A generic method for interfacing IEDs using low voltage interfaces to real-time simulators with hardware in the loop

Emilio C. Piesciorovsky, Travis Smith, Srijib K. Mukherjee, Mike W. Marshall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study presents an interface method (IM) to interconnect real-time simulators (RTSs) without amplifiers for different intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), such as protective relays, smart meters, and other devices. It is a significant topic for the power systems protection community because there are many protection devices with different requirements. These protection devices have pinouts that measure bus voltages/currents and breaker pole states and generate trip/close pulse signals. Most of the emulation test beds with RTSs and HIL need amplifiers to connect IEDs from different product manufacturers because the low-voltage interface levels are not available in some instruction manuals. Additionally, commercial amplifiers have cutoff frequency limitations and have an excessive cost when several IEDs are wired onto test beds. Then, the validation of protection and control systems with RTSs and IEDs in the loop from different vendors without amplifiers results in an unfeasible alternative. In this paper, the IM was based on using an interface box, power source, and RTS to identify IED inputs/outputs. The sequence to recognize IED pinouts and calculate the current/voltage scaling factors is described. The IM was validated satisfactorily with RTS and a protection device (with unknown pinouts) in the loop.

Original languageEnglish
Article number107431
JournalElectric Power Systems Research
Volume199
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2021

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ).

FundersFunder number
U.S. Department of Energy

    Keywords

    • Hardware in the loop
    • Intelligent electronic devices
    • Laboratories
    • Real-time systems
    • Relays
    • Test beds

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'A generic method for interfacing IEDs using low voltage interfaces to real-time simulators with hardware in the loop'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this