This project will investigate the feasibility of using Digital Twin (DT) technology to support local network restoration plans and the implementation of adaptive protection systems to address challenges associated with high penetration of Inverter Based Generation (IBG) within a power network. Conceptual development will be carried out to model power networks and essential equipment, and build a virtual “twin” system to digitally simulate the live operation. A Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) will be deployed with live data fed from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) for on-line decision-making and off-line testing/analyses. The project will showcase the use of such a DT system to support the local network restoration plan, in addition to adaptive protection capabilities to eliminate the risks of maloperation.
Benefits
The project aims to investigate the feasibility of using Digital Twin (DT) methodology to assist network restoration and implement adaptive protection. The project will design a virtual twin system to digitally simulate the live operation of a power network with essential power network component representations. The conceptually designed DT system will enable the capability of “playing ahead of the game” and providing real-time decision-making assistance to network controllers for network restoration and allow for the adaptive adjustment of protection settings. The benefits are calculated based on improved efficiency of network restoration from the completion of the project till the end of 2044/45. Based on our cost benefit analysis, the estimated benefit in NPV terms can reach around £146m if the project is successful.
Learnings
Outcomes
2023/24
- DL 1-1A review survey of the DT technology has been undertaken. It was found that a DT system can assist network restoration assessment in selecting the best restoration route to reduce restoration time and predict system performance in network restoration.
A comprehensive review of the existing network restoration plans all over the world in terms of methodologies and best practices from industry, international organisation regulations, and academia have been conducted. One of the findings is that fixed parameters in protection and control are not suitable for all black start conditions. Potential solutions can be applying adaptive protection and control systems where parameters are automatically reconfigured. A real blackout event has been analysed. In particular, the root cause of blackout and restoration procedures has been reviewed. It was found that unforeseen protection operation or inappropriate operational decisions can be the root cause of cascading outages, leading to wide area blackouts. Inadequate protection configurations can hinder and delay the restoration of a power network. The protection relay settings are usually calculated and proposed for the normal power system configuration including limited credible contingencies, while the system configuration may change and demonstrate different characteristics during the restoration process. Thus, protection settings under this circumstance may not be valid anymore meaning that protection maloperation or mis operation may occur during network restoration.
A conceptional design of the LJRP analysis tool has been developed. This resilience analysis framework can be used to assess a network resilience level under given LJRP and demonstrate the recovery capability of the LJRP. The framework will be used to analyse the resilience of the studied network in the later scope of work.
Recommendations for further work
No recommendations at this stage.
Lessons Learnt
No changes have been made to project scope, cost and plan.
Dissemination
N/A
