R&D Projects

E-REDES is testing Self-Healing solutions in underground and overhead medium voltage distribution networks.

This project seeks to develop and test the evolution of the FLISR (Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration) and coordination of protections (IEC 61850 R-Goose) architectural models, aimed at: 

1. Increased network operation efficiency, through fast detection, fault isolation and network reconfiguration, fully automated (reduction of operation time associated with events and non-distributed energy).
2. Improve quality of service indicators, namely SAIDI, SAIFI, voltage dips, among others. With this system it should be possible to isolate the fault and re-feed the grid autonomously.

In order to implement these projects, it was necessary to involve different areas of knowledge with a view to digitalizing, sensing and automating the distribution network’s operation. The project team, comprising E-REDES members, among other challenges, integrated a unique solution in Portugal without compromising normal business processes and with the strong involvement of the partners EFACEC (Overhead HS) and SIEMENS (Underground HS).

With the actual implementation of the projects, important insights were gained from the proof of concept, such as: 
- availability above 95%, even in the context of an aging network; 
- identification of improvements to the algorithms used to deal with the coordination of protections at high speed, as well as functional alternatives to deal with the limitations of some more limited legacy devices; 
- adjustments to the network assessment procedure after locating the fault and identifying the section of the network to be isolated. 
- Identified periodic routine procedures for checking connectivity; 
- updating the characterization of network devices to improve the performance of system restoration procedures; 
- demonstration of the merits of centralized implementation for network control and operation;

Considering the challenges facing the distribution network with the electrification of transport and the proliferation of distributed generation, the adoption of FLISR solutions appears to be a fundamental solution to support the increasingly complex operation of the network, which is expected with the adoption of the future ADMS solution.

In order to meet the new challenges and increase the granularity of the information associated with network operation. E-REDES has also been developing the RMU Sensing project, as a complement, in order to provide the operation with greater levels of information, in real time, allowing for greater agility in dispatching and running the network, as well as in the action options of the self-healing solutions themselves.