An Adaptive Protection Method for Low-Voltage Distribution Networks Integrating Mechanism-Guided and Cost-Sensitive Learning

In low-voltage distribution networks, load switching, induction motor start-up, photovoltaic output variations, and short-circuit faults may produce highly overlapping electrical characteristics, which can lead to maloperation or failure to operate in conventional protection. To address this problem, this paper proposes an adaptive protection method integrating physically guided and cost-sensitive learning. First, an incremental topology-constraint deviation and a voltage-current trajectory curvature are constructed based on the fault-superimposed network constraint and the variation characteristics of system equivalent impedance, enabling the discrimination of short-circuit faults from non-fault transient disturbances. Then, a cost-sensitive physically guided extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model is developed, in which a fault-current-increment-based weight is introduced into the objective function to enhance the learning capability for weak-fault samples. Furthermore, a temporal-consistency-based protection operation logic is designed using sliding-window confirmation and majority voting to suppress isolated abnormal predictions. Simulation and RTDS-based real-time validation results on a 0.4-kV low-voltage distribution network with distributed photovoltaic generation show that the proposed method improves weak-fault detection sensitivity and reduces maloperation under complex source–load disturbances. The method relies only on local measurements and has potential for deployment in low-voltage intelligent protection terminals.