Abstract
A significant component in electrical power systems are substations, in which the substation communication network is essential. Due to the evolving nature of communication protocols, and the introduction of the IEC 61 850 standard, substation communication networks can provide fast and reliable information transmission. Such improvements in transmission allow for improved protection and control of the power system network. A well-designed substation communication network can be achieved with the use of appropriate modeling, and as a result, this paper aims the review the methods in which parts of, or the entire substation communication network can be modeled. Modeling methods aim to determine various parameters of a substation communication network design, which include the traffic load distribution, and various message delays under different network conditions that may be experienced. In order for modeling to be carried out, a general structure of a substation communication network must be defined, which is laid out by the IEC 61 850 standard. The findings of the review in this paper show that there are various methods in which a substation communication network can be modeled, which include analytical modeling, software-based modeling, hardware/experimental modeling, and time-series based modeling. However, each method enables for different parameters to be found, with some of the methods having drawbacks including a limited network model size, and inability to find certain necessary parameters. The methods reviewed in this paper can be used and expanded on to create useful and accurate models of a substation communication network.
Highlights
Electrical power systems are essential in modern society, as they enable the continuous and reliable availability of electrical power, which is of paramount importance to many industries requiring electricity to operate
The objective of this paper was to review the methods in which the traffic flow in a substation communication network can be modeled
Due to the development of software-based substation automation systems, microprocessor-based intelligent electronic devices and the introduction of the IEC 61850 standard for communication systems, Ethernet communication systems are being more commonly used in substation communication networks, leading to an increased dependency of the substation automation system on the communication network
Summary
Electrical power systems are essential in modern society, as they enable the continuous and reliable availability of electrical power, which is of paramount importance to many industries requiring electricity to operate. The substation automation system (SAS) uses information retrieved from the power system in order to ensure proper operation and management of the power system network [1], [2]. The large changes in the communication networks employed have led to an increasing dependency of the SAS on the substation communication network (SCN) [2], [3], [6]. As a result, improved operation and management of the SAS can be achieved through the correct design and maintenance of an SCN, allowing for fast and reliable information transmission [3]. The modeling of SCNs in a simple and reliable manner is essential, allowing for the evaluation of network performance under different network conditions and the determination of whether or not the SCN meets the network performance requirements [3]
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