Software architecture development and implementation of a synchrophasor-based real-time oscillation damping control system

Low-frequency, electro-mechanically induced, inter-area oscillations have in the past, posed a serious threat to the stability of interconnected power systems. Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) systems based on wide-area measurements can be exploited to address the inter-area oscillation problem. This work develops a modular software architecture for a prototype WAMPAC control system. A Compact Reconfigurable Input Output (cRIO) controller from National Instruments is used to implement the real-time prototype. This paper presents the design process followed for the development of the software architecture. The design method followed a three step process of design proposal, refinement and attempted implementation. Results from each iteration are used to improve the next. The goals of the design, the challenges faced and the refinements necessary are presented. The details of the final implementation in LabVIEW are also documented.