Functional digital twins of relay protection and relay test equipment enabling benefits in training and remote support

Abstract

Simulating functional performance in a computer - a digital twin - delivers benefits that include reduced costs, increased reliability, and better efficiency. Two of the major application areas for this new technology applied to protection relays are training and remote support. In this paper we will focus on what has been achieved today in these two topics with an insight into future possibilities. From a training perspective, a digital twin of protection relays and a relay test sets can greatly increase accessibility to all technicians and engineers. It will provide a means to get hands on experience and greatly reduce the cost. This will provide opportunity to many more employees instead of a chosen few due to the complexity of resources that are necessary when performing these types of training. Form a remote support perspective, enable the possibility to replicate a remote customer setup which can be used for troubleshooting and give expertise guidance of how to proceed to the engineers that need help in the substation. The virtual tests can be performed at home during normal work hours and the support specialist can provide a validated solution which the test engineer can repeat independently during their own work hours. In both these applications it is of fundamental importance that the twins can share the same data. This paper will detail on this important concept as well.