Multiplatform and multi-technology system for interpretation and analysis of protection tripping in distribution substations

This paper describes the research and development results of a multi-technology and multi-platform system for the interpretation and analysis of the protection tripping in distribution substations. As part of the project it was developed a system for the analytical interpretation of the protection in order to generate tripping diagnosis of protection relays in power distribution substations. The system was designed to be suitable to different relays technologies (from electromechanical to digital), to different manufacturers and also to different communication protocols. The system get local information from the substation and data from protection relays, using a rule-based expert system (CLIPS). The purpose of the system is to analyze and interpret protection equipment tripping in a distribution substation. The system may be an important tool to assist in analyzing tripping protection events. It can provide diagnosis for proper parameterization of protection relays tripping curves. The system also recognize which function of the protection relay was activated as well as other characteristics such as the operating time, fault type with its currents, voltages and phases involved. The system may also analyze if the circuit breaker responded properly to trip commands. The laboratory results presented were obtained from different protection relays of different types, different manufacturers and different communication protocols. In addition, to simulate faults, it was used a relay testing equipment. The protection relays were arranged to simulate a feeder bay of a distribution substation, thus allowing the configuration of different power system faults for different types of relays.