A Novel Approach for Power System Protection Simulation via the IEC 61850 Protocol

This research addresses a significant gap in power system protection methodologies by developing a dedicated simulation environment that supports the communication of protection relays via the IEC 61850 protocol. Current studies have focused on hardware-in-the-loop approaches, but there is a lack of research in the software-in-the-loop domain. This limitation means that manufacturer-independent simulations cannot be performed, restricting testing to the capabilities provided by the manufacturer. By introducing a relay capable of communicating within a Simulink-modeled power system through socket programming, this study harnesses the capabilities of the IEC 61850 GOOSE protocol and sampled values. This work aims to eliminate the manufacturer dependencies present in hardware-in-the-loop approaches, thereby enabling the independent development of new protection and control strategies in an academic context. Furthermore, by facilitating advanced communication strategies through a detailed simulation framework, this research contributes to the broader field of electrical engineering by offering a robust tool for developing, testing, and validating new relay communication techniques and protection schemes. This approach not only fills a critical gap in simulation capabilities but also paves the way for future advancements in power system protection and management regarding the IEC 61850 protocol.