Testing of an HVDC IED Prototype Using Field Recordings

Testing of protection intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) for high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) systems is usually constrained to simulated HVDC faults because systematic testing with faults on full-scale HVDC systems is not feasible. However, all simulations are subject to inaccuracies. In this paper, an HVDC IED prototype is tested with real fault recordings from an operational point-to-point HVDC link. Firstly, the successful response of the prototype HVDC IED to fault recordings from a real system is presented. Secondly, the behaviour of different protection algorithms and filters is analysed, leading to conclusions about the applicability in a real system. The results are useful because the gained knowledge is based on both a real prototype HVDC IED and a real fault recording, and not a simulation.