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Mladen Kezunovic
Texas A&M University
Email: kezunov@ee.tamu.edu
Abstract
system. The RTUs are wired to the CB contacts in the
Power system topology is defined by the substation switchyard, and the detected changes in the
connectivity among power system components such as CB status are reported to the operators through a
generators, power transformers, transmission lines, SCADA interface.
loads, etc. The knowledge about topology is Todays practice for determining CB status is to
important for correct execution of many monitoring, monitor the control circuit contacts a and b.
control and protection actions. This paper introduces Those contacts are designed to be in a complementing
an approach that assures accurate determination of position so that an opening or closing of the CB can
the topology in real-time. To be able to justify why be easily determined by verifying the opposite status
this approach is important, the paper gives a of the a and b contact positions. While this
background of the topology determination problem approach has been used for some time, the reliability
and discusses the impact on various application of the contact a and b indication has always been
functions. An implementation of the proposed a concern due to relatively frequent errors in the
approach consisting of hardware and software readings of the contacts, that may malfunction, or the
modules is outlined. Examples of the functional errors in the SCADA communications, that may fail.
improvements due to the increased accuracy of As a result, alternative ways of making sure the CB
topology determination at both the substation and position is determined more reliably are explored in
system-wide level are presented at the end. the literature.
The published literature focuses on two general
issues associated with determination of the topology, .
1. Introduction namely the system wide attempt to improve overall
network topology determination and the local attempt
Topology of power systems is defined by to improve status determination of a single CB. The
interconnections among power system components network topology issues discussed so far include an
such as generators, power transformers, busbars, ability to dynamically determine the status [1] and
transmission lines and loads. The interconnected possibility for more precise topology determination
infrastructure is called power system network. The [2]. The local topology issues, addressed at the
topology of the network is obtained by determining substation level, included discussion of the automated
status of the switching components responsible for analysis of CB status based on signal measurements
maintaining the connectivity status within the from the CB control circuitry [3], and discussion of
network. Such components are called circuit breakers the topology consistency check based on
(CBs), and they are used to connect or disconnect any measurements from substation intelligent Electronic
power system component to/from the rest of the Devices (IEDs) [4].
network. In addition, some of the applications require This paper focuses on an extension of the local
knowledge about the power system model where the breaker monitoring concepts to the problem of
values of the parameters for all the components in the monitoring the topology of the entire network. After
network need to be defined. discussing the background of the monitoring tasks
The most common way of determining power and the relevance of the real-time monitoring, the
system topology is through monitoring of the (CB) paper outlines an implementation and benefits of the
status. Real-time monitoring is typically done through new approach. Future needs are given at the end.
Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) of a Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
Monitoring of power system operating status may Another monitoring situation is when the system-
include measurements of analog signals, as well as wide events require the knowledge of individual
measurements of CB contact status. This section control actions performed at local substations. The
discusses how the monitoring may be performed for case in point is an analysis of a cascading event
local vs system-wide applications. leading to a blackout. In this case, the impact of local
events causes broader impact at the system level.
2.1. Monitoring of local events
2.2.1. Use of local measurements. Local
The local events associated with operation of a measurements of analog signals and contact status can
substation include operation of digital relays in the contribute to the understanding of system-wide
event of a fault or simple switching of a circuit events. An example is when the measurements are
breaker as a consequence of operator action helping in understanding actions from several
performed through SCADA. As a part of the protective relays. This is particularly important in the
monitoring of local events, the required case when N-2 contingency happens in the system.
measurements may be either local or system-wide. This type of contingency, while still considered a
local event, may significantly affect the operation of
2.1.1. Use of local measurements. Typical the entire power system [7].
situation where local measurements are used for local
monitoring function is the case where a Digital Fault 2.2.2. Use of system-wide measurements. This
Recorder (DFR) is wired to monitor substation analog case is very common in any of the energy
measurements and contacts from circuit breakers. In management system (EMS) functions. Most of the
this case the sampling of all the measurements EMS functions are system-wide and hence the
(signals) is synchronous across the entire substation. measurements required to execute the function are
Detailed analysis of protective relay operations can be system-wide. Examples of such situations are the state
performed to accurately determine the fault type and estimation and system stability monitoring functions
the timing in the switching sequences that include [8].
multiple circuit breaker operations [5].
As a summary of the discussion related to the
2.1.2. Use of system-wide measurements. monitoring background, Table I gives set of examples
System-wide measurements may be of interest in where local and system-wide events may be
analyzing local events when the information about monitored using either local or system-wide
system topology and sparse measurements across the measurements. While the mentioned examples are
network are used to make conclusion about local well known applications in the power system, the
events. The case in point is a new fault location specific use of the measurements given in Table 1 is a
algorithm that relies on a fitting procedure where the special case of the application implementation that is
signals obtained from short circuit studies are not commonly used today but has distinct benefits as
compared to the signals recorded in the field [6]. A described in the mentioned references.
fault is placed in the system model and simulations
are performed to generate fault signals at the points in Table 1. Monitoring and Measurements
the system where field measurements with DFRs are
made. By comparing the field-recorded and simulated
signals, an optimization of the match is performed Events Measurements Target
while moving the fault location in the model. An Local Relay operation
optimal match is obtained by minimizing the error Local System-wide Fault Location
between the field and simulated signals. The fault Local N-2 contingency
location in the model that leads to the minimum of the assessment
cost function is then taken as the actual fault location. System- a)State
Obviously, this method requires that both the network wide System-wide Estimation
topology and system-wide measurements are b)System
determined for the same time instant. Stability
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4.2.2. Master-Slave data transfer. The master unit 5.1.1. Sequence of events. One aspect of fault
communicates with the slave units using a wireless analysis is to determine, as precisely as possible, a
link. When an event occurs, the slave unit records the detailed sequence of events involved in a fault
electrical signals and upon completion of recording clearing sequence. This involves fault detection, fault
sends a request to master unit for accepting data. If classification, relay communication channel actions,
the master unit is ready to accept data it sends a begin relay trip decision, circuit breaker operation,
transfer message to slave. The slave then transmits the interruption of fault currents, autoreclosing sequence,
header, configuration and data files in COMTRADE etc. An automated analysis of field recordings of
format to the master. A protocol for data transfer is currents and voltages, as well as contact statuses from
established and the receiving software is set up circuit breakers and communication channels is
appropriately. The master unit receives the possible if synchronous sampling of all the mentioned
COMTRADE files and stores them in a database. signals is performed across the substation [5]. This is
Figure 5 shows the master-slave system diagram. typically available if all the signals are wired to a
Line #1 Line #2 single instrument such as DFR. If recordings from
Digital Protective Relays (DPRs) are used to
Switchyard Breaker 1 Breaker 2 Breaker 3
implement the automated analysis, then there may be
Bus #1 CBM 1 CBM 2 CBM 3 Bus #2 some difficulty in performing an automated analysis
if some of the signals needed in the analysis come
from multiple relays. The problem is the signal
s
Event Records
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and
Commands
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a nd
Eve
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Proceedings of the 39th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences - 2006
The CB monitoring approach explained in this the estimator indicates an error at a suspect
paper significantly affects the second case. Since fault substation. Since it is not easy to determine if the
location in the second case can be treated as an error is caused by a wrong topology or measurement,
optimization problem where the cost function is the this approach allows expansion of the system model
minimum of the sum of the difference between the to include a precise topology of the substation [18].
measured and simulated phasors, it is important to By doing this a possible cause of error associated with
make sure that the measurements are taken for the the topology is eliminated and further analysis may be
same system topology used to perform the focused on the measurement errors.
simulations. Having CB monitored across the network Determining the substation topology and
with a common signal sampling synchronization maintaining dynamic changes is a task that can
enables a common time reference for determining the significantly be improved through the new CB
network switching status that corresponds to the monitoring system. If signal sampling on all the CBM
moment of the fault. Adding a common time DAUs is synchronized through GPS receiver, than the
reference for sampling synchronization allows topology analysis is much easier to perform.
determination of current phasors, which also needs to
be available for an accurate comparison between the 6. Future needs
measured and simulated signals. Overall, the new CB
monitoring has both properties and can be used as a
Based on the discussion of the real time approach
source of field data for improved fault location.
for CB monitoring, changes in the present practice
will be desirable. The changes bring significant
5.2 State estimation benefits, the implementation requirements for the
changes are rather simple and the involved cost is
Improved CB monitoring can create benefits for reasonable. Further discussion is focused on some of
two implementations of the state estimation the immediate needs for the improvements that may
algorithm, namely the topology processor part. In be met by development of the new approach.
both cases, the ability to recognize exact state of CBs
across the entire system or a substation is what makes 6.1. Change in measurement architecture
the room for improvements.
The architecture for making measurements of
5.2.1. Topology processor. The topology processor
analog current and voltage signals, as well as digital
for a state estimator has to be accurate in order for the
contact statuses is quite inadequate today if one wants
estimator to produce reliable results. If the topology
to make the improvements discussed in this paper. If
changes quickly due to a series of switching events, it
one relies on SCADA to perform the measurements,
may happen that the refresh rate of the analog
the analog signals are scanned and reported by
measurements does not capture correctly the dynamic
exception if the values of RMS exceed a threshold.
changes in the network topology. Besides, due to a
The contact signals are also scanned and reported by
switching event, the observability for the system may
exception where the entire conclusion about the CB
be violated since some of the measurements may be
status depends on how reliable the a and b
lost as certain parts of the substation circuit are
contacts and related communications are. Further
disconnected.
discussion indicates how the measurements may be
The new CB monitoring system enables precise
improved through introduction of the CBMAS and an
indication of the switching state of a CB. If signal
expansion of the measurement points through the use
sampling of all the CB DAUs are synchronized using
of other substation IEDs. The focus of the
GPS, it will be possible to determine the switching
improvements are the introduction of synchronized
state of the entire network very accurately, which in
sampling through the use of GPS receivers and the
turn would provide a state estimator with a topology
ability to correlate measurements from the Circuit
processor that is indeed reliable. This feature is not
Breaker Monitoring Analysis System (CBMAS) and a
presently available for any state estimator
Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS) that uses
implementation, but can be easily added by
Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs).
performing the topology analysis at the substation
level and uploading the information to the SCADA
6.1.1. Synchronized sampling. While many different
database [17].
techniques were used in the past to synchronize signal
5.2.2. Two-stage estimator. This approach requires a
sampling across different IEDs, the prevailing method
re-formulation of the state estimator for the case when
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in use today is to perform the synchronization using a discussion concentrates on the data integration at the
reference time signal from the Global Positioning substation level where the data from different IEDs is
System (GPS) of satellites [19]. The systems that are collected in a common database and process to extract
designed to perform precise measurement of voltage the relevant information, which can be then shared
phasors are the WAMS systems that rely on the use of among a variety of applications.
PMUs. The problem that we are addressing in this
paper, namely the topology determination in real 6.2.1. Data integration
time, does not seem to be related to the WAMS
system when in fact a close correlation between the To perform data integration, one has to design a
measurements from the two systems can indeed be corresponding substation database which will be
beneficial. To make sure the correlation is interfaced to different substation IEDs. The data base
meaningful, both systems need to be synchronized may reside on a separate substation PC or may be
through a common or separate GPS receiver. The integrated in an expanded RTU. Creation of the
CBM system may be synchronized to GPS time database enables merger of the data coming from
reference signal by introducing a GPS different infrastructures such as WAMS and CBM
synchronization input at the DAU level. Once the system. Through such integration, correlation
CBM system is GPS synchronized, further benefits of between accurate measurements of phasors and CB
correlating changes in the voltage phasors detecting contact statuses may be achieved. To illustrate this
by the WAMS to the to the changes in the status concept, Figure 6 and Figure 7 are showing an
signal and corresponding current signals detected by existing and future monitoring infrastructure
the CBM system can be explored. respectively.
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Information Exchange
COMTRADE
IEC 61850
Substation Database
Substation Analysis and Substation Analysis and
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