Study of the methodologies and practices employed in simulations and testing of protection systems

• Grant number: 19/25196-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 08, 2020
• End date: August 07, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Dias Tavares
• Grantee: Wellter Mompean Sozin
• Supervisor: Athula Rajapakse
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Manitoba, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/06740-0 - Evaluation of methodologies and procedures for the testing of protection system models, BP.IC

Abstract

The proper functioning and performance of power systems, as well as the maintenance of the life of the equipment that composes them, are necessary to preserve the quality of the public transmission service. For this, all equipment and installations must be protected against abnormalities that may occur in the electrical network, such as defects in equipment and faults. This function is performed by protection systems, which are essentially composed of microcontrolled relays. However, the characteristics of reliability, selectivity and speed in the performance of these relays depend on the quality of the equipment used (algorithm and its operation) and also on the parametrizations calculated and configured by the engineers. Therefore, by performing tests on the protection systems before they are installed in the field, it is possible to check and even refine these parameterizations to ensure that the protection will act correctly, at the desired speed and will not act unduly. These tests are basically performed through two methodologies: Open-Loop Simulations or Closed-Loop Simulations. Therefore, this research stage abroad has as main objective the study and analysis of these methodologies and practices used in the simulations of the electrical systems and in the tests of the protection systems. For this, seeking the technical motivation that leads to the realization of these tests; the most widely used international simulation and test procedures and methodologies; the technical advantages and disadvantages related to the procedure and the results obtained through each methodology that are decisive for the choice of the method used; and practical experience in performing the tests and analyzing the results obtained. (AU)