Implementation of Centralized Protection Schemes using an HIL Setup

The university

The University of Vaasa is an international research university in Finland focused on sustainable business, energy, and society. It operates within the Nordic region’s largest energy technology hub. Its FREESI (Future Reliable Electricity and Energy Systems Integration) laboratory, part of the VEBIC research platform, is a world-class facility dedicated to smart grid research, grid integration of distributed energy resources (DER), and advanced power system protection.

The challenges

• IBR Integration Complexities: Traditional protection schemes struggle with dynamic behaviors from wind and solar (IBRs), leading to protection blinding and false tripping.
• Grid Evolution: Modern grids require rapid fault isolation and scalability to handle higher renewable penetration while operating near thermal and voltage limits.
• Communication Requirements: Implementing centralized protection requires high-speed, time-synchronized data acquisition (IEC 61850) that must be rigorously validated before field deployment.

The OPAL-RT solution

The University developed a comprehensive HIL testbed to transform theoretical CPC concepts into practical solutions:

• Hardware: The OPAL-RT OP5600 real-time simulator serves as the core, emulating realistic distribution network dynamics and generating Sampled Values (SVs) directly.
• Integration: The setup includes ABB’s SSC600 centralized protection device and REX640 relays, creating an IEC 61850-compliant architecture.
• Communication & Sync: Utilizes Precision Time Protocol (PTP) Version 2 for synchronization, with SVs transmitted at 4 kHz and GOOSE messages for control commands.
• Advanced Research: Supports testing of adaptive protection schemes, 5G communication, and R-GOOSE, as well as hosting capacity analysis.

The results

• Validated CPC Feasibility: Proved that software-driven centralized protection is capable of addressing challenges from inverter-based DERs.
• High-Scale Simulation: Successfully simulated up to 30 sampled value streams, proving readiness for complex substation environments.
• Enhanced Grid Resilience: Developed new functionalities like adaptive protection and wide-area monitoring that traditional schemes cannot provide.
• Accelerated Research: The built-in IEC 61850 example projects provided a fast-track starting point for implementing GOOSE and SV communication.

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