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Development of an IEC 61850 based power quality monitoring device
Author(s)
Hara, Mayamiko
Date Issued
2020
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
The term “Smart Grid” holds varying definitions in the increasingly digitised technological
landscape of energy generation, distribution, control and monitoring. Three defining
characteristics of the “Smart Grid” that are common among existing definitions are the
following:
1) The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to improve
grid reliability, efficiency and situational awareness.
2) To utilise advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for bidirectional communications
with customer meters and encourage customer participation.
3) To enhance the control, monitoring and optimisation of distributed energy
resources (DERs) and bidirectional power flow in an increasingly decentralised
electric power grid.
The decentralisation of generation plants mainly stems from the adoption of Small-scale
Embedded Generators (SSEG), or Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) as they are more
commonly known. DERs pose a unique challenge to Network Operators within the “Smart
Grid” and may potentially jeopardise grid reliability. The use of power electronic converters
coupled with the often-bidirectional nature of DERs power flow, along with the inconsistent
and intermittent generation characteristics of renewable energy offer unique challenges in
maintaining and monitoring power quality.
Due to recent regulatory changes and the increasingly constrained ESKOM generation
infrastructure; South African municipalities have seen the benefit of employing more
renewable energy and encourage customer participation to lessen the strain and improve
grid reliability. The increasing number of small-scale generation plants in South Africa
would, in future, require a solution that is interoperable with existing substation automation
hardware and communications infrastructure, but also cost-effective.
This research project presents a methodology for designing, modelling and implementing
an IEC 61850-based power quality monitoring embedded systems device. Primarily aimed
at systems with a large number of low-voltage Small-scale Embedded Generation plants;
the goal is to achieve a balance between cost-effectiveness and power quality monitoring
standards compliant performance, while crucially maintaining full interoperability with
existing grid infrastructure. The thesis deliverables provide a novel proof of concept for a power quality monitoring
device that may be deployed and modified depending on the use case and specific
application. The following research contributions are identified:
1) Modelling and implementation of a viable, interoperable and low-cost IEC 61850-
based power quality monitoring device using off-the-shelf components and an
open-source software library. The implementation of this device provides a platform
that is easily modifiable for use in a range of applications.
2) The method of modelling IEC 61850 logical nodes and functions to analogue frontend
measurement registers presented in this research demonstrates how to design
and map information to equivalent logical nodes. The knowledge demonstrated
shows how device modelling techniques can be used to extract additional
information for mapping to existing logical nodes or to develop new ones.
The thesis findings and deliverables result in a low-cost IEC 61850-based power quality
monitoring device. The device may additionally be used for general utility-scale monitoring
of DER plants, check metering, IEC 61850-based power quality mitigation algorithms and
short-term power quality studies. It may also function as a low-cost entry point to IEC
61850-based communications in smaller municipalities, and additionally as a lab test and
prototyping tool for technicians and engineers.
The research work may also contribute to educating university student on topics such as
Linux operating systems, networking, embedded systems, substation automation and the
IEC 61850 standard. It may also find use as a prototyping platform for new logical nodes.
The device proposed in this research project has the potential to act as an enabling
technology for the adoption of DERs due to lowering the barriers of entry in terms of cost
and functionality.
landscape of energy generation, distribution, control and monitoring. Three defining
characteristics of the “Smart Grid” that are common among existing definitions are the
following:
1) The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to improve
grid reliability, efficiency and situational awareness.
2) To utilise advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for bidirectional communications
with customer meters and encourage customer participation.
3) To enhance the control, monitoring and optimisation of distributed energy
resources (DERs) and bidirectional power flow in an increasingly decentralised
electric power grid.
The decentralisation of generation plants mainly stems from the adoption of Small-scale
Embedded Generators (SSEG), or Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) as they are more
commonly known. DERs pose a unique challenge to Network Operators within the “Smart
Grid” and may potentially jeopardise grid reliability. The use of power electronic converters
coupled with the often-bidirectional nature of DERs power flow, along with the inconsistent
and intermittent generation characteristics of renewable energy offer unique challenges in
maintaining and monitoring power quality.
Due to recent regulatory changes and the increasingly constrained ESKOM generation
infrastructure; South African municipalities have seen the benefit of employing more
renewable energy and encourage customer participation to lessen the strain and improve
grid reliability. The increasing number of small-scale generation plants in South Africa
would, in future, require a solution that is interoperable with existing substation automation
hardware and communications infrastructure, but also cost-effective.
This research project presents a methodology for designing, modelling and implementing
an IEC 61850-based power quality monitoring embedded systems device. Primarily aimed
at systems with a large number of low-voltage Small-scale Embedded Generation plants;
the goal is to achieve a balance between cost-effectiveness and power quality monitoring
standards compliant performance, while crucially maintaining full interoperability with
existing grid infrastructure. The thesis deliverables provide a novel proof of concept for a power quality monitoring
device that may be deployed and modified depending on the use case and specific
application. The following research contributions are identified:
1) Modelling and implementation of a viable, interoperable and low-cost IEC 61850-
based power quality monitoring device using off-the-shelf components and an
open-source software library. The implementation of this device provides a platform
that is easily modifiable for use in a range of applications.
2) The method of modelling IEC 61850 logical nodes and functions to analogue frontend
measurement registers presented in this research demonstrates how to design
and map information to equivalent logical nodes. The knowledge demonstrated
shows how device modelling techniques can be used to extract additional
information for mapping to existing logical nodes or to develop new ones.
The thesis findings and deliverables result in a low-cost IEC 61850-based power quality
monitoring device. The device may additionally be used for general utility-scale monitoring
of DER plants, check metering, IEC 61850-based power quality mitigation algorithms and
short-term power quality studies. It may also function as a low-cost entry point to IEC
61850-based communications in smaller municipalities, and additionally as a lab test and
prototyping tool for technicians and engineers.
The research work may also contribute to educating university student on topics such as
Linux operating systems, networking, embedded systems, substation automation and the
IEC 61850 standard. It may also find use as a prototyping platform for new logical nodes.
The device proposed in this research project has the potential to act as an enabling
technology for the adoption of DERs due to lowering the barriers of entry in terms of cost
and functionality.
Additional information
Thesis (MEng (Electrical Engineering: Smart Grid))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020
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