Our new real-time simulation system – in addition to providing a new way to test individual protection functions – makes it possible to test complex protection and automation devices under close-to-real operating conditions while also providing a way of testing the coordination of multiple protection devices in a protection system.

On the hardware side an OP4510 Real-Time Simulator (RTS) has been purchased from the Canadian company OPAL-RT. This device is capable of running MATLAB Simulink models in real-time which allows the extensive simulation of electrical power systems.

The analogue output signals of the RTS control an amplifier which injects currents and voltages into the VTs and CTs of the protection devices. The analogue and digital outputs of the protection devices are connected back to the RTS which processes them and modifies the simulation accordingly in real-time.

Since the acquisition, we have created complex simulations for the real-time testing of distance protection, transformer differential protection and line differential protection. With these simulations we are capable of modeling various, complex phenomena, including but not limited to evolving faults, magnetizing inrush current during energization, CT saturation, VT failure, power swing, automatic reclosing, etc. These models can be used to run individual tests with real-time manual control over the parameters of the simulation, or run batch tests with large amount of pre-programmed test cases automatically.

In addition to the R&D testing, we have also been using our real-time simulation system to prove the performance of our protection devices during the accreditation and homologation processes in order to enter new international markets.

In the future we want to expand our library of real-time type tests with others (e.g. bus protection). Furthermore, we are planning to develop a medium voltage model that can simplify the development of our arc suppression coil control automation (DRL) used in compensated networks. We also plan to create the necessary hardware environment for testing applications related to the IEC61850-9-2 Process Bus standard.