Multi-agent system for adaptive protection in microgrids

This paper describes a Multi-Agent System (MAS) proposed for Adaptive Protection of Microgrids, using JADE (Java Agent Development Framework) platform. Initially the concept of microgrids is presented. In the sequence, the main problems associated with the protection of microgrids are discussed. The role of each kind of agent in the proposed architecture and the main messages exchanged between them, depending on the task being executed, are then presented. The system main tasks are: modification of the setting of protection relays to adapt them to changes in the network (off-line analysis) and fault elimination (on-line analysis). Faults simulated in a realistic test system through PSCAD/EMTDC (Power System Computer Aided Design/Eletromagnetic Transients Including DC) are used to define the parameters of the agents. Finally, cases also generated using this software are used to validate the proposed multi-agent system.