an innovative and automated solution for prc...

AN INNOVATIVE AND AUTOMATED SOLUTION FOR PRC-027-1 COMPLIANCE

Joe Perez, P.E.Founder - Protection Engineer

SynchroGrid

Luke HankinsDesign Engineer

SynchroGrid

Presented at the 71st AnnualTexas A&M Conference for Protective Engineers

Casey ThomasProtection Engineer

EKPC

Presentation Outline• Introduction

• PRC-027-1 Requirement R1 Relay Setting Development Process

R1 Manual Process R1 Simplified Automated Process

• PRC-027-1 Requirement R2 Relay Coordination Process

R2 Existing Process R2 Simplified Automated Process

• Conclusions

2

IntroductionPRC-027-1

• Purpose: “To maintain the coordination of protection systems installed to detect and isolate faults on BES elements, such that those protections systems operate in the intended sequence during faults.”

R1: Establish a process for developing new and revised settings. Process shall include: Review of short circuit modelReview of protection settings

R2: Perform a protection system coordination study:Not to exceed six yearsFault base current exceeds 15%

3

Introduction• Complying with PRC-027-1 is a daunting task that will

require extensive resources.

• Existing solutions and processes:

Time consuming Prone to error Broken and not continuous

4

Introduction• An Innovative solution could achieve…

Well Defined and Simplified process for Relay Setting Development and Coordination

Faster

Easier

Less error-prone

Above all – process must be continuous

• Let’s take a look at where we are now for R1 and R2 and see where we could be if we used an Innovative Process for relay setting development and coordination

5






• Conclusions

6

Relay Setting Development Manual Process

7

For each Terminal• Sanitize Aspen Model• Use standard spreadsheets to

develop settings• Enter settings into RDBs• Peer reviewer repeats process

Verify Model

Utilize Standard Settings

Template

Enter Settings Into .RDB File

Repeat Process Through Peer

Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


8

Model Verification• Terminal Application

Line impedance Relay Groups

CT, PT ratios

Relay settings

Zone/Overcurrent Elements

Fault Detectors

• Manageable for simple projects• Not manageable for Wide Area

Studies

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


9

Settings Templates and Export to RDB• Spreadsheets or Mathcad:

Perform faults manually Normal Conditions

N-1

Copy and paste data Aspen – Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets - RDB

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


10

Settings Templates and Export to RDB• Spreadsheets or Mathcad: Different philosophy per engineer Very error-prone

Copy and paste

At least a day of work

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


11

Settings Templates and Export to RDB

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


12

Peer Review Process• Repeat steps• Separate engineer• Perform all calculations again• Limit input from original setter

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV


13

Overall Manual Process• Error Prone - copy and paste and manual use

of short circuit program.

• Time Consuming - spend much time identifying and understanding issues, instead of focusing on resolving them.

• Frustrating – Can lead to burnout and turnover.

• Ad Hoc – Spreadsheets often obfuscate the intent of the philosophy. Barrier to institutionalization of knowledge and best practices.

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV






• Conclusions

14

Relay Setting Development Simplified Process - Automation

15

Simplified Process• “ A Novel Approach to Relay

Setting Development”

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1


16


17


18

Simplified Relay Setting Process• Eliminates Copy and Paste errors• Reduces human error • Minimizes time spent in calculating settings• Creates time to scrutinize how every change

affects the protection of the grid• A standardized process that is uniformly applied,

provides compliance with PRC-027-1 (R1)

Verify Model


Template



Review

R1.1

R1.2

R1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV






• Conclusions

19

Relay Coordination StudiesRequirement and Options

20

R2: Option 1• Perform Relay Coordination not to

exceed six years for each BES element 21 Distance Elements 50 Instantaneous Overcurrent 51 Time Overcurrent

Option 1

R2

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV

Time BaseSix Years

Option 2

Option 3

Fault Base

Combination Options 1 or 2


21

R2: Option 2• Perform Relay Coordination at fault

current baseline Establish a fault current baseline Bus fault

Compare current fault values to fault current baseline >15% - perform coordination

Not to exceed six years Baseline must be established prior to

effective date

Option 1

R2

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV

Fault Base

Time BaseSix Years


Option 2

Option 3


22

R2: Option 3• Use a combination of options 1 and 2

Perform coordination for facilities above 345kV every 6 years

Perform fault base coordination for facilities below 345kV

Option 1

R2

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV

Fault Base

Time BaseSix Years


Option 2

Option 3

Relay Coordination StudiesManual Process

23

EKPC: Chose Option 1• Review and calculate relay settings on a 5 year rotation as part of a Wide

Area Coordination All lines 100kV and above Moving towards 69kV system Large part will be reviewed faster due to relay upgrade projects Ensures relays settings and coordination are updated every 5 years

Option 1

Substation A 138kV

Relay

Substation B 138kV

Time BaseSix Years

Relay Coordination StudiesMajor Challenges Complying with R2

24

Short circuit programs• Wide-Area Coordination

• Must use complicated macros Offer little to no customizability.

• Limited means to sanitize model

• Outputs mass amounts of dataUnreadable.

• Engineer must organize, classify and resolve

Option 1

R2Fault Base

Time BaseSix Years


Option 2

Option 3

Relay Coordination StudiesMajor Challenges Complying with R2

25

Spreadsheets

• Provide some mechanism to organize data

• Complex template must be developed

• Fault information from short circuit program to spreadsheets must be exportedRequires programing knowledge

• Spreadsheet must be maintained by original developerKnowledge lost when engineer moves on

Option 1

R2Fault Base

Time BaseSix Years


Option 2

Option 3






• Conclusions

26

R2 Requires a Unified ProcessToday’s Process Unified Process

• Templates allow process customization.

• Automatic model sanitation already finds certain classes of errors (more coming).

• Data is categorized by test type and priority, visual presented in a manageable manner.

• Bidirectional communications merges initial coordination and resolutions into same GUI.

• Direct export of resolutions into rdbs.

27

• Flexibility limited to macros or coding.

• Model verification is primarily a manual, tedious activity.

• Vast amounts of data must be examined to identify and resolve conflicts.

• Data intake is one time. Proposed fixes must be manually checked in short circuit program.

• Does not address data transfer to configuration file. Additional copy/pasteto export fixes to RDBs.

Process Framework for R2

28

Collect Data

Short Circuit Program

Relay Setting File

Data • Primary Line• Source, Remote, and Tap

Lines• Auto & Distribution XFMRs

Fault Simulation• Strongest

Source Removed

• Contingencies

Automated Coordination R2Template Creation Verify Model

Export Feature

Bi-Directional

Template ApplicationReceived Violations Resolve Violations

Unified Process for R2• The key to a successful wide-area coordination study is a

clearly defined process.

29

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study

Develop Coordination

Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations

Generate Final Report

Receive Coordination

Violations

Unified Process for R2• The key to a successful wide-area coordination study is a

clearly defined process.

30

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations

Unified Process for R2

31

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations


Template Criteria

• Step 1: Define Coordination Template• Several different coordination test options

• Zone reach checks• CTI study• Sensitivity studies

• Define specific criteria for each type of test • System conditions• Fault types/locations• Acceptable ranges


S32


S33


34

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations


Template Criteria

Verify Model Data

• Step 2: Verify Model Data• PRC-027 R1 requires an accurate short circuit model.

• Software can aid in finding errors:• Missing line impedances• Missing relays• Incorrect voltages, CTRs, & PTRs


35

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations

• Step 3: Run Coordination Study• Apply template to sanitized short circuit model• Select area of study

• Tier• Area• Specific kV• Select list of buses• Buses with 15% fault current change

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


36

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations

• Step 4: Receive Coordination Violations• All issues organized and elegantly displayed on system dashboard

• Organized by levels of severity (Minor, Moderate, Major)

• Utilization of database and big data visualization techniques to provide an overall representation of grid conditions

Run Coordination

Study


Violations


S37


S38


39

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations

• Step 5: Dynamically Resolve Violations• Begin resolving issues by substation

• Make changes to problem relays via automated solution while coordination results are dynamically updated

• Allows engineer to instantly see how their changes have affected the scope of the grid.


Violations

Dynamically Resolve

Violations


S40


41

Verify Model Data

Run Coordination

Study


Template Criteria

Dynamically Resolve

Violations



Violations

• Step 6: Generate Final Report• After all changes have been made/approved:

• Export updated settings into short-circuit program model

• Export updated settings to .rdb

• Export final report

Dynamically Resolve

Violations







• Conclusions

42

Conclusion• PRC-027 compliance process can be simplified and improved

by advances in software.

• Our streamlined framework builds upon our previous work to provide a customizable process for relay settings development, meeting the requirement for R1.

• We’ve extended the framework to address R2, providing a process that aids in model verification, enables flexibility in coordination study specification and productivity in violation resolution.

• Continued emphasis on copy/paste removal. Mission critical data should not be manually transmitted.

43

Thank You

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