Loopback testing of electric power protection systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021109139-A1
Application number	US-202016919896-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2020
Priority date	Oct 10, 2019
Publication date	Apr 15, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods to test an electric power delivery system include a communication subsystem to transmit test signals to one or more merging units, a test subsystem to transmit a test data stream to the one or more merging units via the communication subsystem, and a processor subsystem to receive looped back data from the one or more merging unit in response to the transmitted test data stream and to determine an operating condition based on the looped back data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system to test an electric power delivery system, comprising:
a merging unit, comprising:
a communication subsystem, comprising:
a monitored equipment interface to receive information from monitored equipment; and
a relay interface, comprising:
a first port to receive information from a protective relay; and
a second port to transmit information to the protective relay;

a test mode selection subsystem to allow a user to select one of an operating mode and a testing mode; and
a routing subsystem to route information from the monitored equipment interface to the relay interface in the operating mode, and to route a test data stream from the first port to the second port in the testing mode.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a protective relay in communication with the relay interface of the merging unit, the protective relay further comprising a protective action subsystem to perform at least one protective action in response to the test data stream.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising test unit in communication with the protective relay to produce the test data stream.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the protective relay is further to communicate the protective action to the test unit.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the testing unit is comprised in a supervisory system.

6 . The system of claim 1 , the test mode selection subsystem is further to enter into the testing mode in response to receipt of the test data stream.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the test data stream comprises a plurality of time-aligned instructions.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein routing subsystem is further to redirect information received from the first port to the second port in the test mode.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the test data stream passes from the first port to the second port substantially unmodified by the merging unit.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the test mode selection subsystem comprises at least one of a physical input or a logical input to allow a user to select one of the operating mode and the testing mode.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the test data stream is to be communicated from the merging unit to the protective relay via a communication link utilized in the operating mode.

12 . A system to test a primary protection relay of an electric power delivery system, comprising:
a first merging unit, comprising:
a communication subsystem, comprising:
a monitored equipment interface to receive information from monitored equipment; and
a relay interface, comprising:
a first port to receive information from a protective relay; and
a second port to transmit information to the protective relay;

a test mode selection subsystem to allow a user to select one of an operating mode and a testing mode; and
a routing subsystem to route information from the monitored equipment interface to the relay interface in the operating mode, and to route a test data stream from the first port to the second port in the testing mode;
a protective relay, comprising:
a protective relay communication subsystem in communication with the relay interface; and
a protective action subsystem to perform at least one protective action in response to the test data stream; and
a supervisory unit, comprising:
a testing unit to produce the test data stream; and
a supervisory unit communication subsystem in communication with the primary protective relay subsystem.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the protective relay is to communicate the protective action to the testing unit.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test data stream comprises a plurality of time-aligned instructions.

15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a second merging unit, and wherein the first merging unit and the second merging unit are to each execute a subset of the plurality of time-aligned instructions at predetermined times specified by the plurality of time-aligned instructions.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test mode selection subsystem comprises at least one of a physical input or a logical input to allow a user to select one of the operating mode and the testing mode.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test data stream passes from the first port to the second port substantially unmodified by the merging unit.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the supervisory system is further to parse a testing file to identify a plurality of instructions to communicate to the merging unit and to generate the test data stream based on the testing file.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test data stream is to be communicated from the merging unit to the protective relay via a communication link utilized in the operating mode.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test data stream is to be communicated from the testing unit to the protective relay via a communication link used in the operating mode.

Assignees

• Schweitzer Engineering Lab Inc

Inventors

• Schweitzer Iii Edmund O
• Whitehead David E
• Gubba Ravikumar Krishnanjan
• Wade Austin Edward

Classifications

• H02J13/1331

  using wireless data transmission · CPC title

• H02J13/12 Primary

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• Y04S10/30

  State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge · CPC title

• Y02E60/00

  Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation · CPC title

• Y04S40/126

  using wireless data transmission · CPC title