A Multi-Agent Approach for Self-Healing and RES-Penetration in Smart Distribution Networks

Smart grid technology has gained much consideration recently to make use of intelligent control in the automatic fault-detection and self-healing of electric networks. This ensures a reliable electricity supply and an efficient operation of the distribution system against disasters with minimum human interaction. In this paper, a fully decentralized multi-agent system (MAS) algorithm, for self-healing in smart distribution systems, is proposed. The novelty of the proposed algorithm, compared to related work, is its ability to combine the zone and feeder agents, specified for system self-healing, with micro-grid agents. This enables the system to successfully achieve functions of fault locating and isolation along with service-restoration using expert rules while considering both operational constraint and load priorities. Meanwhile, managing the power flow and controlling the distributed generator (DG) contribution, in the considered network, is a bonus merit for the proposed algorithm. Hence, system self-healing as well as strengthening energy security and resiliency are guaranteed. The proposed algorithm is tested on a 22 kV radial distribution system through several case-studies with/without a DG wind-energy source. The employed agents are implemented in the Java Agent Developing Framework (JADE) environment to communicate and make decisions. Power system simulation and calculations are carried out in MATLAB to validate the agents' decisions.