Abstract
Supporting a conventional power grid with advanced communication capabilities is a cornerstone to transferring it to a smart grid. A reliable communication infrastructure with a high throughput can lay the foundation towards the ultimate objective of a fully automated power grid with self-healing capabilities. In order to realize this objective, the communication infrastructure of a power distribution network needs to be extended to cover all substations including medium/low voltage ones. This shall enable information exchange among substations for a variety of system automation purposes with a low latency that suits time critical applications. This paper proposes the integration of two heterogeneous wireless technologies (such as WiFi and cellular 3G/4G) to provide reliable and fast communication among primary and secondary distribution substations. This integration allows the transmission of different data packets (not packet replicas) over two radio interfaces, making these interfaces act like a one data pipe. Thus, the paper investigates the applicability and effectiveness of employing heterogeneous wireless networks (HWNs) in achieving the desired reliability and timeliness requirements of future smart grids. We study the performance of HWNs in a realistic scenario under different data transfer loads and packet loss ratios. Our findings reveal that HWNs can be a viable data transfer option for smart grids.
Highlights
Establishing real-time communication among a variety of power grid components at different voltage levels has been the focus of the communication research community for a while
In light of the above, this work investigates the effectiveness of implementing heterogeneous wireless networks (HWNs) by the aid of multipath transmission control protocol (MPTCP) in the communication infrastructure of future smart grid distribution networks
We discuss a limitation of the capability of HWNs, which is the ability of the MPTCP congestion control algorithm to maximize the utilization of the WiFi network
Summary
Establishing real-time communication among a variety of power grid components at different voltage levels has been the focus of the communication research community for a while. Upgrading the distribution system communication network infrastructure to allow large data analysis and real-time operation and control strategies is essential to overcoming the foregoing challenges in establishing sustainable smart cities [1,3,5]. In light of the above, this work investigates the effectiveness of implementing HWNs by the aid of multipath transmission control protocol (MPTCP) in the communication infrastructure of future smart grid distribution networks. This work proposes that distribution substations (either secondary or primary) be equipped with HWN-ready monitoring and control units (MCUs) with various integrated sensors These MCUs are capable to communicate over hybrid wireless communication networks via dual-interface transceivers, supporting two different wireless technologies, and are MPTCP capable. We propose an HWN-based communication architecture for smart grid distribution networks that can achieve reliable and fast communication between primary and medium/low-voltage secondary distribution substations.
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