Real Time Power Distribution Network Simulation with RT-LAB
| Originally published |  |
| in the March 2009 | |
| issue of Planet-RT |
Real Time Power Distribution Network Simulation with RT-LAB
Abstract: Distribution protection devices and an automation system are essential for reliable and secure power distribution network operation. They must be tested and verified before being put into operation. However, it is not practical to test and verify the devices and system in a real distribution network. This paper proposes a real time power distribution network simulation platform based on an RT-LAB Simulator, which is used to test and verify distribution protection devices and the automation system.
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Wenxiao Ma (wenxiao.ma@cn.abb.com), Lei Jing (ABB China Limited, Beijing, P.R.China) |
1. Introduction
In the power industry, power distribution networks transfers power from power transmission networks to electric load points. Distribution protection devices and automation system are essential for reliable and secure power distribution network operation. The devices and system must be tested and verified before they are put into operation. But it's not practical to test and verify the devices and system in real distribution network because of special features of the power network.
In the testing and verification of protection devices and automation system, an RT-LAB Real-Time Simulator is used to simulate a real distribution network at accurate time step. The protection devices are connected to the RT-LAB Simulator by analog and digital cards, and the automation system communicates with the protection devices via Ethernet. The RT-LAB Simulator generates real time dynamic analog signals (such as voltage and current) and status signals (such as breaker status) and sends these signals to protection devices. The protection devices then transfer the signals to the automation system via Ethernet. Figure 1 shows the simulation structure.
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When a fault occurs in the distribution network, abnormal analog signals (such as over current) are generated. The protection devices then determine if relative breakers need to be tripped, according to the abnormal signals, and sends a trip command to the RT-LAB Simulator via a digital I/O card, or transfers the abnormal analog data to the automation system. The automation system can then mak high level decisions according to a multitude data received from multiple protection devices.
2. Distribution Network Modeling
The distribution network model is built with MATLAB/Simulink/SimPowerSystems and the RT-LAB ARTEMiS toolbox for Simulink. Figure 2 illustrates an example of a distribution network model.
Figure 2 IEEE 13-bus Distribution Model in MATLAB/Simulink
3. Testing and Verification Process
Figure 3 The Testing and Verification Process
4. Conclusion
In this paper, a real time simulation platform based on RT-LAB is built for testing and verification of protection devices and automation system in power distribution network. Testing results show the time step and data accuracy of the simulation conducted on an RT-LAB Simulator can meet the requirements for testing of protection devices and automation system in a power distribution network.
