2
Operation and Maintenance–Network Analysis and Maintenance, E-Distribuzione S.p.A., 80142 Naples, Italy;
vincenzo.caragallo@e-distribuzione.com (V.C.); alessandro.fatica@e-distribuzione.com (A.F.)
* Correspondence: annalisa.liccardo@unina.it; Tel.: +39-081-768-3912
† These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract:
In the paper, an analytical method for determining the optimal positioning of intelligent
electronic devices in medium voltage grids is proposed. Intelligent electronic devices are automated
devices able to communicate one with each other and command the circuit breaker in order to localize
and isolate a line fault as fast as possible. However, the number of intelligent electronic devices to
install has to be limited, due to the relevant installation costs and the reduction in the transmission
bandwidth caused by the increased number of exchanged messages. So, the electrical distributor has
to carefully detect the nodes of the grid where the intelligent electronic devices have to be installed.
The authors propose a method based on integer linear programming, which, given the number of
intelligent electronic devices to install, finds their optimal position, i.e., the one that minimizes the
penalties associated with the power down experienced by customers. In order to highlight the offered
advantages in terms of computational effort, the proposed approach has been assessed with a real
medium voltage grid.
Keywords:
logic selectivity; smart fault selection; IEDs optimal position; integer linear programming;
branch and bound
1. Introduction
Continuity of service is a fundamental characteristic in the electricity distribution field.
Indeed, ARERA, the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy Networks and the Environ-
ment, established a system of bonuses and economic penalties for distributors based on
the number and duration of electricity interruptions experienced by their consumers [
1
].
Distribution System Operator (DSO) companies involved in electricity distribution invest
considerable resources in the research of efficient tools and methods capable of locating
the fault and restoring the service in the shortest time and powering down as few users
as possible.
The technological advancement both of the power of microprocessor systems and of
communication methodologies contributes to making the electricity network more and
more automated. The protection of the Medium Voltage (MV) electrical network is a task
that gains enormous benefits from the technological evolution of the electrical network,
since computation and communication speed are fundamental aspects for locating and
isolating the fault [2,3].
At the present, it is possible to equip the MV network with Intelligent Electronic
Devices (IEDs), i.e., microprocessor-based devices capable of (i) receiving analog signal
from sensors, (ii) controlling electrical equipment such as circuit breakers, capacitor bank
switches, voltage regulators, (iii) exchanging messages with other IEDs or with Supervi-
sory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems [
4
] according to a communication
Energies 2021, 14, 3346. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113346 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies
