IEC TC 57 Publishes Draft for Basic Application Profiles (BAPs)

IEC TC 57 just published Draft for Basic Application Profiles (BAPs):

Development of IEC TR 61850-7-6 (57/1946/DC):
Communication networks and systems for power utility automation
Part 7-6: Guideline for definition of Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) using IEC 61850

Different types are possible:

1. User profile –defined subset that is valid for a specific user / community of users (e.g. utility)
2. Domain profile - defined subset for a specific domain and relevant use cases (e.g. asset management)
3. Basic Application Profile (BAP) – standardized subset defining an atomic application function (e.g. reverse blocking)
4. Application profile - profile covering a specific application mostly based by aggregating BAPs e.g. busbar protection)
5. Device profile – profile covering a typical IED functionality e.g. Merging Unit, IEC 61869-9)
6. Product profile – implemented subset in a specific vendor product

Comments on this draft are due by 2018-01-19.

Guideline for definition of Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) using IEC 61850

IEC TC 57 has published a document for comments (57/1813/DC, 27 pages) on application profiles::

Draft IEC TR 61850-7-6, Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 7-6: Guideline for definition of Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) using IEC 61850

Comments are expected by 2017-02-03

This guideline is focused on building Application / function profiles and specifies a methodology to define Basic Application profiles (BAPs). These Basic Application profiles shall provide a framework for interoperable interaction within or between typical substation automation functions. BAPs are intended to define a subset of mandatory features of IEC 61850 in order to increase interoperability in practical applications.

In the context of standards the term “profile” is commonly used to describe a subset of an entity (e.g. standard, model, rules).
Accordingly an IEC 61850 standard profile contain a selection of data models (mandatory elements), communication services applicable and relevant engineering conventions (based on the Substation Configuration Language SCL defined in IEC 61850-6) for an application function of a specific use case in the domain of power utility automation.
Depending on the scope and objective different profile types can be distinguished:

• User profile – defined subset that is valid for a specific user / organization (e.g. utility)
• Product / Device profile – implemented subset in a specific vendor product /device
• Domain profile – defined subset for a specific domain and relevant use cases (e.g. monitoring of substation)
• Application / function profile

A nice example is contained in Annex A:
Example for BAP of distributed automation function “reverse blocking” using BAP template

Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) using IEC 61850

IEC TC 57 has proposed to develop a new Technical Report (TR):

IEC TR 61850-7-6: Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 7-6: Guideline for definition of Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) using IEC 61850
(57/1782/DC)

The proposed work will:

• describe the methodology of profiling in the context of IEC 61850
• give a common understanding about the modular profiling concept of basic application profiles (BAP)
• define the contents of a standardized basic application profile (BAP template)
• give guidance for the use of that BAP template
• and also show an example of a BAP.