Power system protection education and digital relay training based on a physical platform

This paper presents a physical teaching platform for digital relay operation educations. The objective of the platform is to provide opportunities for the users to practice on power protection and relaying systems. The laboratory equipment is installed on an experiment desk, which consists of four major parts: a three phase equivalent distribution network, a fault generating section, monitoring equipment systems and digital relay protection systems. The users are expected to learn the programming of digital relays, the circuit connections of the monitoring equipment systems, the operation of the fault generating section and the analysis of fault protections with assistance of relay-computer interface. The platform is capable of performing multi-type protection schemes, such as, directional overcurrent protection and pilot protection. In addition to traditional protection schemes, communication technology is also included in the experiments to equip students with adequate knowledge of automation operation in smart grid.