{GEE Transactions on Power Delay, Val. 7, No, 4 Ocoer 1 2 ieee 92. COMTRADE: ‘Anew standard for common format for transient data exchange Prepared by Working Group H-5 of the Relaying Channels Subcommittee of the IEEE Power System Relaying Committee Working group members ae 'AG. Phake, Chairman, J. A. dice, Vice Chairman, MG. Adami, J.D. Bran, J. A. Bright, R.O. Bumet, JC. 1H. Casto, TW, Cease, D. M, Clark, G. Cough, D.C, Dawson, D. Fulton, EM. Gulachenst,D. Hollands, AT. Howard, DD. Jerings, M. Kezunovi, DJ. Laurence, M. Lafancos,H. I Mea, R.J. Murphy, D. Roberson, M. S. Sachdev, J. S. ‘Thor, EA. Udeen, M.A. Xavier. ABSTRACT “The paper decries anew IEEE standard developed by the Power System Relaying Commitee. It is intended for use by iat computer based devices which generate or collect wansent ata fom electric power systems, The standard should faite cachange of the transient data for the purpose of simulation, testing, validation or archival stcrage. This paper provides an coverew of the IEEE Standard, (C37.111) which should be ‘feted to fora fll description ofthe types and structures ofthe cata les. eis expected that the sondard wil be parculrly seul for uses of eigital eays, dig ful recorders, or digital simalation programs of clerical eansent phenomena, BvTRODUCTION ‘The Sandan defines a commoa format forthe exchange of clecrcal power sytem wansen data files. These fs comprise ‘record of real ot smulated power system events, They contain Aigiiaed records of vstage and curent waveforms, and logis! vents, sch as relay operations in 2 time coherent record, The format is intended for wse when indvidoas who wse diferent proprietary recording or simulation systems need 10 exchange ata. COMTRADE provides common language in which those Jerse in power sytem and proton analysis may exchange information, inthe form of digital data files, on power sysera vents. Tae standard provises compasilty with a system recommended by CIGRE working group WG3401,(1] The present standard is nat a standin for communication systems ‘The working group envisages that all manufacturers invaived 92 201-4 Find A paper secomonded and approved ty the TEEE Pover Spsten Relaying Contcees of the Tee reryres E500 winter wearing, Now fore, Nev fork sry 26-2 30, 1992. Mamuncripe sbalcees ener 17, 1991; nade avatlable for printing Sovesber 20,1091 in the manic of recontng, analysis and tenting systems wil provide 4 bridge between their own proprietary system and CCOMTRADE, Sever manufacturers have steady commited to support this standard Sources of transient data ‘Sources of Transient data presenly in we may be divided into two types: (2) Acquistion devices which record voltage, cortent and logical signals directly from the power system. “These include digtal and analog fault rece, and digital roteetive relays. (2) Simulaon devices which caleulte volge, ‘current apd logic signals from mathematical or physical model of a power system. These include transient simoltion ropams running on digital or analog computes and analog simslators Use of wansient data ‘Transient data les consin desiled information on the conditions of the power sytem during events such as faut, power swings, los of generation, energization of equipment, high harmonic leas, ee. Some applications ofthe transient data files include: 1+ Analysis and identification of undesirable sources of tarmonics and balances. + Ansys and locaton of power system faults. + Analysis of events leading to power system ine. + Use of data in digtl form 10 test digital relaying slgorinns. + Reproduction of data in analog form 0 test protective relays. Need fora standard “The need fra common format resulted fom the burgeoning Interest in analysis of the performance of power systems and thir protection subsystems. This led tthe proliferation of tevices for the acguston of simulation of power system event data. For osessorrpayssone192 IEEEFigure 1Typical COMTRADE applications lid commend reasoas diffrent manufucrurers use widely divergent formats 2nd media for daa storage. However, we now ‘bove situaons where inrconnecied ilies who share commen interconecion but we different manufactures’ euipaeat cr simulation progams cannot exchange daa about a ‘common power sytem even. This standart provides a means of sharing such information. ‘SUMMARY OF MEDIA AND FILE RECOMMENDATIONS ‘The Standard recommends the use of removable diskete media such at are commonly used by most personal computers (FCS), and defines & Ble format for string waveform, logical event aod descriptive data on this medium The files should ‘conform with Mico-Soft Disk Operating Sytem (MSDOS) Mes such as used in Intemadonsl Business Machines (BM) compatible PCS, and ar sured sing the convention for suck fies. The fle names consist of a prefix of up to eight tiptanunesic charscurs, 2 psiod, and a three characer cemension. set of files fora given event consists of three types of files with the same prefix and the obligatory extensions "HDR*,°CRG* and "DAT". Provision is mode for multiple ies in caves where all ofthe data wil ot ion one disk. Header fles ‘The HEADER ("HDR") Ble is a free form ASCII file containing any teal information the 6xginator wants to convey to the end weet. Most wor processors can make, read, and tit such files. The contenss may include information on the reoording or simulation system, and the power system locstion fiom which the event dita was derived. Power system impedances, wansformet ratios and similar information may be faded, To ensure CIGRE compatibility, information on the ota recording format and da ile must be inclded. Configuration fies ‘The CONFIGURATION ('CFG") fle is in a predetined ‘fixed format ASC (sphanumerc) format so that it can be read by 2 computer program, oc a human being. This file contains station name and identification forthe record, of simulation aod information defining the format ofthe data (DAT? file, This includes date and tne, sampling rate tequency, number aad type of channels in the data secon ofthe recned, and whether the data is stored in BINARY o ASCT format. It provides all of the information necessary to pint or make an ansiog reproduction ofthe record. The format is fixed so that it can be read by a computer for sstoaated reproduction. This fle is aot efined ia the CIGRE syste. (1)192 Dasa fies ‘The DATA (DAT? file contains the acts! data samples of the recorded or simulated event. These ae digital time gged simples ofthe instantaneous values of analog and logical events. sch discrete analog. o logical source monitored is called a tunnel. Analog chamels ae commonly voltage and caren. ‘These may have many different values depending upon the resoluion of the originating recorder or progam, and are represented by imteger values. Conversion informacion for these mumbers is contained in the "HDR" and "CEG" Ses. Logical ‘chanel ae spicy relay contac. These have only two sates + ative or native, they are represented by ones and zeroes. ‘The data file consists of rows and columns. Each row represents tie tagged Series of samples. The number of rows in a cont depends on the sampling rte and the length of @ ‘cord, There wil be as many rows at there are samples i the ‘eeord. Eich row contains one coluran for the sample number, ‘one column forthe time since the beyining ofthe record, and one colums for each analog or digital chanel. Thus 2 row fran 8 analog and & digital chanoel system will contain 18 columns, ‘Tae data is sored in ASCII format as defined inthe "CFG" fie a ASCII files the data columns ate separated by commas nd the row is terminated by a “earsage return, line feed", commonly represented ss . Information on the channet umbersype and dming Is conained in the “HDR” and"CFO" Sites. The datafile mast conform exactly 10 the format defined by the information ia the *CFG" file 50 that it can be read by a computer progres. For each row (complete se of data for one sample pesca), the storage requirements fo the daa es are a5 floes ‘The sample aumber and offiet time are each recorded a a teniateger number, and so will require 10 bytes each; each analog value is stored a8 a sx-nteger umber, and so will require (6 bytes of storage eich; each cial chancel is stored as an ASCII zero (0) of one (1) and so wil quire oae bye of storage each. The values foreach channel are separated by a comms, requiring one byte of storage. The row is teminated by a cage rtum and line feed character requiiag one byte of ‘erage each. An eight analog and eight digital channel record ‘would require 97 byes of storage per FoW inthis format ‘The standard sports ASCII forms Ales. However, it recognizes that binary dat files may be useful in some applications. A specication fo binary files is include in the ‘sandard, To comply with this standar, a binary fle must be accompanied by a program which convers the binary flew an ASCII fleas defined in his andar. ‘SAMPLING RATE CONSIDERATIONS. Sampling rate basics “Tae range of sampling tes of the cignal dota depends on the source of that data, and the exact sample rte sed depends upon the equipment used at the source, Therefore, 2 fle ‘enemted in one system (fecorder or simulator) may have t00 igh o 00 low a sample rate for aplication in anosher syste. Foc instance, EMTP (2] simulations may ned 1 sample ata very high ate wo mainwin accuracy. The time resolution of sermpes resulting om such a study is mach more detailed than ‘would be useful in any ploting or reproduction system (ober ‘than another EMT progam). The sampling rte, and therefore te number of samples, would normally be reduced before ‘exchange or cots aplication of tis dota It st be realize tht redocton of the sample rte by ay method means los of feequency response. Also, once the data is converted 10a low sampling ate there IS 90 way 10 restore the loss of frequency response by reeoaverting tock to the orginal dat. Simple ‘decimation of the sample rae by throwing away every second, ot second and tir, data plats nt valid metho of sample rte conversion, This method leads 10 generation of large artificial feequency components inthe dr. Silty, while igtal faut recorers tom aiferet manufacrarrs havea similar range of sampling fequencies, they o not all have a common tase frequency. These samp are similar tothe anges of samling frequency wed in analog reproduction systems foe relay testing. However, in both exes the data sampling fequency may have tobe moe fora cross pplication. “The range of sampling frequencies in te cument generation of digital relays which sore fut data is lower than that commoaly used ia digital fault recorders and reproduction systems. Therefore, the sampling rate of data from digital falt recorders will probably need fo be changed fora digital relaying plication, Recorders or relays usally have antialiasing fers inthe sampling circuit ro limit the fequency component of the Jingu signal. These Stes prevent tbe generation of spurious frequency components inthe daa caused by te interaction ofthe ‘sampling frequency and the high order fequency components of the orginal signal (alising). Conversion 10 a higher smpling rate is relatively simple, but the effet ofthe anti-aliasing ter in the original resorting system cspnot be removed. Therefore, increasing the sampling rate will not reste the high fequency components tat were removed by this Ber. Tre sandard suggests methods suitable for conversion erween one sampling rte and athe. Conversion beeen sampling rates via digial signal processing (DSP) wchriques If the simpling sate of the available data and the desired sampling rte ae nucetically related, then a DSP solion is posible, The rates must be related such that tere is 9 uber, the feast common mutiple, of which bok rates are factors. So thot Ls = Mfo = FLCM; where isan integer, M isan iteger, isthe desired smmpling rat, fois the oiginal sapling rat, and LCM iste least common multiple of f and f. ‘A matematcal description of a suitable iter wit a cutofffrequency Veh, is required, The standard discusses the applcadon of Sites. A sample FORTRAN program for the ‘conversion and a FORTRAN file desribing a sample filter are Provided in Appendix B of the standard. This process is showa schematically i Figure Application ofthese techniques wil cause some phase shift Fras ‘Samant kann ee Ye — ‘igure 2. D5? Suton. Samplag at -£ berwotn the input and output Sle dia, Als, because the inpt is dscontinvons atthe begining (Here are no samples before the ‘ist simple) ic wll take several samples before the filter ouput tracks the inpat ata corecty. Sufcentpe-aut data should be ‘Provided so tha his tracking ime remains in a benign area of the Sle, If necesary, ati daa can be supplied to extend the preault peiod, However, since all ctanoels are manipulated with the same Site, discrepancies should not cause major problems, Figure 3 shows data oignally sampled at 4320 Hr td the resultant data after conversion 10 720 He se of sampling rates with common base ‘The procedure cuined above would be simplified if the cvigiat sampling. frequency and the conversion simpling frequency were chosen from a list of frequencies with a least ‘common multiple, In this case, only one filer desciption would ‘be needed. Unfortunately, because of he range of frequencies ia se this is nt pombe, However i seems a though most of he 3 ‘common sampling frequencies can be covered by two least common multiples, Table 1 shows frequencies comesponding 12 least common multiple of 384 and 3200 times the nominal sytem frequency (50 or 60 Hz). Conversion berween numbers ot on these Iss would require that the least common multiple ‘be caledaed. ‘TABLE LA. Frequencies Comespoading 0 f.cy4 34 fase ssmplecteyele sages Tero Tees 34 00 19200 1 isso ‘9000 i 7680 00 6 500 ‘00 a aso 300 s 2300 2400 2 bo 1600 2% tao 1200 16 90, ‘200 2 t 0 3 cy oo 6 30 300 4 20 20 “Table 1B Froquencios Corespanding 1 f yg * 3200 % fy posaunseregusueseeee Be88 ‘SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ‘The COMTRADE standard oxgiased from the Power System Relaying Comite of he IEEE and specifis a common fomnat for transient data exchange. This fort wil be wed by people needing o send power sytem transient data originating in ‘one format 1 someone ese who uses a different format. This frocess is curenty very dificult and the adoption of this Seandard should bring «universal language 10 the word of transient data exchange. However, COMTRADE is not intended to bes communication standard.a ect pany must have the means of converting 10 an from his own format to COMTRADE. It is anticipated that such ‘conversion programs wil be provided by manufscurers who use their owe propery formas. All manufacturers cooperating in the preparation of tis santard have agreed 19 provide sich ‘conversion programs, and several manufacturers already have Provided such conversion programs to their customers ‘The Standard discusses sources and application of transient ‘ar, problems and solutions in dealing with systems that sample dua at ferent rates, and provides sample transient files 8 wel ‘san example daa te conversion program. Wis doped that the Standard wil simplify communication beeen protection engineess and flint the dissemination of power system transent data. References 18) ial par, CIORE Working Group 34.01, AG. Phadke {Cac “iptal Perse Tenge tt Sumas aon’, Pan Fane, ie 1589. PL BW. Domml, “Digit Saluion of Hecromapse tans a Sine nat oeDiscsson 1. Amiam, R. Gusta, nd R. Reva, (Schlumberger Indust: "Tae members of Working Group 13 are to be commended fr thet ‘ffons in both the timelines an expediency by whic this standard Iie reached the power industry. With the prolferation of sl sate recording tecnolops, personal compulers mltimedia electronic fe Taner capable an the need to optimize power stom opera Mion comta, and. protection tas tecome apparent that vas pporuniy for exangs of era tension ccm data as evolved {Ge the power gutems engineer As a manufacturer of fault and ‘istutbance sive equipment Schlumberger Industries intends 10 Support this standard ts etiey. Towards Ins efor, caniication Mh follwing pout requested. ‘Sesion 622 dette the number and type of channels i a ed format with nly twe digs (TT wn, thereby implying 2 maximum ‘number of 98 channels. High end fuk recorder appiatios for bath Uy aad some indurralappcation: may exceed this number HOw ‘Should transfer of the analog data be sceomplished? tis inevitable that daa format and efiaton wil changeover ine. common practice i 0 provide the crrem version numer d/o nt of the sfteare or data format in the ce, thereby searing joenward corpatiy for fur fle trates I wosld be pradeat {o rae the Curent sandard number and date So the Reade He ‘Scion 62.3 deserter a emerson for to comert ray sample stato ther proper uns orng the equation “Ax +B", where A and ‘Bate defied mera! numbers in 2 sed format, What the precision othe rater . "The configuration file format asses the sampling rte tobe the same for both analog and digital inputs within the record. Soli tate ‘Raving devices art valle tody that provide variable saming Fates for analog inputs, witha fed ate for dial inputs Some foe ‘interpolation wil Be required to generate vent dala that come ‘ponds fo each analog sample upon exportation ight of present efforts by TEEE FES working groups anda task force the afems of rynhronted sampling and phasor measurement, fur drafts of thi standard may fequite atonal data formas for the interchange of transient uturbance gata based on complex mot fers och a phaor quant. Rochester Instrument Spetems, (Rochester, NY): To provide maxi- thom utzon of tamient reorder daia Rochester Instrument Shnems, Ine. has supported nd continues to suppor the efor 10 ‘evcop a tandard eebangeTormat “Sine cary 100, Rochester Istrament Stems conjuction with Macrae, is Been suppocting the preliminary COMTRADE data ‘exchange formats Tha orignal program and? subsequent versions Se mall to any Ris or Macrae cosomer upon request ee af Ghaipe, The RS/Macrodyne COMTRADE comert progam is 2 Separate dik program that executed rlereal to ou Base Master Stion program. Thi pogram can comert fom our inary format 10 fe COMRADE formats (binary oF ASCID and algo from COM: [TRADE formats to our binatyforoat The ltestYerson, spportng the nal approved forma, wil be avaiable to any Ri or Macrodyne ‘homer ce of charge Ti RS" plan (0 provide conversion from RIS binary event data 10 sue COMTHADE mat wn he Mer ton pop i he 5 J Henk, (Macro, Ine. Cifton Park, NY): The Mecrodne CONTRADE comersoo proyams support bath Macodyoe. 2nd Rochester Iasrment Systems equipment The programs were writen during the development of the COMTRADE standard an, tos ave ws ‘As ares ofthis problem, Macrodyne as chosen an order where the “oalogchinnls ae followed by the digtal chapnls Ths inteprcte ion based on sexton 2.3 where its tated thatthe aoemation the configuration ile mot beled inthe enact order and feeder format shown in secions 6221-8236, and based abo on Seton (6233 where the dpa hannel ate shown foe following the analog ‘eformaton ‘Adutonally, section 6.2.3.2 of the standard reads: “This statement contains the umber and ype of channels a they occur i each dat cord in the data fe” Macrodyae has chosen to interpret this 10 inean the exact order in which they oscar in each data record. ‘Sbequenty, Macrdyne uss Us Section ofthe standard to deter mnie the ype of cach data value nthe COMTRADE: dats Me (Goxher method of determining datatypes would be to examine the tomer of ems in each ie of shannel information i he configura tho fle) Also. the provision for emety thre iems inthis Seton Impl that ail analog channels must be prouped together, and, [baie all digital channels. The provsion, at seme time, for ach ‘onal sites for chanel types in Setion 62-12 would allow a more {ener channe! format snd easier implementation of te standard nly, it shoud be noted thatthe dats fle example tm section 7 of the standard doesnot met the specietions Tor integer format 3s ‘Sexe in secton 83.6 1 tntrodcton Information deserving power item disurbances in the COM: ‘TRADE format congoe d"Test Systm, which i ord for aseSng proce rly pevtormance. ; “The Spee pencrtee text waveforms which represent in frequency spectrum, magttude and duration the CT and PT secondary quant Te ied ae clay input signals When using modelled information som EMTP/ATP-ete) the simulation goal i limited only by the ‘Sompatationa!precion ofthe model When actual dsturtance infor tation used, imeltion ually ited bythe dymamic range and ura of the DFR measurement “Tus Sytem approach provides reali, repeatable test signals which are used 1 establih protection sytem respon, in he Bld or Tab" As's result of ther init design these Test Stems may abo te extmally synchronized via GPS silite for onsite endto-end {ah drastically redacng the need for saged ful System ConBigaraion Stem clement include: + test struments for both power tem and event waveform genera tin, spd synchronization + uosondionlly stable, high power de. coupled transient voltage and 4S Soteare Sytem for waveform manipulation, instrument contra {nd test rut slorage, unning 00 an MS-DOS PC Using COMTRADE files, Dobi’s TRANS II™ software graph iy dns al waveforms for selection combining. normaliring ‘Srple tet scaling pre-fauit extension and cst fle generation, Test flewdetning powcr tem wavelorns and events are downloaded 10 i) Instrument memory which accommodates up t0 256 ky 16 Dit traveform costiiens per channel. "Tes nstoments sypehronously ‘utes waveform memory (lor up t 12 oures) prone D/A comer Sons and programmable ant-afiosing filter. "The tesuling. analog ‘gna ‘umpifed by mode + coupled transient amplibers to prove hgh level est Sgn: Up to 12 KVA peak power avalible messing al rly pet ren high burden elecomeshanica 19 the newest mcrocomputer sls HL Reported Applications +A United Kingdom protection manufacturer used the yiem to i aetaeeseec ars | meiacinennms —* Serta wvanerian tetanus The Fl aa ternal relays that cannot be tse sing rina sinusoidal ‘ean, 1V-Test System Status Since June 1991, 9 et serson of the TRANS 1 software gst, suppurtag ths appiation has been dsubuted to SD utes and “F200 sume ransent Srmare and hardware options sient caren and reltage sources are curren standaré production isthe TRARS I ara sen Stange ach 2 Mangfocae’s are moving to prone Ul, progams for Goneh cmeatan of thelr ouput fis {0 COMTRADE: Conerion ‘Sip groans will sport ths saleable COMRADE aplication Baie bt eccved preminary copies uf two comersion programs ach nett toeton to compl wth the Sanda IM, Kenumoré, (Tenss ASM Unversiy, College Station, Texas USAe Ms astusion is related to poieatal application of the COMTRADE Standard gt simulators fr rely testing “Teun A&M Unversity (TAMU Ras been ioe in escarch and denclopment ste etd to dtl simulators for ela testing for SENumber of years Tle 2} One ofthe main requirements regading ‘Gig sivulaiorapplatione fo be able to wanser both Eleto- imggncte Transient rogram (ENTE) and Digial Fault Recorder {BPR ies tothe waveform replay sbsytem of the molto. This leaner tequres format conversion fom the soure file (EMTP oF IBF he fle used by the waveform replay syste. Simulator Prato ties cated out at Tetas ALM Unversity hive re SPF fr the wpe of text maveorms generated by tee differen {ERITPs and thie diferent DFR [BL Ass rest, comerion sottare {or each pe ofthe EMTP and DE data formats had tobe wet. [Rt he CONITRRADE format mat sttduced the approach then by JFAMU as been lo conver the Hes coming ffom any of the men lowed soures ino the COMRADE standsid format. Aer ta “conversion sotvate hasbeen written to convert the COMTRADE ile ‘Sanam Hel formar ofthe waveform epsy subsystem, This ppeoachsipcanty spies flue use of Sat Hes pro- side by her vse sige asada format i aval fr the data Hevexhonge, Fore TAMU simulator appiation say wll be re Ulta extensne flay tetng and the exence ofthe standard data {ee math aig tobe que useful A large number of clay txt ley ar to fe genctted through various mens and/or obtained om ‘Ssocwer They ae tobe used to generate relay tes waelorns On TESTAMUS simulator. Bue tothe existence ofthe standard amon ANF othe DFR manstactrers tase commited to prowdiog thir ‘one fies in the COMRADE format. The EMT fies can cas EECSRENGD to 2 COMTRADE format aswell, Under the econ Pe serine daa fs to be used or ely testing ey drety Be BESS the standard format This kes thei sein olay tine Henightfonatd since only the conversion fom the, COMTRADE, Peer sem epaysulmstm format aces to ake lee ‘Sauls of how many Gfeentsourees ofthe dats le ave Deen thet .s4u intents to report father experiences coming rom wing the COMIRADE standard forthe simulsior appations so that fe Sonne SP the standards can be utilized to accommodate ary a TOR aflement hat maybe coming ro this aplication. 11), M. Kenunové al, “DYNACTEST Simulator for Relay Testing. Phat Dexpn Chavactenstic” ZEEE Trans on Power Dey, Wal. 6 No October 191 {2} Mi Kemmovige as ~DYNACTEST Simulator fr Relay Testing Mei'Roxomence Evatetion,” IEEE PES Winter Meeting Paper No JL WR 50-3 PWRD. New York, February 197 Lay Penne et al "Use of Diptal Record Fes for Protec Me cy Evaluntons” Faull Dizrbances Confrence, Coe Staion, Ape 181 “The Working Group appresias she comment of the dace, Rein commen ot Mr Henk. ncton 623. dees the ‘Sider nhc ce data spr through the data type Senter aie sccbon Gt and 15 cery shaw hw tv 10 Be oe snr su iterpeted The nerprtation that af chal of (ab ype are w be promped together corre. "ramps neocon 7 conta cols 1 and 2 he data 1 eRMEhcte secon 83 dees an 10 format, Ts 63D ete and il be cored in fture revision the sandr ST co he anda to we te 1 forma. m eaepcat was ade daring the eal dann dat PF and CT anne cgerncaded ite COMTRADE forma. Thins not true con be Cand peshapy shoul be) fc te MSE ARS on te ser hand be comiguratin fle docs provide a seate malicetian factor, which coments the selva onfaceig tts, This mutilation factor isedes, amore other ‘oe ne Cand PT ratin Me ing he guesiors cased by Messrs: Amikum, Gusti, and ee ace carey tins the sumber of chanel 0 Begenis prove wo bea hiérane, we wil take up i he ext Fe aa fc woning group expec tat th Gels prvided or Resets and wi pone to be adequate. Should this tor oo BSR we wi conidr a change ia etre revion a hal the standard wal be of othe Hy, ain Baots ecm Nelyng Commitee woul lc to RSENS ‘Bama he sand thatthe ses may Hae