Modular simulators match cost and performance criteria [power systems]

Digital power system simulators for protective relay testing were introduced as a concept in the late 1970s with the first designs made available in the early 1980s. Since that time, a variety of digital simulator solutions have been implemented and used by utilities, universities, and relay vendors. It is interesting to note that all of the designs had quite different implementation approaches and performance characteristics. This article features a new concept for a modular digital simulator design in which a variety of hardware and software modules have been developed and used to configure different simulator solutions. The author describes how modular digital simulator configurations range from low-cost single-user, to multiuser environments for open-loop testing and real-time application