New Merging Unit Development Kit

A new Merging Unit Development Kit based on the NovTech IoT Smart Grid Platform with Intel Cyclone V SoC Core is available for your next project.
Utility companies are adapting their infrastructures to support bidirectional energy flow to handle the emergence of DER (Distributed Energy Resources) via microgrids, photovoltaic panels, and local energy storage. As distributed energy generation increases, new intelligence of sensors, measurement and protection equipment will be required to process data at the edge. Also with the increase in variable DER, it is more challenging for substations to deliver sinusoidal and predictable steady-state voltage and current. Utility companies rely on substation metering of secondary voltage (VT) and current transformer (CT) circuits to detect performance issues and to provide vital information in real time to distributed digital protection nodes.

To satisfy this need, SystemCORP and Intel developed an IEC 61850-9-2LE compliant merging unit solution in form of a demonstrator/development platform.

This development kit consists of 6 parts:

1. NovTech IoT Octopus Smart Grid IoT Platform
2. SystemCORP VT/CT Interface board
3. SystemCORP IEC 61850-9-2LE Sample Value software stack (PIS-11) on ARM Cortex A9 core 1
4. SystemCORP IEC standard 61850 server/client software stack (PIS-10) on ARM Cortex A9 core 2 (optional)
5. Flexibilis embedded FPGA analogue front-end IP core
6. Flexibilis Ethernet PRP/HSR FPGA IP core (optional) 

Click HERE for more information.

Merging Unit and Monitoring IED with IEC 61850 Server and I/Os

The Merging Unit MU320 offered by Reason combines the Sampled Value exchange with “conventional” Inputs and Outputs using GOOSE and Client/Server communication. This device seems to be a very convenient way to combine both worlds: real-time and general SCADA applications:

• 9-2LE compliant
• Up to 16 analog inputs, 12 binary inputs and 16 outputs
• Support for Protection and Measurement (metering) profiles simultaneously
• MMS monitoring and control
• Binary inputs and outputs via GOOSE messages
• Synchronization via Ethernet using PTP (IEEE1588)
• Parameter setting using standard data model and SCL language

Click HERE for a more detailed description.

New Merging Unit from Alstom according to 9-2LE

Alstom Grid is offering a new Merging Unit according to 9-2LE that supports the integration of conventional current and voltage samples into a all digital substation:

Click HERE to download a brochure on the Merging Unit.

According to the UCAIUG Users Group there are now 10 Merging Units certified by the Users Group.

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.

IEC 61869-6: The IEC 61850 Interface for Instrument Transformers

IEC TC 38 has published the new Committee Draft (CD) for the Digital interface for instrument transformers (38/418/CD):

IEC 61869: Instrument Transformers -
Part 9: Digital interface for instrument transformers

This standard defines a method for digital communications of instrument transformer
measurements. It is based on the IEC 61850 series of standards, IEC 60044-8 and the UCA International User Group document Implementation Guideline for Digital Interface to Instrument Transformers Using IEC 61850-9-2 (known as 9-2LE). It includes additional improvements including IEC 61588 network based time synchronization, and frequency response requirements.

This new standard will be part a product family standard for instrument transformers. It provides an application of the horizontal standard series IEC 61850, which details layered substation communication architecture in the world of instrument transformers.
By providing tutorial material such as examples and explanations, it also gives an access for instrument transformer, protective relay and meter experts to concepts and methods applied in the IEC 61850 series.

An overview about the standard series 61869 is shown in the next picture:

• Part 9 Replaces IEC 60044-8 digital solution.
• Provides a product standard for instrument transformers with a digital interface according to 61850; similar to what IEC 62271-3 is doing for switchgear.
• Includes backward compatibility for the UCA International User Group Implementation Guideline for Digital Interface to Instrument Transformers Using IEC 61850-9-2.
• Uses IEC 61588-Ed2 for time synchronization, with an option for 1PPS.

The CD ballot closes 2011-11-04.

Contact your national IEC TC 38 or TC 57 committee to get a copy of the CD.

IEC 61850 in Papers at the CIRED 2011 Conference in Frankfurt (Germany)

One of the topics presented and discussed at the CIRED 2011 Conference in Frankfurt (Germany) was IEC 61850. 15 papers were about IEC 61850 with different objectives and scope.

You can freely access these papers from the CIRED website. Just click on the following links:

• Minimum common IEC 61850 specification document published by the Spanish gr
• A Plug & Play concept for IEC 61850 in a Smart Grid
• A Study on theApplication Method of IEC 61850 for Data Acquisition and Exc
• Compatibility of IEC61850 edition 1 and edition 2 implementations
• Configuring a IEC 61850 based standard Automation System for a standard Dis
• From Smart Substations to Smart Grid - How IEC 61850 can help making power
• Graphical specification for IEC 61850 based substation automation systems
• IEC 61850 Based Adaptive Distribution Protection
• IEC 61850 GOOSE over WiMAX for Fast Isolation and Restoration of Faults in
• IEC61850 9-2 Process Bus: Operational Experiences in a Real Environment
• IEC61850-BASED LOSS OF MAIN PROTECTION:THE MILANO WI-POWER PROJECT
• Toward an Auto-Configuration Process Leveraging The IEC 61850 Standard
• Benefits of converting conventional instrument transformer data into Smart
• On-line condition monitoring and expert system for power transformers - Int
• Smart eVolution, simplicity and reliability in the MV distribution network

There seems to be a lot of applications which people have not thought about some five or ten years ago.

One of the key needs seems to be all over to USE the standard for many applications in a FAST TO MARKET approach – instead of discussing one or the other protocol issues. The use of WIMAX applications demonstrates what we have said many times: the layered architecture of IEC 61850 can leverage the progress in communication systems. The same is true for 1 GBit/s Ethernet and time synchronization according to IEC 61588 (IEEE 1588).

The last two papers introduce IEC 61850 for condition monitoring – quite interesting and good examples for the application of IEC 61850 in power distribution.

The last but one paper from ABB (On-line condition monitoring …) says:

“This new circuit breaker (CB) is a highly integrated device that combines measurement, protection and control capability with the primary power disconnection, switching and interruption technology. The CB embeds a protection and control Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) designed to unleash the full potential of the IEC 61850 standard for communication and interoperability. …

Fast delivery
The high technology production line and component standardization enable to guarantee the same delivery time for the new CB series as the standard circuit breaker.”

Fast delivery means fast development. Embedded Controllers with IEC 61850 software already integrated into the platform could provide an easy to use and fast to go API (Application Program Interface). You can start right away with your application development – skip the IEC 61850 software integration that usually may take six to 12 months!!

The first small footprint embedded controller with an integrated IEC 61850 stack providing a simple API is the Beck IPC 61850@CHIP. There will be two other controllers running LINUX available soon that have the same IEC 61850 stack from SystemCorp and the same simple API.

Many IED vendors are already developing their HW and SW applying the Beck IPC Chip for various applications (protection, control, measurements, charging stations, …).

Stay tuned to this Blog to get information on the two new powerful LINUX based embedded controllers with IEC 61850. Product announcements will be released this summer (2011). More to come.

Last but not least: There is still confusion what the Edition 1 and Edition 2 of IEC 61850 mean.

Click HERE to read what Edition 1 and Edition 2 means.

Dissertation on IEC 61850-9-2 Merging Unit

Marcin Adam Gurbiel received her Dr.-Ing. (PhD) with the Dissertation on “Definition and Testing of a Digital Interface of a Power Substation”. Her findings are quite interesting. She writes in the summary: “… it is possible to apply the common information exchange protocol based on IEC 61850 to the process level of the substation automation system by implementing a digital interface or so called “Merging Unit”.

ISSN 16-12-2526
ISBN 978-3-940961-54-9

Click HERE for some interesting results of her work.

Podcast from Black and Veatch on IEC 61850 in the U.S.

A podcast provided by Black & Veatch reports how IEC 61850 is expected to be accepted in the U.S. power industry. It is also reported how American Electric Power uses the GE BRICK solution for the interface between the control room and the switch yard.

There is no doubt about the trend towards IEC 61850 in North America!

The GE Brick solution is based on IEC 61850 concepts. Many benefits provided by IEC 61850 are offered by the Bricks – except one crucial issue that is not supported: The Brick solution is NOT interoperable with fully IEC 61850 compliant IEDs like protection and control devices or merging units according to IEC 61850-9-2.

An IED with an IEC 61850 interface can NOT communicate with the Brick! So, the Brick is a vendor specific solution using mainly fiber optic cables and Ethernet and message formats from IEC 61850 to replace copper wires to the switch yard. The idea of an open international standard for multi-vendor systems is supported by fully IEC 61850 compliant merging units and other IEDs (as publisher) and other IEDs (as subscribers).

Click HERE for listening the podcast [some 14 minutes].
Click HERE for more information on the concept.

Let YOUR Application speak IEC 61850 in hours

IEC 61850 has been implemented in hundreds of devices. The UCA Users Group lists some 181 certified devices with server functionality, 3 certified clients, and 2 Merging units (as per 2011-03-02; UCAIug Testing Quality Assurance Program).

Almost all of these devices provide a certain functionality like protection or control. Usually the devices do not provide a simple API (application program interface) that can easily be used by an application program written by a programmer. There is usually nor access to "IEC 6150 Stack". Some test tools may provide restricted access by manually entering values for a data attribute, or using a configurable simulation or providing a CSV (comma separated values) file for a profile. The evaluation licenses are usually quite restricted.

In contrast to this quite limited access to an API there is a free available server and client DLL (from SystemCorp) that runs for six (6) months. The DLL evaluation package comes with various client and server applications. The applications are provided in exe code and source code (C/C++ and C#). You have FULL control over the functionality YOU want to have for your client and server application.

Click HERE for details.

Any application YOU write could easily speak IEC 61850:

The following example shows the .Net / C# client application provided by NettedAutomation GmbH. The received sequence of values can easily be copied and pasted:

 

e.g., pasted into an Excel table and converted to a diagram:

Whatever you need - JUST program it ... or link the client and server applications to your real applications ... which may also be masters to any communication slaves like DNP.3, IEC 60870-5-101/103/104, Modbus, Profibus, CAN, ... This way you can easily and fast build your own GATEWAY. Just link the DNP.3 or 104 points to the DLL by YOUR IEC 61850 server application that is bound to corresponding Model. See next figure:

It is that easy. Just give it a try.

By the way, the API (and the underlying IEC 61850 stack) is also available on the embedded controller from Beck IPC for simple and FAST TO MARKET applications. All you program in C/C++ on a PC could be done on the Chip platform ... the Chip also supports IEC 61131-3 (CoDeSys) and soon ISaGRAF.

NettedAutomation offers public and in-house training courses using a comprehensive set of crucial evaluation tools - including the one shown here.

The Wind of Change is blowing in Wind Power Protection using IEC 61850-9-2

When the IEC Technical Committee 88 (Wind Turbines) started the IEC 61850-based project IEC 61400-25 "Communications for monitoring and control of wind power plants" in 2001 only a few experts expected that IEC 61850 would have a crucial impact on the way how wind parks will be equipped with intelligent devices. Most experts believed that the main use of standard information models and information exchange is for control and monitoring purposes only.

A very interesting paper has been written recently that discusses the use of IEC 61850-9-2 "Sampled values over ISO/IEC 8802-3" for protection functions in a whole park. Each Turbine/Tower provides current and voltage samples and other information in a continuous stream of sampled value messages. The IEC 61850-9-2 sampled values are distributed as Ethertype multicast messages (from a publishing device, often called Merging Unit) - and received by many subscribing devices. This allows to distribute and collect the measurements for protection and other use cases (e.g., 80 samples per nominal period - 20 ms in a 50 Hz system). Protection could now be implemented in a centralized location, and a few central protection devices could protect many distributed equipments (generator, transformer, circuit breakers, ...).

Implementation of Merging Units may also be used in the near future to distribute non-electric measurements like vibration measurements from gear boxes and blades.

Click HERE for the very interesting paper.

Application of IEC 61850-9-2 for non-conventional sensors

Dear supporter of IEC 61850-9-2 for non-conventional sensors,

There is a growing interest in the application of IEC 61850-9-2 for non-conventional sensors. I have been asked several times, when mature products will be available etc.

Have you any information about (pilot) installations (planned, under commissioning or in operation)?

If you could share some information with me I would highly appreciate your response.

Thanks a lot!

Some industry statements: Areva [pdf, 200 KB] , [pdf, 250 KB]

Email feedback to: Karlheinz Schwarz

GE Multilin demo on IEC 61850 based HardFiber Process Bus at Cigré 2008 in Paris

GE Multilin has demonstrated their new IEC 61850 based HardFiber Process Bus System at Cigré 2008 in Paris. There were many experts that seem to be surprised seeing this quite simple approach used for HardFiber. HardFiber may be a first step in replacing copper wires between the switch yard and the control house.

The solution is - of course - quite restricted compared to what IEC 61850 could provide for a Process Bus.

One benefit - among others - is: the Bricks for HardFiber are available.

One drawback is: Bricks are (to my knowledge) interoperable with GE Relays ONLY. To be compatible with the Bricks it would require implementing GE-specific features ... these go beyond the standard IEC 61850!

Information on HardFiber can be found here.

Download the comprehensive Manual [4.5 MB, PDF]

Schniewindt demo on CT and VT according to IEC 61850-9-2LE in Paris at Cigre 2008

Schniewindt (Neuenrade, Germany) offers one of the first Hybrid Electronic Combined Current and Voltage Transformers (VT and VT) with optical-digital data transfer according to IEC 61850-9-2LE (light editon).

Information about the sensor could be found here.

The merging unit for the CT/VT according to IEC 61850-9-2LE is available (IX 9010 Optically Powered Data Link Ethernet Output module) and in use at the RWE Process Bus R&D project in Nehden (Germany).

For information about the merging unit contact Schniewindt directly.
Information about the IEC 61850-9-2LE could be downloaded.

More details on the RWE project will be disclosed shortly. Stay tuned.