IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol 12, No 1, January 1997 169

RELAY PERFORMANCE TESTING

- A Power System Relaying Committee Publication
J.A. Jodice
Chairman, Working Group I13
Abstract -This paper briefly describes the special
publication "Relay Performance Testing" prepared by
Working Group I13 of the Relaying Practices and
Consumer Interface Protection Subcommittee of the
IEEE Power System Relaying Committee. The salient
features of the publication are identified and brief
descriptions are included. New terms used in the
publication are described for immediate reference of the
readers. Those interested in this subject are urged to
obtain a copy of the publication from the IEEE.
Keywords: Protection, testing, relays, transient
simulators
I. INTRODUCTION
The Power System Relaying Committee of the Power
Engineering Society formed, in 1989, the working
group 1-13 (Relay Performance Testing), and assigned to
it the task of preparing a report on the methods for
steady-state, transient and dynamic testing of modern
relays. The Working Group completed recently its
report, "Relay Performance Testing", which has been
published by the IEEE. This special publication,
identified as Pub. No. 96 TP 115-0, can be purchased
from the Publications Sales Department, IEEE Service
Center, 445 Hoes Lane, P.O. Box 1331 , Piscataway, NJ,
08854-1331, USA.
The purpose of the publication is two fold [ 11. Firstly, to
provide relay users with an understanding of the
strengths and limitations of testing methods used for
evaluating the performance of protective relays and,
secondly, to serve as a reference for the development of
test plans for checking relay performance and
determining its suitability for the intended application.
While the material presented in the publication is
applicable to a wide variety of relays, it is not a guide for
testing specific types of relays. Various objectives
associated with relay performance testing are identified,
and means for achieving those objectives are described
in it. A discussion of test signals and the'equipment used
to produce them is presented.
An example of a comprehensive test plan, which
illustrates several test approaches, is included. The
example shows how a particular utility applied specific
tests to ensure that the relay performance would meet the
specified application objectives.
The report also defines several terms that are used in it
but were not previously defined in the standards.
11. DEFINITIONS
The new terms used in the report are steady-state test,
dynamic-state test, transient simulation test, integrity test
and application test. These terms are briefly explained
here for the immediate reference of the readers.
A steady-state test consists of applying, to the relay,
excitations whose phasors are held stable for a
duration much longer than the operating time of the
relay.
The excitations are then varied in increments much
smaller than the resolution of the relay. These tests
are used to determine the setting of the parameters
of the relay.
A dynamic-state test consists of applying, to the
relay, excitations which include the fundamental
frequency components of system currents
representing pre-fault, fault and post-fault periods.
The excitation used in this test could be steady-state
sinusoidal waveforms of amplitudes corresponding
to those experienced in the pre-fault, fault and post
fault periods.
A transient simulation test consists of using
excitations which include components of the
fundamental and high order frequencies experienced
during system operating conditions.
The signals used in these tests could have come
from data recorded from the system or data
generated by analyzing computer models of a power
system using electromagnetic transient analysis
programs. The data could also include the effects of
ct saturation and cvt subsidence.
An integrity test is intended to establish that the
relay was manufactured and installed, and is being
maintained to meet its published specifications.
The first instance of performing this test on a relay
is when it is received from the manufacturer. These
tests are also performed periodically; the intervals
between successive tests are determined by
considering several factors, such as
recommendations of the manufacturer, operating

96 SM 527-2 PWRD A paper recommended and approved by the IEEE

Power System Relaying Committee of the IEEE Power Engineering
Society for presentation at the 1996 IEEUPES Summer Meeting, July 28
- August 1, 1996, in Denver, Colorado. Manuscriut , 22..
' submitted Mav
1996; made available for printing May 28, 1996.
0885-8977/97/$10.000 1996 IEEE
170
history of the relay, complexity of the protection
function and importance of the protected equipment.
These tests are important basic procedures which
should precede the application tests.
0 An application test is intended to discover whether
the performance of the relay is satisfactory for the
intended application.
This test is recommended for use in situations when
the published specifications do not include sufficient
details to ensure proper application. Performed
periodically, this test is intended for design
verificationhype testing, relay selection,
commissioninghystem testing and operation
analysis.
These tests are intended to confirm that the relays
perform as designed by the manufacturer, and as
required by the user. The evaluation helps to ensure
adequate protection of the power system equipment, and
the system as a whole.
111. TEST SIGNALS
The report outlines what should and should not be done
when signals are selected for applying to a relay for
testing it. The requirements of the voltage and current
signals used for steady-state, dynamic and transient
simulation tests are described. Discussions of several
issues such as, the fundamental frequency steady-state
sine waves, controlled and instantaneous change of
amplitudes, changing phase angles, changing frequency
and rate of change of frequency, harmonics, transient
components and, line synchronized and self
synchronized operation, are included in the report.
The impacts of the test source specifications on the test
results are also discussed. The phasor relationships for
different types of faults are described. The need for
synchronized switching of different excitations, used for
testing relays, is also discussed.
IV. TEST EQUIPMENT
The report describes the evolution of equipment for
testing relays starting from general purpose load boxes,
variacs, and phase shifters to today’s computer based
electronic simulators. The characteristics of passive
electromechanical test equipment are reviewed and
criteria for its use are presented.
Electronic Test Equipment
Electronic test equipment, which is extensively used
now, is described for bringing out their broad
applicability.
Several advanced functions are provided in the newer
digital designs. These include synchronous switching of
phasors, playback of waveforms from external digital
files, use of external frequency references from satellites.
The usefulness of these features is described in the
report.
Reproduction of dc offsets, along with the ac waveforms,
by using dc coupled feedback amplifiers is discussed.
The use of automated PC based steady-state, dynamic
and transient test programs is also reviewed.
Key issues concerning the operation of electronic test
instruments are examined. These include test signal
frequency, clock reference signals, waveform generation
and signal feedback.
Transient Simulators
Transient simulators are being used more frequently to
identify anomalies in relay operations and to ensure that
the relays perform their intended functions effectively.
These simulators include three most commonly used
types which are described in the report. These are:
analog simulators (also known as Model Power Systems
- MPS), real time digital simulators and playback digital
simulators.
Analog simulators
Two types of analog simulators, which use scaled down
models of power system components, are used. Fault
location, fault type and point on wave fault initiation are
controllable in these simulators. Low level output
simulators use power conditioning amplifiers to convert
the signals to levels suitable for testing the relays. High
level output simulators are expensive, take considerable
space and are mostly used by the manufacturers, large
utilities and research laboratories.
Real time digital simulators
Real time digital simulators model power systems using
electromagnetic transient programs. Some of them use
parallel processing computers to solve system
performance equations, advancing time by a few ps in
each iteration. The outputs of the programs drive the
conditioning amplifiers whose outputs are used for
testing relays. The advantage of this approach is that
different operating states of a power system can be
conveniently modeled.
Typical electrical and physical characteristics of a real
time digital simulator are described in the report.
Playback digital simulators
Playback digital simulators use either off-line solutions
of electromagnetic transient programs or recordings from
digital devices, such as fault recorders. The outputs of
the programs (or data recorded from the system) are
converted from numerical values to equivalent analog
signals. These are amplified to suitable levels before
applying to the relay being tested.

These simulators are less costly than the real time
simulators and are smaller than the large-signal-output
analog simulators. They, however, cannot accept inputs
from the relay under test or interact with it. Because
these simulators do not have to work in real time, they
require less computing power than the real time
simulators, and can usually model much latger and more
complex power systems.
Power Conditioning amplifiers
Since power conditioning amplifiers are a common key
component used in analog, real time and playback
simulators, information on their ratings is provided. The
basis for arriving at those ratings are also discussed in
the report.
V. TEST METHODS
A summary of the information contained in the signals
and the available test equipment is included in the report.
The selection of test equipment and signals to be used
for testing relays is discussed. The report also provides
the criteria for selecting appropriate test methods for
different tests. Precautions that must be taken, while
performing the tests, are outlined.
VI. EXAMPLE
An example is included in the report. This example
describes the efforts of a Canadian utility which
developed a program for determining whether a
171
multifunciton relay could be applied to some of its
hydraulic generators. The test program checks the
numerous relay pickup and timing functions, and contact
chatter near pickup settings for numerous relay and
system configurations.
The tests check the accuracy of A/D converters, voltage
and current measuring elements (during steady state and
transient operation), current measuring elements (during
dynamic state operation), frequency elements, negative
sequence elements, directional elements, and system
tests.
VII. CONCLUSIONS
This paper has briefly described the contents of the
special publication on "Relay Performance Testing"
prepared by the I13 Working Group of the Relaying
Practices and Consumer Interface Subcommittee of the
Power System Relaying Committee of the IEEE PES.
The Power System Relaying Committee believes that the
publication provides helpful information for use by
engineers and technicians who test relays, and also for
use by other engineers and technicians who are
interested in this subject.
VIII. REFERENCE
1. Relay Performance Testing, IEEE Power System
Relaying Committee Report, Special Publication
NO. 96 TP 115-0, 1996, pp. 1-25.