IEC 61850 Sampled Values and GOOSE Messages Reduce Complexity and Cost

Synaptec Ltd (a spin-out technology company from the University of Strathclyde, UK) developed a distributed electrical sensing technology platform using IEC 61850. The approach allows measured values from up to 50 current transformers to be acquired passively using a single optical fibre core over a distance of up to 50 km. These measured values can then be utilised as part of centralised PAC schemes, or communicated to traditional PAC devices for analysis via IEC 61850-9-2 / 61869-9. By centralising current measurements, this method eliminates the need of having multiple protection relays at each line ends, complex time synchronisation systems at measurement points, and complex telecommunications equipment among the distributed PAC devices.

Click HERE for downloading the 12 page paper (Differential protection of multi-ended transmission circuits using passive distributed current sensors) describing the application and approach to solve a very crucial challenge.

Another paper (Implementation of centralised, numerical busbar protection using distributed photonic current sensors) describes the design and testing of the first centralised busbar protection scheme that makes use of distributed photonic current sensors and IEC 61850. By utilising distributed, passive sensors which are interrogated purely using standard optical fibre, the requirement for active units in the substation yard is completely eliminated. Additionally, the use of copper wiring from CTs to measurement units may be eliminated. The scheme, designed and built for Statnett by Synaptec, will be installed and trialled at Statnett’s Furuset R&D substation near Oslo, Norway. A prototype centralised busbar protection algorithm, validated with the University of Strathclyde, will run on the central merger unit to prove the principle of centralised busbar protection using a single active IED.

Click HERE for downloading the paper.

Click HERE for the Synaptec news (Norwegian TSO Statnett innovates with Synaptec technologies):

With one system able to instrument 50 locations synchronously, 6 busbar feeders will be independently and simultaneously protected by one system, with capacity to spare for novel temperature and vibration monitoring of nearby HV assets, such as transformers.

The development and the applications show that the standard series IEC 61850 has all the "tools" helping to keep the power flowing and the grass green - at all voltage levels.

IEC 61850, Sensors, and Cyber Threats

Sensors all over will be more important in the future: First to automate processes and second to monitor the automation systems.
The other day I found a very serious report on compromising automation systems under the title:

ICS cyber threats are morphing into compromise of plant functionality – do we have the right tools? 

The report by Joe Weiss is worth to read.

Click HERE for reading the complete report.

The discussion is about compromising an actuator (Valve, ...)  and let the physics do the damage!

Joe resumes: "Without sensor monitoring, it is NOT possible to see the precursor to these kinds of conditions until it is too late."

I have discussed the reported issues with an expert of valves in industrial process control applications. He confirmed that the cavitation (bubble or Wasserblasen) effect is known for long. But there are only a relatively few applications of (vibration) sensors installed to measure the noise produced by cavitation (see video at Youtube) to figure out that something is going wrong.

IEC 61850 has a bunch of models and services to support sensors:



and event reporting:



The quality attributes that come with all values could be used to flag that the value is valid or not. Additionally the sensor may have a health problem (figured out by a diagnosis routine) that can be reported using the TTMP.EEHealth.stVal attribute (EE - external equipment).

All models and services have to rely on good hardware and software! Or we get: Garbage in - Garbage out!

In our seminars and hands-on training courses we discuss these and many other topics in detail.

IEC 61850 as Digital Interface for Instrument Transformers

The CDV (Committee Draft for Voting) of IEC 61869-9: Instrument Transformers - Part 9: “Digital interface for instrument transformers” is out for ballot and comments until 2013-03-01.

This document will replace and extend the so-called “9-2LE” that defines the first profile (or subset) of IEC 61850 for voltage and current sensors (Merging Units).

The new standard is based on experience gained since the publication of “9-2LE”. There are a lot of new details in the configuration and description of the information models defined – in order to reduce the number of options.

The IEC 61869-9 standard will (when published):

• Replace IEC 60044-8 digital solution.
• Provide a product standard for instrument transformers with a digital interface according
  to 61850; similar to what IEC 62271-3 is doing for switchgear.
• Be backward compatible with the UCA International Users Group’s Guideline for Digital Interface to Instrument Transformers Using IEC 61850
• Use IEC 61588-Ed2 for time synchronization, with an option for 1PPS.
• Be applicable for AC and DC measurements.
• Be using 100 Mbit/s or 1 Gbit/s Ethernet.
• Specify 4.800 digital output sample rate with 2 sets of values per message (2.400 messages/s) for general measuring and protective accuracy classes, regardless of the
  power system frequency.
• Specify 14.400 digital output sample rate with 6 sets of values per message (2.400 messages/s) for quality metering accuracy class, regardless of the power system frequency.
• Specify 96.000 digital output sample rate with 1 set of values per message (96.000 messages/s) for DC instrument transformer applications [likely to using high speed Ethernet end-to-end].

Proposed conformance classes are (with detailed PICS in the draft):

• class a: the minimal set of services required to transmit MU data using sampled values;
• class b: class a capabilities plus the minimal set of services required to support GOOSE
  messages;
• class c: class b capabilities plus the implementation of the IEC 61850 series’ information
  model self-descriptive capabilities;
• class d: class c capabilities plus services for file transfer and either one or more of
  unbuffered reporting, buffered reporting, or logging.

Condition Monitoring of Assets with IEC 61850

Asset Management using IEC 61850 is one of the important areas of future power delivery systems. Transformer monitoring in the Distribution Network is one of the crucial solutions to keep the power flowing. IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25 have a lot of logical nodes and data objects.
The presentation of a paper by Karlheinz Schwarz at the Distributech 2010 was attended by some 40 experts. Good questions were discussed at the end of the presentation. The paper has an attachment with the names of all 283 published Logical Nodes of all standards of the series IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25.

Click HERE for the paper [PDF, 670 KB]
Click HERE for the presentation slides [PDF, 300 KB]

Recently another paper on the same subject was presented by Rod Hughes and Christoph Brunner.

More to come soon.

IEC 61850 für Smart Grids in Deutschland

BDEW und ZVEI empfehlen acht “reife” und notwendige Technologien für den unmittelbaren Einsatz für Smart Grids:

Smart Grids in Deutschland – Handlungsfelder für Verteilnetzbetreiber auf dem Weg zu intelligenten Netzen (27. März 2012)

“Um die Verteilnetze effizient zu gestalten, erhöht sich der Bedarf an
Messung, Regelung und Automatisierung. Aus Sicht eines Verteilnetzbetreibers kommt es jetzt darauf an, die wichtigsten Technologien und deren Wirksamkeit zu identifizieren. Es stellt sich die Frage, welche Technologien bereits heute zur Verfügung stehen und welches Potenzial diese zur Lösung der verteilnetzspezifischen Probleme mitbringen.”

Von 25 Smart-Grid-Komponenten gelten acht als „erfolgversprechend“:

• Sensorik im Netz,
• Netzleittechnik,
• Kommunikations- und Dateninfrastruktur,
• regelbare Windkraft,
• regelbare Photovoltaik,
• kleinere KWK-Anlagen,
• Pumpspeicherkraftwerke sowie
• Komponenten zur Blindleistungskompensation.

“Als etablierte Kommunikationsstandards in der Energieverteilung liegt die Verwendung der IEC 61850 nahe. Die IEC 61850 erlaubt einen sicheren und effektiven Datenaustausch zwischen den Smart IEDs und das übergreifende Nutzen von Sensoren und Aktoren. … Die konsequente Umsetzung des gemeinsamen Systemstandards IEC 61850 über alle Spannungsebenen hinweg, bietet die Voraussetzung für einheitliche Kommunikations- und Datenstrukturen. Dies ist eine Voraussetzung für den wirtschaftlichen Ausbau der Verteilnetz-Automatisierung.

IEC 61850 und … in “Smart Grids in Deutschland – Handlungsfelder für Verteilnetzbetreiber auf dem Weg zu intelligenten Netzen” [PDF, 32 Seiten, 10,9 MB]

Sensors in Smart(er) Grids Not Only For Electrical Measurement

Smart Grid (condition monitoring) Sensors may detect faulting fuses, insulators, conductors, transformers, as well as fires, ice, water level, floods, oil spills & air pollution conditions and and …

Myriads of sensors will be installed in the context of Smart(er) Grids the years to come.

Click HERE for a 10 minute video on various use cases.
Click HERE for a roll-out of sensors in a distribution network. 
Click HERE on a discussion “How many protocol interfaces can we afford?"
Click HERE for a project where IEC 61850 is used for exchanging sensor data.

With IEC 61850 – one ne or the other – it is possible to let all sensors speak a SINGLE LANGUAGE. Intelligent sensors may speak IEC 61850 integrated in the sensor itself, or the sensors may communicate to an aggregation device (like an RTU) that provides IEC 61850 connectivity to the next level of monitoring and so on.

Click HERE for the IEC 61850-7-4 Ed2 Logical Node STMP (Temperature Supervision).