Flexible Power Distribution Networks: New Opportunities and Applications

Today, electricity companies worldwide use digital devices. Their use is commonplace in the grid, whether it is electricity generation, transmission or distribution. Power distribution networks are the most widespread but are the least digitalized because they have to deal with the problems related to the collection of necessary information, the adaptation methods, failures to identify some emergencies and their effect, and the insufficient number of reliability assessment methods. These networks were not important for energy companies and they did not pay attention to them. Nowadays, however, there is a need to pay special attention to these networks. Insufficient attention to them has led to delay in their digitalization and today there are some issues to work on. For example, improper placement of devices leads to a lack of complete and reliable information, which is the reason why relay protection and automatic systems in distribution electrical networks do not provide selectivity. An algorithm is proposed to site measuring devices so that information is collected most effectively. The proper installation of the devices will allow adjusting the operating parameters of the relay protection and automatic systems depending on changes in external weather conditions and fluctuations in power consumption in the network. It will also help to determine the best network topology. The paper proposes a technique for distribution network control, which takes into account the type of failure in case of emergency in real time, and a method to locate measuring devices and establish an information and communication network.