On November 13, 2024, more than ten industry experts from the State Grid General Dispatch Center, China Southern Power Grid General Dispatch Center, and the dispatch centers of Zhejiang, Hunan, Yunnan, Hebei, Hubei, Henan, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Shandong provinces, as well as from the Electric Power Research Institutes of Guangdong, Hainan, and Anhui, jointly participated in the Seminar and Review Meeting on New-type Power System Simulation Testing Technology, which was hosted by Xuchang KETOP Testing Research Institute Co., Ltd.

The Seminar and Review Meeting was presided over by Dr. Li Yaping, General Manager of KETOP.

KETOP has always focused on the inspection and testing of power secondary equipment. In the testing of secondary equipment, simulation testing is a crucial component, placing high demands on the hardware and software performance of the test equipment, the professional knowledge of test personnel, and the ability to analyze test results. Since 2013, when KETOP began undertaking professional testing work for State Grid and China Southern Grid, it encountered a series of technical challenges including testing of digital protection devices, massive input/output of device information, stability control system testing, distribution network equipment testing, new energy equipment testing, and traveling wave device testing. To address these challenges and make simulation testing more comprehensive, in-depth, and efficient, over the past decade, KETOP independently researched and developed the RTplus real-time digital power grid simulation system.

      During the seminar and review meeting, KETOP presented the RTplus solution for AC secondary equipment testing. The presentation covered the hardware and software composition of RTplus and its technological evolution, highlighting key technical features such as graphical multi-core modeling technology, real-time model operation technology, real-time model monitoring technology, power grid fault simulation technology, smart interface technology, station control layer batch operation technology, automated data management technology, and batch waveform processing technology. It also introduced the application of RTplus based on these features in typical scenarios, including conventional dynamic simulation tests, State Grid professional testing, China Southern Grid sample submission testing, relay protection competition support, simulation laboratory construction, and stability control system burn-in testing . 

    KETOP presented the RTplus solution for new energy simulation testing. The solution encompasses the following key aspects:

1. It achieves hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation of converter controllers through trigger pulse averaging modeling technology and high-speed trigger pulse sampling technology.

2. Real-time closed-loop operation with externalized controller dynamic link libraries is enabled via high-speed communication technology based on the Aurora protocol.

3. Granular simulation of new energy power stations is realized using controller control strategy modeling technology and hierarchical modeling technology, addressing closed-loop testing for grid-connected control protection and coordination controller equipment.

4. Closed-loop testing for control equipment in park-level energy internet and virtual power plant scenarios is implemented based on multi-element modeling technology (covering water, electricity, gas, cooling, etc.) and multi-cycle computing scheduling technology.

     KETOP presented the RTplus solution for distribution network simulation testing. This solution performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of both steady-state and transient characteristics under various distribution network fault conditions. It has conducted comparative analyses of waveform characteristics between digital simulations and a physical test field, using identical parameters and multiple fault scenarios, achieving highly consistent results. The application of RTplus was introduced in specific scenarios such as specialized testing for small current line selection and terminal equipment, construction of distribution network simulation testing environments, and testing of integrated primary-secondary equipment .

      KETOP introduced the RTplus solution for control protection digital twins. Based on the core concepts of digital twins and the practical application needs in the control protection field, the solution proposes the "Four Key Requirements" for control protection digital twins: Consistency, Interactivity, Transparency, and Shareability. To meet these four requirements, the control protection digital twin platform was constructed utilizing technologies such as hierarchical modeling technology, model variable naming conventions, sampling data processing technology, smart interface technology, real-time model operation service engine technology, and human-computer interaction technology. The application of this platform was introduced, including its use in smart fault recorder testing, simulation of stability control sub-station execution stations, development of substation combined physical-virtual simulation environments, and HVDC control and protection simulation.

With the development of the new-type power system, new challenges such as grid digitalization, large-scale integration of new energy sources, and the application of artificial intelligence have emerged. How simulation testing can meet the future development needs of the power grid has also become a challenge facing KETOP.

The attending experts engaged in a full and enthusiastic discussion regarding the simulation testing technologies presented by KETOP. On the one hand, they gave high recognition to KETOP's existing technical work in simulation testing. On the other hand, to address the development of the new-type power system, they provided opinions and suggestions in multiple aspects, including large power grid simulation, validation of new energy models, in-depth testing of distribution network equipment, stability and control system testing, special fault replay, integrated energy simulation, and embedded DC simulation.

Following the seminar and review meeting, the attending experts conducted on-site observations and discussions in the KETOP simulation test hall.

KETOP's continuous efforts and exploration in simulation testing have addressed testing challenges across multiple scenarios, including AC control protection testing, new energy testing, distribution network testing, and traveling wave testing. In the future, KETOP will continue to advance its research in accordance with the experts' opinions and suggestions, striving to fully support the quality assurance of secondary equipment for State Grid and China Southern Grid, thereby contributing its share to the development of the new-type power system.