Computer controlled protection testing-a Western Australian experience

Accurate secondary injection testing of power system protection equipment is essential in order to establish performance characteristics both in the laboratory and in the field. Traditional, analogue test equipment has not always provided the desired results. This is because analogue equipment that will produce these results is very complex, cumbersome and expensive. The availability of powerful, compact computers and microchip technology have provided the means to take an innovative approach to this problem. The author describes a project which was initiated by the protection section of SECWA to exploit this technology to provide both a laboratory test facility and a portable equipment suitable for use in the field