Hardware-in-The-Loop Testing of a Distance Protection Relay

Given the decisive modernization of power systems and the evolution of protective relaying, it is imperative to merge traditional protection systems with innovative approaches that allow flexibility and time-domain protection. Time-domain approaches for power system protection must be tested in realistic and flexible platforms prior to their actual implementation. Inexpensive and flexible testing platforms are needed to fill this gap; consequently, a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing platform for a distance relay for feeder protection is presented in this article. The relay is tested in an HIL simulation of a single-machine infinite-bus system simulated in PSCAD software, and the distance protection function is implemented in a commercially available LAUNCHXL-F28379D microcontroller. One-phase-to-ground, two-phase-to-ground, two-phase, and three-phase faults are tested in the simulation system, showing the feasibility of the proposed approach for protection system testing.