What is the VRSL?

The Virtual Reality Substation Laboratory (VRSL) is a software development using Unity Engine by Smart Grids Group (SSG) to improve the teaching-learning process in Electrical Engineering courses with regard to substation content.

Section 1 - What is the main function of the Virtual Reality Substation Laboratory (VRSL)?

The software faithfully recreates the electricity distribution substation that feeds the Campus Professor Prisco Bezerra of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC).

The software has two environments for students to explore: the Substation Yard and the Command House. In the courtyard it is possible to see the equipment of a distribution substation, such as the Current Transformer (CT), Potential Transformer (PT), power transformers, disconnect switches, reclosers and concrete structures, as illustrated in the Figures below, which compare the real with the virtual.

Real Substation	VR Substation

In addition, in the courtyard environment there is also a drone on which students can fly over the substation in order to view the equipment from a better angle, as shown below.

The Command House environment contains the protection and automation panels with their respective equipment, such as relays, industrial computers and switches. In these, it is possible to interact to create complete simulations of fault events that have occurred in the real substation, with supervisory control, oscillographs and diagrams of how the protections work, as shown in the Figures below.

Real Substation	VR Substation

Section 2 - How to use the VRSL?

To simply use the software, Section 3 provides a link to a .zip file for downloading the files needed to run VRSL on any computer. After downloading the files, you should read the read_me.txt file which contains the instructions for proper installation. To run the software, the minimum requirements are:

RAM 8 Gb DDR4;
2GB Video Card;
i5 8th Generation processor, 12 MB cache, up to 4.40 GHz;
Use of minimum 256 GB SSD.

It is important to note that the minimum requirements do not offer the best solution for teaching, since the software has a lot of heavy equipment. Therefore, the recommended requirements for smooth use of the software are:

RAM memory 16 Gb DDR4;
4GB video card;
AMD Ryzen 5000 Series 7 or 13th generation Intel® Core™ i5-13450HX (10-core, 20MB cache, up to 4.6GHz);
Use of minimum 256 GB SSD.

Once the software has been properly installed, the user will be taken to the substation environment and the instructions for using the software are described below:

W key - Move forward;
A key - Move to the right;
S key - Move backwards
D key - Move left
Shift key - Run fast
Left Ctrl key - Crouch
Right Ctrl key - Tiptoe
I key - Move forward in the drone;
K key - Move the drone backwards;
J key - Move the drone to the right;
L key - Move the drone to the left;
O key - Exit the drone
T key - Stop the drone in the air;
E key - Interact with components such as doors, drones, etc;
M key - Enable/Disable minimap;
Spacebar key - Jump;
Esc key - Game options.

Within VRSL, the user is free to move around and view any piece of equipment from any angle. It is recommended that the user access the computer in the control room to use all the software's features, such as viewing and interacting with the substation's single line diagram and viewing simulations. The executable and editable versions of VRSL can be downloaded in the link below.

Virtual Reality Substation Laboratory

Section 3 – Guide lesson using the VRSL?

To guide teachers who intend to use the VRSL in the classroom, a lesson plan has been created to serve as a model and example for replication. The subject in question is called Generation, Transmission and Distribution and aims to introduce students to the contents of the area of Electric Power Systems. It is advisable to use the suggested lesson plan, which can be found in the drive linked below, after the substation lectures in order to show a 3D environment of the content covered in class.

Proposed lesson plan

Section 4 – Awards and publications involving the VRSL.

This project is the result of a partnership with CNPq, from the 2023 Universal Call, entitled "Multidomain Virtual Reality Platform applied to the Teaching-Learning process". In addition, at CINASE 2023 - Fortaleza Edition, this project won the Best R&D Project award and the O Elétrico Sector (OSE) award for Best Overall Project. In addition, its development and application has generated the following works:

Course Conclusion Work

Article in XIX ERIAC at section C2 D2