A graphical block platform for real-time DSP-based digital relay development

Computer relaying is playing an ever more important role in power system protection as technology advances. This paper describes an integrated graphical block platform for digital relay development, which was built using commercial software Hypersignal RIDE, Microsoft Visual C++ and digital signal processor (DSP) hardware. The developed platform aims to aid researchers/relay engineers to design custom algorithms and then configure general relay hardware to run such algorithms. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, a graphical digital distance relay (GDDR) for transmission line protection was implemented using this platform. The performance of the developed relay was tested in open-loop real time mode by interfacing with power system simulators PSCAD/EMTDC and Real Time Playback (RTP).