Digital Twin Assisted Dynamic Modeling and Protection Optimization for Coal Mine Power Distribution Systems

Conventional relay protection settings face significant challenges in accurately tracking the dynamic operating states of coal mine power distribution systems due to frequent topology changes and substantial load fluctuations. To address these challenges, this article proposes a digital twin (DT)-based approach for real-time dynamic modeling and optimization of relay protection current settings. A modular and automated modeling method driven by a real-time topology matrix is first developed, enabling accurate real-time representation of the system’s structure and operating state. Subsequently, a real-time simulation-driven prediction method for relay current settings is introduced, along with an adaptive optimization model that dynamically adjusts the setting according to evaluation indices. The proposed approach is experimentally validated based on real-time electrical data and historical fault records collected from a coal mine power distribution system. Results demonstrate that the DT model established by the proposed method exhibits excellent capability in both dynamically tracking the actual system states and achieving high simulation accuracy, thereby effectively improving relay protection performance and showing strong potential for practical application.