Power Line Communication Applications Research Articles

Power Line Communication Application for Enhanced Partial Discharge Monitoring: From Theory to Application

Power Line Communication Application for Enhanced Partial Discharge Monitoring: From Theory to Application

Characterizing Low-Data-Rate Power Line Communication Channels

Electric power lines could, in principle, provide a ubiquitous wired communication network linking electrical loads, power meters, and other devices. This communication infrastructure could unlock new sensing and control capabilities, improving the efficiency and reliability of power system operations. In practice, however, power line communication (PLC) is complicated by both known and variable difficulties related to background noise, signal attenuation, and unknown line impedances. This article develops instrumentation that characterizes and verifies line characteristics for PLC applications, especially for demand response and control applications. This instrumentation provides a window to key variables that affect communication on a local power distribution network. With these measurements, limits on PLC communication can be verified before an installation, and a PLC system may also be adaptively tuned to measurements of the current local environment. Field experiments in a challenging microgrid and a 24-floor apartment building demonstrate an appropriately tailored PLC system communicating reliably in locations where conventional PLC fails.

Channel Impulse Response Multilevel Quantization for Power Line Communications

Physical layer security (PLS) has become a popular topic in the research community as a complement to traditional security schemes. Particularly, by taking advantage of the channel’s symmetry, a robust ecosystem of security applications has developed in wireless communications. However, in power line communications (PLC), the general lack of channel symmetry has limited and hampered the development of physical layer techniques. In this paper, we address the cited constraint, by deriving a symmetric virtual channel impulse response (CIR) from the corresponding asymmetric PLC channel state information (CSI). In view of this, we propose a low-complexity and, to the best of our knowledge, the first CIR multilevel quantization algorithm that can be used in various PLC applications. While we contextualize our solution within the PLS domain, it has a wide applicability. Specifically, we start by analyzing the PLC channel path delays reciprocity, its relationship with topology changes, and its independence from all other power line characteristics. Then, the quality and viability of the proposed scheme are quantified, by comparing the bit mismatch rate (BMR) with its one-level quantization counterpart. The simulation results, under different topologies, confirm the performance of the proposed approach that can reduce the BMR by at least three orders of magnitude with respect to the one-level quantization, for noise levels below 90 dBuV. Finally, we conclude the paper by showing a few applications of the proposed solution and highlighting some future research directions.

Power line communication: A review on couplers and channel characterization

<abstract> <p>Powerline communication is gaining momentum with the rise of the smart grid, the Internet of Things as part of the 4th industrial revolution and associated applications such as transportation and energy efficiency. Coupling and channel characterization are essential parts of a power-line communication system. Therefore, understanding these components allows performance evaluation and prediction of the system. This paper presents an entire review of couplers and channel characterization modeling techniques used in narrow and broadband power-line communication systems. Types and applications of different couplers are presented; a review of different power-line communication channel modeling techniques and the fundamentals allows a clear understanding of factors influencing or affecting the signal propagation through the channel. The purpose of this review is to guide researchers and system designers looking for literature resources on couplers and channel characterization for power-line communication applications.</p> </abstract>

Decrepit Building Monitoring Solution for Zero Energy Building Management Using PLC and Android Application

Since power line communication (PLC) technology has been considered a platform technology for smart metering, this study introduces an analogous system technology for the PLC-based monitoring systems in zero energy building management. This technology allows a system operator or an operation center to monitor, calculate, or manage power use remotely through the existing power line so that individual suppliers will be able to grasp the present condition of power use and respond to any unexpected incidents. As in any country, many old buildings in Korea are repaired to be used for 40–50 years or even longer since constructing new ones is expensive. Because remodeling old buildings is not only expensive but also generates construction waste, repairing is the preferred alternative in many cases. With the expectation that the proposed platform technology will be one of the promising technologies for sustainable building, its uninterrupted power usage monitoring and remote power control/management functions will be quite useful for economizing power with convenience. A system with such a PLC-based design and algorithm can be quite scalable as well. As the major contribution of this study, a solution suitable for decrepit buildings or apartments has been developed by using the PLC technology, and the test bed experiment was conducted for it. The result showed that the solution worked flexibly and efficiently. Since it is impossible to install a new network especially in the case of decrepit buildings, PLC must be used through the existing power line. Thus, a decrepit building monitoring system has been proposed in this study for a sustainable building. The proposed solution was simulated with OPNET simulation first. Following the mounting of the actual PLC product and development of a monitoring application to complete the platform/solution, it is being tested at the test bed in a decrepit building.

Analysis and Characterization of End-User Equipment Noise Signals for Power Line Communication Applications

Analysis and Characterization of End-User Equipment Noise Signals for Power Line Communication Applications

A Review of Impedance Matching Techniques in Power Line Communications

Impedance mismatch that degrades signal power transfer and affects communication reliability is a major obstacle for power line communications (PLC). Impedance matching techniques can be designed to effectively compensate for the impedance mismatch between PLC modems and power line networks at a specific frequency or for a given frequency band. In this paper, we discuss the tradeoffs that need to be made when designing an effective impedance matching network. We also make a comprehensive review of previous state-of-the-art PLC impedance matching techniques and provide a useful classification of each technique. Finally, we discuss important issues (concerns) and provide suggestions for research directions deserving more attention. This review provides a useful guideline for researchers and manufacturers to quickly understand impedance matching principles and facilitate the design of an effective impedance matching coupler for PLC applications.

Narrowband hybrid PLC/wireless: Transceiver prototype, hardware resource usage and energy consumption

This work discusses a prototype of the so-called narrowband (NB) hybrid power line communication (PLC)/Wireless transceiver, which jointly uses parallel power line and wireless channels for providing data communication to the Industry 4.0, Smart Grids and the Internet of Things applications. The prototype introduces a modified version of the IEEE 1901.2 Standard, which was designed to fulfill NB - PLC applications, to implement the media access control (MAC) sublayer and the physical (PHY) layer of a hybrid transceiver that is capable of transmitting data through both power line and wireless channels. Therefore, the NB hybrid PLC/Wireless transceiver prototype is compatible with a NB - PLC transceiver that makes use of the IEEE 1901.2 Standard. Moreover, both transceivers can constitute heterogeneous data communication networks that are capable of improving reliability and coverage. Furthermore, based on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device, we discuss the hardware resource usage and energy consumption analyses and the hardware feasibility of implementing a bit correction technique at the link layer of the NB hybrid PLC/Wireless transceiver prototype. We show that the signal/data processing block of the proposed transceiver demands only 1.12 times the energy consumption required by a NB - PLC transceiver based on the IEEE 1901.2 Standard. Moreover, the designed roadmap for this kind of hybrid PLC/wireless transceiver demands 1.5 times the hardware resource usage in comparison to the implementation of the PLC transceiver based on the IEEE 1901.2 Standard. Finally, we show that up 5 bits can be corrected at the link layer level without increasing the clock frequency.

An Effective Method to Calculate Frequency Response of Distribution Networks for PLC Applications

Modelling and estimating power-line communication (PLC) channels are complicated issues due to the complex network topologies, various junctions, and changeable loads. This paper focuses on the frequency response characteristics (FRCs) of medium-voltage (MV) PLC networks with special consideration of two scenarios that are often neglected but generally exist. In the first scenario, the MV distribution network is of the ring topology. In the second scenario, the MV overhead lines and underground cables join at junctions, and the shields of underground cables are grounded with nonzero grounding impedances at the junctions. These conditions lead to the failure of currently popular methods to different degrees. For this reason, we developed an effective method to calculate the FRCs of distribution networks for PLC applications. With this method, the frequency responses of nodes are simply expressed as the binary function of the overall tube propagation matrix and overall node scattering matrix, which is convenient for calculations and analyses. The proposed method was validated by the agreement between the calculated and measured FRCs. The results of two test examples showed that the proposed method performed better in comparison with the traditional approximate method when nonideal grounding conditions were taken into account. The proposed method is also independent of the network topology, so it can adapt to the dynamic changes of the network structure.

A Frequency Control Strategy Using Power Line Communication in a Smart Microgrid

This paper presents an application of power-line communication (PLC) as a viable solution for frequency regulation in a smart microgrid. The microgrid under consideration comprises a diesel generator with a frequency controller and another synchronous generator operating in the constant power mode. Frequency regulation is achieved in the microgrid by communicating the frequency deviation (information) from the control center to the diesel generator using PLC. The information received at the other end is used for frequency regulation. A simple yet effective M -ary amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation-based PLC system is proposed for information transmission. A comparative analysis of M -ary ASK and M -ary frequency-shift keying (FSK)-based PLC systems is also presented. Approximate closed-form expressions for the average symbol error rate and the average achievable rate are derived for both the PLC systems, assuming that the PLC channel coefficients and the additive impulsive noise samples are derived from a log-normal distribution and a Bernoulli-Gaussian process, respectively. The results show that M -ary ASK is a better choice for PLC than M -ary FSK. Furthermore, the delay introduced in the control loop while using the proposed PLC system is negligible, and therefore, the stability of the microgrid is also ensured.

Medium Access Control Protocols for Power Line Communication: A Survey

In the literature, the majority of research efforts in power line communication (PLC) has been focused on the physical layer in order to deal with issues such as the time varying behavior of loads in electric power systems, the presence of high power impulsive noise, the occurrence of impedance mismatching, the widespread use of unshielded power cables, and the existence of coupling losses. While some works have also been carried out on the PLC medium access control (MAC) sublayer, there are scopes for further research to address the novel demands associated with cyber physical systems that need to mitigate unfairness in resource sharing, collisions and starvation, among other issues which may degrade data communication quality. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey regarding the state-of-the-art of MAC protocols for PLC systems, including an overview of existing PLC MAC research results and an organization of current PLC MAC protocols in terms of type of protocols, applications, and main research focus. Moreover, we present modern PLC technologies and standards, highlighting their MAC sublayer characteristics and providing a detailed comparative analysis of PLC MAC protocols in the context of current and emerging PLC applications. Finally, we identify future trends within the scope of the MAC sublayer for PLC systems with a view to stimulating additional research efforts on PLC MAC design.

Secure Sum-Rate-Optimal MIMO Multicasting Over Medium-Voltage NB-PLC Networks

We propose a multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing transceiver for narrowband power-line communication applications in multi-user medium-voltage multicasting networks. The 3-phase medium-voltage multicasting network is modeled as a 2-input/3-output multiple-input multiple-output frequency-selective channel over the 3–500 kHz frequency band. We design the optimal spatial precoder, spatial power allocation, and frequency bit loading profile which maximize the sum-rate of the multicasting groups. In addition, we propose two schemes to secure data transmission through the two-group multicasting network. The first scheme secures the network when the eavesdropper is a user in one of the two multicasting groups and, hence, its channel state information is known at the transmitter. The second scheme secures the multicasting network from external passive eavesdroppers and, hence, the channels between the transmitter and the eavesdroppers are assumed to be unknown at the transmitter. The secrecy rate is evaluated for both scenarios.

First and Second-Order Semi-Hidden Fritchman Markov models for a multi-carrier based indoor narrowband power line communication system

The realization of a Semi-Hidden Fritchman Markov models (SHFMMs) for power line communication (PLC) channel is only practicable if combined with efficient algorithms for learning and inference. This article thus reports First and Second-Order SHFMMs for the bit error pattern at the output of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing based system for in-home narrowband PLC applications. Accurate SHFMMs have been derived for a residential and laboratory environment using the efficient iterative Baum–Welch algorithm. The log-likelihood ratio plots, the error-free run distribution plots, the mean square error and Chi-Square (χ2) test validates the accuracy of the derived models. The reliability and accuracy of resulting models are confirmed by a close match between the measured bit error sequences and the model generated bit error sequences. The estimated Second-Order SHFMMs have been validated to be superior to the First-Order models, although at the expense of more computational complexity. Resulting models assist designers to speed up and facilitate the process of designing and evaluating novelties for PLC systems.

Identification and Modeling of Intrinsic Discontinuities in High-Voltage Transmission Lines for PLC Applications

The aim of this contribution is to develop a procedure in order to identify and to model the intrinsic electric discontinuities in high-voltage overhead transmission lines to better design power line communications applications. The modeling is based on the results of a rigorous campaign of measurement carried out in collaboration with the Italian Transmission System Operator TERNA. The high-frequency model of the line also takes into account the conductors transpositions and other stray effects that can have an impact on the propagation of the high-frequency signals.

An efficient network coding scheme for reliable multicast power line communications

Nowadays, Power Line Communication (PLC) technology is receiving a renewed attention for a wide class of innovative applications and services, mainly thanks to the advantage of using the existing electrical infrastructures, thus reducing the deployment costs. However, such electrical infrastructures have been originally conceived for power distribution and not for data. Hence, signal propagation is affected by more severe impairments than traditional media, such as impulsive noise and frequency selectivity. Furthermore, new emerging PLC applications need more efficient information delivery schemes that encompass both unicast and multicast mode. Towards this end, this paper deals with an efficient Network Coding (NC) based multicast reliable PLC scheme that makes use of (i) a decision direct impulsive noise mitigation approach and of (ii) a scheme based on multiple transmissions of a same symbols in the frequency domain. A suitable optimization procedure is also proposed here with the aim of improving the performance of the proposed scheme, under the constraint of a specified maximum data flow delivery failure probability. Finally, comparisons with alternative solutions are provided in order to highlight the significant advantages of the proposed scheme in terms of data flow delivery delay and overall transmission energy cost, under specific service constraints.

Experimental Verification on High Voltage Application of Power Line Communication using Periodic Zero Voltage Section Applicable to DC Power Supply

Experimental Verification on High Voltage Application of Power Line Communication using Periodic Zero Voltage Section Applicable to DC Power Supply

Integrated Impedance-Matching Coupler for Smart Building and Other Power-Line Communications Applications

Power-line communications is a promising technology to help automate buildings, since it utilizes the in situ power cabling as a communications channel. However, couplers are required to inject and extract the communication signal from the power grid. Most power-line communications couplers make use of a small transformer to adapt impedance levels while also providing galvanic isolation. The cost and size of these transformers have been hindrances in the quest for compact, economic couplers. Previous attempts to eliminate this coupling transformer, while maintaining impedance adaptation, have not been successful in reducing component cost or physical size. In this paper, a novel approach is followed: 1) a suitable dual-function bandpass matching circuit is designed for ordinary electronics, whereafter 2) the specifications of this bandpass matching circuit are upgraded to function safely in the power-grid environment as a coupler. Therefore, a matching circuit is transformed into a compact power-line coupler, which further exhibits bandpass filtering and excellent impedance-adapting performance. Simulations as well as laboratory measurements are shown which confirm the accuracy of the design. Finally, practical 220-V measurements in an office block are presented, which prove the versatility of this novel coupler when power-grid conditions fluctuate.

Influence of the channel instability on the PLC QoS

Intensive rollout of smart grids (SG) creates a special demand on communication networks. Especially, they have to supply sufficient quality of service (QoS) to a big number of customers. Therefore the required QoS becomes more demanding (e.g., minimum throughput have to be increased) and in meantime the cost of the network installation and management should be reduced. Power line communication (PLC) becomes a challenging technology inside SGs. It uses already available power cables and therefore reduces the installation costs of the network. In particular, the usage of PLC is beneficial for power utilities, which appear to be the owners of this communication medium. Nevertheless, PLC remains an emerging technology. Achievable QoS for particular PLC network scenarios are hard to predict and still need to be studied. It is reasoned by the fact, that the PLC environment (cable structure, electrical devices, etc.) induces special effects on the informational signal propagation over the communication medium. These effects may result in considerable impairments of the PLC signal. Nevertheless, with a usage of a cognitive mechanism a big part of them can be avoided or even taken as an advantage. This paper overviews the influence of the channel instability on the PLC QoS. A data link layer (DLL) of a PLC protocol can implement a channel prediction mechanism, which is beneficial for multiple PLC applications. A short description on this mechanism is also introduced in this paper.

Application of Narrowband Power-Line Communication in Medium-Voltage Smart Distribution Grids

Narrowband power-line communication (PLC) over distribution networks is gaining the attention of researchers, as a communication medium in future power grids. This paper investigates the application of narrowband PLC in smart distribution grids, starting from a historical overview on the accomplished technological progress and continuing with a comparison of the advantages and drawbacks of PLC technology to other smart-grid communication solutions. The analysis shows that narrowband PLC applications are best suitable for medium-voltage (MV) networks, due to the vast and complex geographical extent. The channel and topological characteristics of MV distribution networks are examined for different operational states and configurations, since they are important for the optimal design and implementation of the PLC infrastructure. The analysis is also extended to an existing overhead MV distribution network with distributed-generation units. The obtained results and the proposed methodology are useful and comprehensive tools for the efficient implementation of PLC technology in future smart grids.

Power line communications for automation networks and smart grid [Guest Editorial

Power line communications (PLC) reuses power lines for communication purposes. It is an ?old? technology whose commercial use for voice communication and control goes back to the beginning of the last century (see the excellent History Column article by Mischa Schwartz [1]). Since then, PLC applications have always been with us. But PLC technology has only gained attention in the broader public with the advent of broadband PLC for Internet access and inhome multimedia applications in the late 1990s.