ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK USING MICROCONTROLLER AND GSM-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM

SOURCE:

Faculty: Engineering
Department: Electronic And Computer Engineering

CONTRIBUTORS:

Okafor, C. S.
Idigo, V. E.
Ezechukwu, O. A.

ABSTRACT:

The recent development in wireless communication and digital technology, especially in mobile phone networks offers new and cheaper possibilities for remote monitoring and control of complex electric power distribution system. Microcontroller-based switching system and GSM-based monitoring system afford electric power distribution network the opportunity of enhancing its performance. Rural and remote areas have their transformer faults like blown low voltage fuse, transformer neutral failure and transformer trip not attended to by the power providers for so long, that it affects the availability and quality of power supplied to consumers. This dissertation involves enhancing the performance of electric power distribution network using microcontroller and GSM based system. The test bed used is the 15MVA 33/11KV Injection station at New Bussa in Niger State. The switching system is centered on the ATmega328P microcontroller which automates the switching on of the capacitor bank for voltage compensation of the line when the bus voltage drop goes above 10% of the nominal voltage value. The ATmega328P microcontroller also activates the GSM module (SIM900D) to send a pre-programmed SMS to Distribution System Operator (DSO) whenever any of the following faults arises in the network: blown low voltage fuse, transformer neutral failure and transformer trip. Empirical data were collected from field measurements in New Bussa distribution network during peak and off-peak periods. The collected data were analyzed using Electrical Transient & Analysis Program (ETAP 12.6) software to generate the network model, power flow reports and characterize the performance status of New Bussa network. The performance status of network with reference to voltage profile showed that 75% of power consumers received low voltage during peak period and 39% of power consumers received low voltage during off-peak period. Also, Yuna bus has the largest percentage voltage drop of 47.321% & 19.309% during peak & off-peak periods. Optimal Capacitor Placement module in ETAP 12.6 was used to determine the optimal sizing & placement of capacitors needed for voltage compensation in the network. The network was analyzed with these optimal sized capacitors placed in their candidate buses using ETAP 12.6 software to generate a compensated power flow reports of the network. The performance status after the compensation showed that all the consumers in the network received an enhanced voltage value that met the ANSI C84.1 acceptable voltage standard and that Yuna bus which earlier had the worst voltage drop has its percentage voltage drop reduced to 5.925% during peak period and the voltage drop eliminated completely during off-peak period. Also, the switching aspect of the research work by the ATmega328P microcontroller and the monitoring/reporting aspect of the research work by the GSM Module (SIM900D) were also tested and it worked satisfactorily.