Shared LTE Network Performance on Smart Grid and Typical Traffic Schemes

Juho Markkula,Jussi Haapola

doi:10.1109/access.2020.2975879

Juho Markkula, Jussi Haapola

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.2975879

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Abstract

This paper investigates the possibility of delivering distinct smart grid (SG) demand response (DR) applications in a highly loaded LTE network. In a shared LTE network, the proportion of SG DR traffic is relatively low when compared to typical traffics such as voice over IP, Skype video call, FTP, Youtube video stream, and HTTP. The quality of service (QoS) requirements for the SG DR traffics have to be fulfilled by maintaining the network delays and the packet delivery ratios within certain limits, while not causing significant hindrance to the typical traffics. The Riverbed Modeler network simulations are performed using detailed physical layer propagation models, detailed LTE functionality, and a suburban topology. In the simulation scenarios, three distinct DR applications generate varying amounts of SG DR traffic to the LTE network while the LTE capacity is exceeded by the typical traffics. The results illustrate that satisfactory performance for the SG DR traffics can be maintained due to the constant traffic characteristics and relatively low traffic amount that facilitates the scheduling of channel resources. Typically, the more a DR application generates traffic the higher hindrance it causes for the typical traffics other than the voice over IP that applies the QoS class of highest priority.

Highlights

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a combination of smart meters, a communication network, and utility systems [1]
Wireless communications are an essential part of the communication path due to the low installation costs and reduced cabling, and there are various options for the applied wireless communication technology such as long term evolution (LTE), The associate editor coordinating the review of this manuscript and approving it for publication was Zhong Fan
The research results indicated that a public LTE network is suitable for smart grid (SG) communications with certain limitations related to the traffic volume and the radio channel capacity

Summary

Introduction

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a combination of smart meters, a communication network, and utility systems [1]. The communication network enables two-way communications between the smart meters and the utility system that contains a metering data management system (MDMS). A remote terminal unit (RTU) is a communication interface that is connected to a smart meter and transmits information, collected by the smart meter, to a MDMS that processes it and delivers feedback. The main focus of AMI is to provide real-time information and control of household electricity consumption and local energy production for demand response (DR) applications, and conventional automatic meter reading (AMR) functionalities such as automatic consumption metering, diagnostic, and status data collection are included for billing and analysis purposes. Powerline communications come at zero cabling costs, but cannot provide such a high bit-rates, reliability, and wide networks as wireless communications [2]

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