Relay Performance Testing

J.P. Gosalia
Doble Engineering Company, Boston, USA
Introduction
Many utilities are downsizing their organizations in order to become more competitive. However,
downsizing only works if new technologies are implemented so that the organization becomes more
efficient with fewer people. In relay testing there are many procedures that were created in 1950 with then
the current technology. In 1950, slide rules were used to perform complex calculations, Electro-
mechanical techniques were used for relay designs and passive components were used for test
equipment. In 1990, technology has changed dramatically. The advancement in digital signal processing
and microprocessor technology allows the relay design engineer to design state of the art relay protection
scheme. Modern relay systems are multi-function digital devices that are designed to provide complete
protection for a power system component like line, transformer, generator etc. Some of the newer designs
have over 2000 setting possibilities and require extensive configuration and setting procedures. The
traditional method of testing individual Steady-State calibrations is no longer viable because of the
excessive time required to reconfigure each individual element. With the modern test equipment we can,
and should, do things differently in order to improve productivity.
By testing the protection scheme under power system condition using modern test instruments
the performance of the protection scheme can be ensured. Dynamic relay testing means testing under
simulated power system conditions. A report from IEEE Power System Relaying Committee entitled Relay
Performance Testing discusses how dynamic-state testing and transient simulations provide a far better
understanding of how the relay system performs. By making a profile of the operation of the scheme,
malfunctions can be found faster because it is easier to identify the changes in areas that don't operate
the way they are expected.
The objective of this paper is to present the different test methods their advantages and
limitations. The paper also describes the use and advantages of performing satellite synchronized end-to-
end test.

Traditional Relay Testing

Historically, users performed relay testing using passive components such as variacs, load boxes
and phase shifters. These tests only verified the relay setting and gave no indication of how the relay
would operate under power system conditions. With the passive test instruments, this was the best that
could be done. Traditional test methods are not only time consuming but also do not provide confidence
that the relay will properly operate under power system conditions. The interaction of the relay’s in-built
protection features and how they are affected by power system conditions need to be evaluated to truly
understand the relay’s performance.

Types of Relay Testing

As relay designs became more advanced with the solid-state and microprocessor-based technology,
advanced test methods should be used to test the relays, protection schemes and systems.

The types of relay testing are:

• Integrity testing
• Application testing

Integrity Testing
This test establishes whether the relay was manufactured, delivered, installed, and maintained
according to the relay’s published specifications. Integrity testing is normally performed as acceptance
testing and for periodic testing to check the relay. Integrity Testing is also called Steady State testing or
routine testing.
Application Testing
This test is performed after the Integrity Test. Application testing provides more comprehensive
tests to ensure that the performance of the relay is satisfactory for its intended application. This is
especially important when published specifications do not provide adequate detail to be sure of proper
application. The test is performed by either DFR playback of specific fault disturbances or play back of the
waveforms created by mathematical simulation to assess relay performance. Scheme testing using
dynamic or transient testing falls in to this category.
Steady-State Testing (Integrity Testing)
In Steady-State Testing, phasor quantities are held stable for duration much longer than the
operating time of the relay, and then are varied in increments much smaller than the resolution of the
relay.

Figure 1

The reasons to perform Steady-State Testing are:

• To confirm relay settings.
• To determine faulty components of the relay.
In the case of digital relays, Steady-State Testing can reveal the defects in functioning of coils, capacitors,
and resistors. For Electro-mechanical relays, it can reveal weakened springs, dirty contacts or loose
setting screws that may have vibrated loose and caused the settings to drift.
Steady-State Testing can be very time consuming. Automation of Steady-State Testing provides many
advantages. Some of the advantages are listed below.
• Reduced Testing time
• Provides consistent test methods so that results obtained can be used to evaluate the relay
condition.
• Increased productivity of testing personnel, which results in increased job satisfaction and variety.
• Reduced protection maintenance cost and increased reliability
• Testing automation allows trending of historic test data, which can be used for scheduling test
intervals.
Block diagram of typical test automation is shown in figure 2.

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The procedures for these tests are based on the assumption that users only had basic test components
available, such as variacs, load boxes and phase shifters. In Steady-State Testing phasors are slowly
varied to determine relay settings (Figure 1). If the relays passed the test, all that was known that the
relay is set correctly. All the components of a scheme are being tested this way to ensure their setting.
With the Steady-State Testing, how the scheme will operates in service and under power system
condition is not known?
Certain assumptions are made in Steady-State Testing of distance relays as shown in Figure 3.
 Figure 3

These tests do not simulate power system conditions and the important circuits like polarizing and
memory circuits are not being tested. For these reasons, Steady-State Testing results should only be
used for reference, as these tests do not test relays under power system conditions.
In the past for more definitive tests under power system conditions, users could model their power system
on a simulator at the manufacturer’s site, but this was very expensive and time consuming. Therefore,
only protection schemes that were to be applied on critical applications were tested this way, using either
a PTL (Programmable Transmission Line), TNA (Transient Network Analyzer), or ATL (Artificial
Transmission Line).
Application Testing: Dynamic-state Testing
To ensure the performance of the scheme for the intended application, the scheme should be
checked under power system condition. Before the application of a particular scheme, requirements of
the protection scheme for the intended application need to be identified.
Relay protection scheme design is characterized by two major considerations:
• Security: the measure of the relay not to misoperate for an external fault conditions
• Dependability: the measure of the relay to operate for an internal fault conditions
These two considerations define relay reliability. The system component to be protected must be
reviewed with regard to the power system as a whole, to establish the priority needed. As shown in Figure
4, the protection cannot be designed to provide both high security and high dependability, so the
protection needs to be tested in a way that ensures the most important considerations are satisfied for a
particular application.
 Figure 4
EHV protection applications demand that the protection scheme provide security to ensure system
stability. Conversely, distribution protection applications demand system dependability to ensure
continuity of power.
Once decisions have been made on the appropriate protection for a given application, the user needs to
confirm the proper operation of the protection before it is placed in service. This Testing needs to be
performed at, or before, the commissioning stage.
The advancements and affordability of microprocessor and digital signal processing technology now
makes Testing of protection schemes by the user under power system conditions practical. Digital test
equipment can be used to perform dynamic-state testing of protection scheme. Complete scheme and
not the individual relay modules need to be tested using dynamic state Testing to evaluate the
performance of the scheme. Modern, portable Power System Simulators are now readily available and
reasonably priced, allows user to simulate power system events easily.
Dynamic-state Testing allows fundamental frequency components to be synchronously switched to
represent the power system events. The synchronous switching between the pre-fault, fault and post-
fault conditions allows user to simulate a power system event easily and quickly.
PC-based software controls the simulators and switches the phasors synchronously between the
states to simulate power system events (Figure 5).
 Figure 5
Test data for dynamic simulation can be calculated using short-circuit programs, fault simulation software
or recordings of Digital Fault Recorders (DFR). Using this technique the response of the protection
scheme can be analyzed for different fault types to ensure the proper operation of the scheme. Figure 6
shows a waveform recording of a dynamic state test.

Figure 6

It can be used to perform following tests on a line protection scheme.

• Reach accuracy for all fault types in all zones of protection
• Operate time
• Switch-on-to-fault protection
• Blown fuse detection
• Power swing blocking
• Programmable logic
It is also important to note that dynamic-state testing allows the testing of various zones of distance
protection scheme without the need to disable other zones, switch-on-to-fault protection, VT supervision
etc. as duration of each state during simulation can be controlled.
Using Dynamic State Simulation Testing, user can easily plot the dynamic characteristic of the relay.
(Figure 7).
 Figure 7

Considerations for Dynamic-state Testing:

The first questions to ask are:
• How many test instruments are needed?
• Will the whole scheme be tested, or only a part of it?
• How many states are needed for simulation?
• How many connections are required?
• How many test leads will be needed?
Once this is determined, the only equipment needed to begin testing is dynamic-state simulation software
and high power active sources. Following example indicates the power requirement for testing simple line
protection scheme at 1A, 5A and 10A fault current.
Consider a typical microprocessor based line protection scheme with breaker fail and directional over
current back up protection. Total impedance of the circuit for A to Ground fault loop including lead
resistance for interconnection is approx. 2.37 Ohms. Following table indicates the power (VA)
requirement for the current source for different values of test current.

Test Current Power

1A 2.37 VA
5A 59.25 VA
10 A 237 VA

Power requirement of the current source increases by square of the test current. Power rating for current
source is defined as the power delivered by the current source at the maximum current value of the
current range. If the instrument has one current range of say 15 A and power rating of the current source
is 100 VA, it will deliver 100 VA at 15 A. It will deliver
 • 66 VA at 10 A
• 33 VA at 5 A
• 6.6 VA at 1 A
To get more power at different test values, test instrument with multiple current range should be used. If
the instrument of 450 VA rating has say 3 current range of 7.5, 15 and 30 A. It will deliver
• 300 VA at 10 A (at 15 A range)
• 300 VA at 5 A (at 7.5 A range)
• 60 VA at 1 A (at 7.5 A range)
Test instrument with multiple current range is capable of providing more power compared to an
instrument with one current range of the same power rating.
Another important factor in determining power requirements is the test lead considerations. To
reduce the power loss in the test leads, impedance of the test leads should be minimized. To minimize
the impedance of the test leads:
• Use a larger gauge test lead
• Keep leads as short as possible
• Do not coil excess test leads
• Do not use the instrument ground as the return path
• Twisted pairs can be used to cancel mutual inductance

Transient Simulation Testing (Application Testing)

Transient simulation Testing simultaneously applies both fundamental and non-fundamental
frequency components of voltage and current that represents power system conditions. The test signals
can be the
• Actual signals received by protection scheme during power system disturbance captured by
Digital Fault Recorders.
• Calculated signals using Electro Magnetic Transient Program (EMTP or ATP).
Modern digital relays are capable of recording signals used by relays during power system disturbances
but it may not capture high frequency components of voltage and current due to lower sampling rates
compared to digital fault recorders.
Typical DFRs can record signals at 200 to 400 µSec steps and EMTP can generate signal at 50 to 100
µSec steps. The sampling rate used for EMTP or ATP simulation is important to truly simulate power
system conditions with different fault inception angle. DC coupled power amplifiers are used to play
transients into the relay.
Transient Testing helps user
• In evaluating relay and protection scheme performance under actual power system conditions
• In the analysis of questionable relay operations
• In testing relays and protection scheme with special characteristics.
Modern Digital Fault Recorders and numerical protections can provide fault records in
COMTRADE format and can easily be played back by the modern test instruments. A typical record is as
shown below in figure 8.
 Figure 8
Sample by sample control of the voltage and current sources of the test instrument is required to faithfully
reproduce the waveforms. One important point need to be considered here is to study how test
instrument plays back the events. Some DFRs, records the events at different sampling rate in one
recording. Hence test instrument should be able to replay different rates of the recording. If play back of
the signal is to be done at rate different than originally recorded utmost care need to taken in the
sampling rate conversion.

End-to-end Testing
Today, many utilities perform end-to-end Testing regularly as a means to test the entire protection
scheme at both line ends under power system condition. End-to-end Testing is the ultimate testing tool
because this test closely simulates the actual conditions the protection will experience in service.
End-to-end scheme Testing can be used to
• Evaluate the performance of the complete protection scheme and it's associated equipment.
• Ensure the proper operation of the communication equipment for pilot relaying schemes.
• Prove the proper coordination and operation between two line ends of a line protection scheme in
current reversal and evolving fault conditions.
End-to-end Testing can be used for commissioning tests and as a diagnostic tool. The test does require
high power to check the complete scheme that may include primary and backup relaying, high fault
current events, and schemes mixed with digital and Electro-mechanical relays.
 Comm Channel

Protection
under test

Figure 9
To ensure the accuracy of the test, Global Positioning Satellite synchronization (GPS) needs to be utilized
as shown in Figure 9. Power system simulator with built in GPS satellite receiver can synchronize its
output accurately using time signal from the GPS satellite.
The GPS system was developed and deployed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the early 1980’s as
the most accurate radio timing and navigation system ever devised. Each of the 24 satellites presently
deployed carries an ensemble of onboard atomic clocks, which are traceable to the United States Navel
Observatory (USNO) to an accuracy better than 100 nanoseconds. The GPS based time receivers (now
commercially available from a number of manufacturers) are able to transfer time referenced to Universal
Coordinated Time (UTC) to better than 150 nanoseconds. Such receivers are being used at electric
utilities for time tagging on SCADA, fault recorder and sequence of events recorder systems.
The GPS system provides a range of output signal options, the most useful to electric utilities
being the 1 pulse per second (1PPS) synchronizing pulse and the IRIG-B Standard Time Code signal.
The test instrument, when equipped with the GPS time sync option, can use the 1PPS signal from the
GPS receiver to phase lock the synchronizing signal. The IRIG-B signal is used by the test is linked to a
local laptop PC via RS232 Cable. This time is then used by the Dynamic State Simulation or transient
play back Software to synchronize the test instruments at any substation. A test instrument can be set to
initiate, automatically, an end-to-end test at exactly the same time. The only thing the test engineer at
each terminal need to verify is that the “GO AT’ (Start) time on each station’s PC display for the State
Simulator Program or transient program shows the same time. This is the Test instrument initiation time,
which in an End-to-end test must be the same at each terminal. By injecting the appropriate voltage and
current phasors at each end of the line, performance of the protection scheme along with the associated
equipment like communication scheme can be easily checked.
When test instrument is equipped with GPS satellite receiver, it can use 1PPS signal from the
GPS receiver to phase lock the synchronizing signal. This is very useful when testing protection schemes
located on panels in different locations within the same substation. The lead burdens that would be
experienced to wire the schemes together would exceed the power requirements of the test sets.
Synchronization using GPS avoids this as test instruments can be placed near the relay panel for testing
protection scheme without excessive lead burden. As and example breaker fail relay and line protection
scheme may be located in two different panel. To check both schemes at the same time, set of test
instrument can be placed near each panel and can be tested simultaneously using same start time.

Conclusion

Steady-State Testing can only test each individual component of a system. The entire system
cannot be tested as a whole to observe its behavior under power system conditions. The inability to test
the complete system leaves many gaps in the test procedure. Misoperations in service are generally due
to the performance of the untested parts of the system. Steady-State Testing only confirms that relay is
alive and setting has not drifted. It is useful in ensuring that electromechanical components are working
properly. Steady-State Testing should be automated using PC for efficient and consistent Testing. Test
data should be stored and can be used to track the drifting in the test results and test scheduling.
Dynamic Testing synchronously changes the fundamental frequency voltage and current phasors
and closely simulates power system events. Computerized control of the instrument and PC power
system model allows user to evaluate protection performance for the different power system events.
Dynamic Testing of the complete protection scheme ensures the proper functioning of the scheme during
power system disturbances.
Complete protection scheme should checked rather than testing individual relays or modules, as
complete scheme testing confirms the proper interaction between various modules of the scheme. In
testing complete scheme, it is very important that test instrument is capable of supplying required power.
Multiple ranges on the current source are capable of providing more power compared to only one current
range.
Transient Testing simulates fundamental, harmonic and all other frequency component including
DC component in the voltage and current phasors. It is very useful in analyzing the questionable
response of the protection scheme. Modern test instrument with DC coupled amplifier with sample by
sample control allows play back of the transient event using PC based transient program. Care need to
be taken in data conversion if the play back rate is not the same as recording rate.
The use of satellite synchronized dynamic Testing provides the closest simulation to true power
system conditions that is available with existing technology. This provides all the benefit of observing
how the protection system operates and relates to all its components. End-to-end Testing dramatically
increases confidence in the reliability and proper operation of the protection under actual operating
conditions.
Satellite synchronized dynamic Testing now makes routine end-to-end Testing feasible and
desirable. The quality of the test results, combined with the reduction in test time, allow a previously
special test to become routine, thus improving the quality and reliability of the protection.
 References
1. IEEE Special Publication # 96TP115-0 Relay Performance Testing Power System
Relaying Committee, Report of Working Group I 13.
2. Dynamic Relay Testing, A.T. Giuliante, Pennsylvania Electric Association Relay Committee,
February 2, 1990.
3. Dynamic Relay Testing Seminar, A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus.
4. Protection Scheme Testing Using a Power System Model, J.A. Jodice, Doble
Engineering Company and A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, International Conference of Doble Clients
March 25-29, 1996.
5. A New Philosophy for Protection Diagnostics, J.A. Jodice, Doble Engineering Company
and A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, Pennsylvania Electric Association Relay Committee, September 18,
1996.
6. Re-engineering Relay Engineering, A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, Texas A&M University 50th
Annual Conference for Protective Relay Engineers, April 7-9, 1997
7. End-to-End Testing for Routine Maintenance, Cliff Tienken, Central Hudson Gas & Electric
Corporation, Jay Gosalia, Doble Engineering Company and A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, 1997
Annual Western Protective Relay Conference, October 21-23, 1997.
8. Relay Response to Abnormal Conditions, A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, IEEE Winter Power
Meeting, February 5, 1998.
9. Mysterious Disturbances Resolved Using Load Flow Power System Model, Cliff
Tienken Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation and A.T. Giuliante, ATG Exodus, Doble ProTesT
User Group Meeting, February 25, 1998.

About The Author

Jay Gosalia is currently working at Doble Engineering Company as Vice President of Engineering
and Marketing. He has over 22 years of experience in the Power Engineering field, 17 of which have
been dedicated to the development and marketing of Protective Relays. Prior to joining Doble
Engineering, Jay was the U.S. Sales & Marketing Manager at GEC Alsthom T&D, Protection & Control
Division for 13 years. Prior to GEC, Jay worked at ABB in the Circuit Breaker Division as a design and
development engineer.
Jay is an active member of the IEEE Power System Relaying Committee and has authored
several technical papers on Protective Relays. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and M.S. in
Computer Science.