Optimal Coordination of Directional Overcurrent Relays Using PSO-TVAC

Abstract

This paper presents an efficient variant of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm named Time Varying Acceleration Coefficients (PSO-TVAC) to solve the optimal coordination of directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs) in a practical power system, considering the optimum pickup current (Ip) as discrete parameter and time dial setting (TDS) as continuous parameter, in order to obtain minimum operating time for the relays, while satisfying various boundary constraints. Comparison results with the standard global optimization methods such as GA using Matlab toolbox, PSO and to other techniques showed the efficiency of the proposed variant and confirmed its potential to enhance the solution of optimal coordination of directional overcurrent replays.