A photovoltaic power generation system includes an inverter, a controller, and at least two direct current branch circuits. The leakage current detection apparatus is configured to: detect a leakage current of the direct current branch circuit on which the leakage current detection apparatus is located and send the leakage current to the controller. The controller is further configured to: when the photovoltaic power generation system runs and a value of a leakage current of the direct current branch circuit exceeds a preset range, determine that an insulation fault occurs on the direct current branch circuit. The system can determine the direct current branch circuit on which the insulation fault occurs in the photovoltaic power generation system, so that measures are taken in time for the direct current branch circuit on which the insulation fault occurs, to eliminate a potential safety hazard.

A method for identifying a location of a fault in an electrical power distribution network that includes identifying an impedance of an electrical line between each pair of adjacent utility poles, measuring a voltage and a current of the power signal at a switching device during the fault, and estimating a voltage at each of the utility poles downstream of the switching device using the impedance of the electrical line between the utility poles and the measured voltage and current during the fault. The method calculates a reactive power value at each of the utility poles using the estimated voltages, where calculating a reactive power value includes compensating for distributed loads along the electrical line that consume reactive power during the fault, and determines the location of the fault based on where the reactive power goes to zero along the electrical line.

A method for identifying a location of a fault in an electrical power distribution network that includes identifying an impedance of an electrical line between each pair of adjacent utility poles, measuring a voltage and a current of the power signal at a switching device during the fault, and estimating a voltage at each of the utility poles downstream of the switching device using the impedance of the electrical line between the utility poles and the measured voltage and current during the fault. The method calculates a reactive power value at each of the utility poles using the estimated voltages, where calculating a reactive power value includes compensating for distributed loads along the electrical line that consume reactive power during the fault, and determines the location of the fault based on where the reactive power goes to zero along the electrical line.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for identifying a fault using systems and methods for a controlled dynamic MHO characteristic. Particularly, the systems and methods described herein may automatically control the dynamic expansion of the MHO characteristic based on the estimation of uncontrolled dynamic MHO expansion estimation and maximum allowable expansion set by a user. This may provide flexibility in that, the MHO can be allowed to expand to a maximum level, when the estimated MHO expansion value is below the user defined maximum allowable expansion level, but also provides a controlled dynamic MHO when the estimated values are above the maximum allowable level.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for identifying a fault using systems and methods for a controlled dynamic MHO characteristic. Particularly, the systems and methods described herein may automatically control the dynamic expansion of the MHO characteristic based on the estimation of uncontrolled dynamic MHO expansion estimation and maximum allowable expansion set by a user. This may provide flexibility in that, the MHO can be allowed to expand to a maximum level, when the estimated MHO expansion value is below the user defined maximum allowable expansion level, but also provides a controlled dynamic MHO when the estimated values are above the maximum allowable level.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for impedance-based broken conductor detection in electric distribution systems. Upon the detection of a broken conductor, the affected overhead line will be de-energized before it hits the ground. An example method may include determining, during a first time period, a first impedance value measured by a first IED, and may further include determining, during a second time period that after the first time period, a second impedance value measured by the first IED. The method may further include determining a first ratio based on dividing a difference between the first impedance value and the second impedance value by the first impedance value, and may further include determining that the first ratio deviates from a threshold setpoint, and determining that a broken conductor condition occurs based on the first ratio deviating from the threshold setpoint.

Illustrative embodiments of systems and methods for detecting and responding to islanding of distributed energy resources are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a method may include measuring voltage and current at a connection point between a distributed energy resource and an electrical grid, determining a Thévenin impedance of the electrical grid based upon the voltage and current measurements, and determining whether the Thévenin impedance has exceeded a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the method may further include disconnecting the distributed energy resource from the electrical grid in response to determining that the Thévenin impedance has exceeded the predetermined threshold.

A method generates a classification signal classifying an electrical impedance. The time characteristic of the impedance is measured resulting in impedance values. Impedance change vectors whose direction describes the movement of the impedance in the complex impedance plane and whose length describes the amount of the respective impedance change are formed with temporally successive impedance values. A check is carried out to determine whether the impedance shows a directional, continuous impedance movement. In the event of a subsequently detected change of direction of the impedance movement, the reaching of a reversal point is inferred and the rotation of the impedance change vectors is monitored with the result of a formation of an angle of rotation measured value. A classification signal indicating a fault is generated if the impedance change vectors have rotated in the area of the reversal point through a predefined maximum angle of rotation.

A protection and monitoring system, device, and method for an electric power system, including a capacitor bank having multiple strings in each phase, voltage and current measuring devices, and relays to protect this capacitor bank. Each string can have multiple capacitor units and each unit can consist of multiple capacitor elements. The method may include: determining steady state operating condition using the obtained current and voltages, calculating and storing present time impedance value of each string into memory, calculating the string per unit impedance incremental quantity, detecting capacitor element failure based at least in part on this incremental quantity and calculating number of failed capacitor elements for each event, accumulating the number of failed capacitor elements, and performing a protection action when healthy capacitor elements are subject to an overvoltage limit. The method may be inherently immune or otherwise insensitive to capacitor variations due to aging, temperature change, instrument transformers errors, inaccuracy in data acquisition, and inherent manufacturing unbalance.

A protection and monitoring system, device, and method for an electric power system, including a capacitor bank having multiple strings in each phase, voltage and current measuring devices, and relays to protect this capacitor bank. Each string can have multiple capacitor units and each unit can consist of multiple capacitor elements. The method may include: determining steady state operating condition using the obtained current and voltages, calculating and storing present time impedance value of each string into memory, calculating the string per unit impedance incremental quantity, detecting capacitor element failure based at least in part on this incremental quantity and calculating number of failed capacitor elements for each event, accumulating the number of failed capacitor elements, and performing a protection action when healthy capacitor elements are subject to an overvoltage limit. The method may be inherently immune or otherwise insensitive to capacitor variations due to aging, temperature change, instrument transformers errors, inaccuracy in data acquisition, and inherent manufacturing unbalance.