Improving the protection of new haven - Nkalagu 132kv transmission network using a genetic trained adaptive relay scheme

Power transmission systems are heavily invested in hence the need for superb protection schemes to be incorporated into them. Electrical unbalance or fault conditions can damage equipment and personnel, thus super protection schemes are necessary. Existing protection schemes have failed to isolate faults quickly and reduce power system false trips. The government and power supply firms have spent more money due to unjustified damage to power system components caused by such protective schemes. In severe circumstances, poor/existing protective schemes have caused fire outbreaks that destroyed lives and property. Existing protection schemes also cause false tripping, which cause power outages when there is actually no fault occurring in the system. This research investigated how the protection of a power transmission line could be improved upon using a genetic trained adaptive relay scheme. The test network used for carrying out the research is the New Haven-Nkalagu 132KV transmission line. The research objectives for carrying out the research was accomplished in seven major steps. Load flow analysis was carried out on the Nigerian 330KV 48 bus power system and hence the New Haven-Nkalagu 132kV transmission network was extracted. Thereafter, a model of the New Haven Nkalagu 132KV transmission network was developed alongside its existing protection relay scheme using the Matlab/Simulink environment. An adaptive system was developed for controlling the over current relay scheme in the network.  A genetic algorithm was developed and used to train the adaptive relay scheme in for optimizing its performance. The over current relay and its genetic trained adaptive controller was integrated to the test network and hence simulated in order to evaluate the performance of the adaptive relay scheme. The results of the research indicated a 26.43% reduction in tripping times of both relays with the genetic trained adaptive relay scheme integrated. The results also indicated a 41.78% increase in CTS value of both relays with the genetic trained adaptive controller integrated. It was therefore concluded that the genetic trained adaptive relay scheme is capable of improving the protection of power transmission networks.