Relay Database: Customizable database for relay information

ASPEN Relay Database™ is designed to be a repository of data on relays and related protection equipment for electric utilities and industrial facilities. The ASPEN Relay Database is unique in its flexibility. You can store in the database any relay type, including, but not limited to, overcurrent relays, distance relays, and differential relays. The database is capable of handling electromechanical relays with just a few setting parameters to modern microprocessor relays with thousands of parameters. You can store for each relay multiple sets of setting values. Some of these can be historical. Others can be emergency or pending settings. You can also store and track relay test results in the database.

Users of ASPEN OneLiner™ can easily import relay settings from the Relay Dabase to their OLR network to run simulations and coordination studies. Users can also store links between devices in OLR network and the Relay Database to enable automatic synchronization of relay settings between the two programs. The program relay setting exchange logic library supports many common transmission line protection relays from SEL, GE, ABB, and other manufacturers out-of-the-box. End-users can extend the library to import and export settings of their own relay types. 

In addition to relays, the database lets you store information on circuit breakers, transformers, current transformers (CTs), potential transformers (PTs), communication equipment, and up to nine other types of equipments.

The Task module, which is part of the client/server version of the database, allows users to store and track a wide variety of activities that are related to relay settings, tests and protection system equipment maintenance. Each task can have an unlimited number of activities and events. With the task module you can easily set up a protection system maintenance plan, keep an accurate accounting of works done and set up plan for future activities as required in PRC-005 standard.

The database has a built-in report system that lets you print a report on relays and all the other data in the database. The reports are stored within the database, making it easy to maintain a uniform set of standard reports company-wide. The program comes with many commonly used reports for your convenience.

The Database Administrator can control user’s access on a data form basis. The access rights ranges from “no access” to full “read/write”. The Administrator can further limit a user’s access to a set of locations or substations.

The robustness and security of the database have been proven with many installation-years of constant use. The largest installation of the Relay Database contains over 10,000 relays and a million setting parameters.

Other advanced features include:

  • Ability to store files as binary objects within the database tables. With this feature, you can store in the database manufacturer's relay and test files, as well as drawing files and trouble reports.
  • Ability to create links between different objects.
  • Ability to link external files and web addresses to objects in the database.
  • Ability to transfer relay-settings data in both directions between the Relay Database and an SEL-5010 file.
  • Ability to transfer relay-settings data in both directions between the Relay Database and an SEL-5030 AcSELerator file.
  • Ability to import relay-settings data from setting files and software of GE, AREVA, ABB and other relay vendors.
  • A web interface is available at no additional cost.
  • Enhance program commands using the built-in scripting engine. Setup event-handling script programs.
  • Data backup and restore (Client/Server version only.)
  • Detailed audit trail for all changes (Client/Server version only.)
  • Briefcase mode (Client/Server version only) which enables a user to take a subset of the data on his or her laptop and work off-line. The user can synchronize the main relay database with his changes to the briefcase file at a later time.
  • Ability to work with languages other than English.

Three versions of the Relay Database are available: the Unlimited Version using Access tables, the Client/Server version with Oracle Server and the Client/Server Version with Microsoft SQL Server. In all cases, the Relay Database runs on PCs under Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11. The database is network ready and is designed to let many users access and modify the information simultaneously. There is no practical limit on the number of simultaneous users.

The ASPEN Relay Database is written by relay engineers for relay engineers. It is a turnkey solution for relay engineers who need a relay database but do not have the time or in-house expertise to create one.