LOCATE - Troubleshooting, status monitoring and control in low voltage networks

DESCRIPTION
Specifically, LOCATE will focus on introducing into the low-voltage advanced monitoring equipment the innovative features of fault location, the measurement of wave quality in current signals and the detection of faults in the presence of wide distributed generation connected in the low voltage line and reverse flow harmful in that scenario. Viesgo, as well as prescribing the technology to be developed in the project, will provide the valuable vision of the distribution company, so that information can be obtained on new functionalities that may be useful for their operation and that are compatible with the monitoring equipment.
The functionalities incorporated into the low voltage monitoring equipment (fault location, PQ measurement in intensity, reverse flow detection, as well as those proposed by the distribution system operator) have the potential to add value to the management of the distribution grid, for which it is necessary to generate a series of applications that contribute to the distribution system operator with the information to operate on its assets more efficiently. From this point of view, LOCATE delves into the possibilities that the functionalities added to the low voltage monitoring equipment can offer, investigating the location of incipient faults that allow the realization of a predictive maintenance in the low voltage networks. The origin of the disturbances that worsen the quality of the grid will also be studied, whose values must remain within limits that the legislation obliges the distribution system operators to comply with. Thus, through their knowledge, strategies can be established for their mitigation. LOCATE will provide the necessary knowledge to expand the field of application of Ariadna´s patent on connectivity, so that it can be applied in all grids, by studying the energy profiles of users using Big Data techniques.
All these developments will be reflected in software tools, at the application level, that allow Viesgo to make decisions in the management of the low voltage grid. In this way, it will be able to improve the quality of supply to the final customer and in a position that allows its adaptation, reliable and safe, to the new scenario with the integration of a greater number of distributed energy sources of renewable origin and electric vehicle. This will support its transformation from a distribution company to an advanced operator of the electricity grid.
Finally, the developments of the project will be supported in a pilot phase in which the solutions will be tested in operating environments at scale and real, something that is critical as it is marked by all innovation initiatives in networks (European Commission, ETIP SNET and ALINNE) to be agile in the transformation of R & D into commercial and applicable solutions.
OBJETIVES
Specific objetcives:
- Obtaining a device for the monitoring of low voltage grids with new functionalities.
- Development of applications to improve the management of the low voltage grid with new features.
- Performance test of the new functionalities of the team at the laboratory level.
- Performance test of applications developed in a real grid.