Study and implementation of Real-time testing with Hardware in the loop protection relays and power meters

Abstract

Due to increasing need for power system protection functioning insurance and compliance to system needs for electrical devices protection, and their effect on the power system stability and customer services, protective relays and power meters needs to be tested to ensure compliance of the devices with the power system needs. Real-time simulator-based factory acceptance tests (FAT) are by now a necessary and well-established part of the process of developing and implementing new protection schemes by electric power utilities.

This thesis presents hardware implementation of adaptive protection relay and power meters testing models based on real time simulators. The simulation tool used was Opal-RT OP5600 real time digital simulator. To emulate the actual environment where the test model could be used, a complete phasor network setup is established using actual devices, such as protection relays, power meters and current and voltage amplifier.

A simulation models based on MATLAB/Simulink software were designed to perform real time simulation testing of the protective relays and power meters.

The obtained test results describe the functional states of the tested devices. The results are compared to the standards expected results and limitations.