Power Line Communication Transmission Research Articles

Power Line Communication with Robust Timing and Carrier Recovery against Narrowband Interference for Smart Grid.

Power line communication (PLC) is an important interconnection technology for the smart grid, but the robustness of PLC transmission is faced with a great challenge due to strong non-Gaussian noise and interference. In this paper, a narrowband interference (NBI) resistant preamble is designed, and an effective timing and frequency synchronization method is proposed for OFDM-based PLC systems in the smart grid, which is capable of simultaneously conveying some bits of transmission parameter signaling (TPS) as well. In the time domain, the cyclic extension of the training OFDM symbol is scrambled, which makes it feasible to combat against NBI contamination. More accurate timing detection and sharper correlation peak can be implemented under the power line channel and the AWGN channel in the presence of NBI, compared with the conventional Schmidl’s and Minn’s methods with the same preamble length. Furthermore, the TPS transmitted using the proposed method is also immune from the NBI. The proposed method is capable of improving the synchronization performance of the PLC transmission significantly, which is verified by theoretical analysis and computer simulations.

A Line Impedance Calculator Based on a G3 PLC Modem Platform

Power line communication (PLC) is one of the most today used technologies for both automatic meter reading and many other smart grid applications. In this framework, a characterization of the electrical network in the PLC frequency range is needed in terms of impedance measurement and received signal level. This can allow choosing the most suitable and less noisy frequency ranges for PLC transmission. Usually, these characterization measurements are performed with dedicated instrumentation and in the absence of mains voltage. This article wants to propose an alternative solution, which allows these kinds of measurements to be performed using electronic boards currently used as on-field applications, such as smart meters. To this aim, an innovative measurement tool is proposed, which does not need a specific characterization signal to be injected because it uses the preamble of a generic PLC transmission. Moreover, the impedance calculation is performed using an FFT analysis, which does not require high computational capabilities. These features allowed the proposed tool to be implemented using a G3-PLC transceiver, embedded in many commercial smart meters, and low-cost additional hardware. This article shows how the proposed system correctly measures the PLC impedance on CENELEC A, B, and FCC frequency ranges.

Deterministic vs. Random Modulated Interference on G3 Power Line Communication

Power line communication (PLC), which is often used in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), may be disturbed by adjacent high-power converters. Due to the inherent features of this type of communication, classic methods of improving communication reliability (filtration and circuit separation) cannot be fully applied. Information coding (modulation) methods are used in PLC to increase the data transfer rate and improve noise immunity. Random modulations (RanM) are used in converters to lower emission levels. Therefore, we investigate how the converters’ modulation parameters and coding methods may affect PLC communication reliability in the paper. To this end, we employ an experimental approach. In particular, the analysis of the influence of deterministic modulation (DetM) and (RanM) on the performance of narrowband G3-PLC is shown. We emulated an actual situation where EMI generated by the DC/DC converter disturbed the PLC transmission. The experimental results show the transmission error rates for different operating scenarios. The natural (experimental) system results, due to the complexity of the disturbing signals, differ from the literature data obtained by simulation for normalized signals.

Optimised PLC transmission over pulse‐width modulated network

In industrial application of adjustable speed drive for electrical motors, some sensors are supplying mandatory information such as speed or position of the rotor to the electronic command. In most deployed applications, these data are transmitted through an additional dedicated line. In order to avoid this additional installation, power line communication (PLC) technology can be used. This study proposes a PLC communication solution between an inverter and a motor through a variable length cable. This solution relies on the modelling of this communication channel as well as the characterisation of the pulse-width modulated signal. The communication parameters such as carrier frequency or modulation format (quadrature phase shift keying etc.) have been optimised to reduce the channel-to-noise ratio in this context. An error free 2 Mbit/s communication has been achieved on a 2 kW test bench.

Cyclic Signals and Systems in Power Line Communications

This paper provides a comprehensive discussion about the characteristics of power line communication (PLC) channels related to its synchronization with the mains period. This fact constitutes an interesting and distinguishing feature of these kind of channels. Under the mains voltage presence, the behavior of some loads connected to the power network allows representing the transmission medium as a linear periodically time varying (LPTV) system. Some components in the received noise exhibit periodicity as well, in terms of impulsive waveforms synchronized with the mains period and other cyclostationary (CS) signals. This fact has been taken into account in the design of PLC systems, for instance by defining medium access control (MAC) frames synchronized with the mains period and by adapting the modulation to the cyclic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve the system performance. Hence, in PLC, it is of particular interest to describe the general relations of LPTV systems and CS signals when both have a common period, which is the purpose of this work. It is not aimed at providing new mathematical tools for the analysis of these cyclic signals and systems, which have been extensively developed over the last five decades, but to serve the readers of the PLC community more accessible mathematical relations that can be applied to the practical problems they have to face. A review of recent works dealing with the cyclic properties of PLC channels and transmission techniques aware of these strategies is included as well.

Implementation of Power Line Communication (PLC) for Monitoring Current Use at State Polytechnic of Malang

One of the communication technologies that can be used for monitoring current usage is communication technology via electric grids or what is called Power Line Communication (PLC). The advantages of this technology are that the electricity network is already distributed in each building so there is no need for new installations, it is economical and affordable in terms of economics, and is more practical and flexible in its use. In this study, a current usage monitoring system using PLC is proposed which will be applied in every class in the AI ??building of Malang State Polytechnic. The sensor that will be used in measuring the current value is the current sensor SCT-013. By using the KQ330 PLC module as a PLC transmission modem. The implementation of PLC which is applied in each class in the AI ??building has a BER (bit error rate) value of 0.012 in the experiment of sending 1000 data with an error of 12 times at the farthest distance of approximately 15 meters. And have a BER value of 0 or have no error in sending data at the closest distance of approximately 2-5 meters. In this study, the process of sending and receiving data using Power Line Communication allows it to be done at a distance that is not too far away to avoid excessive data errors.

An efficient impulsive noise cancellation scheme for power-line communication systems using ANFIS and chaotic interleaver

Impulsive noise is one of the main disturbances that damage the data transmission over power-line communication (PLC) systems. This paper presents an adaptive noise cancellation approach based on the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and a chaotic interleaver, namely ANC-CI-ANFIS scheme for impulsive noise estimation and suppression from the OFDM PLC channel. The ANFIS is based on a hybrid learning algorithm to identify parameters of Sugeno-type fuzzy inference system. Accordingly, fuzzy membership function parameters are trained using a combination of both least-square and back propagation gradient descent algorithms to emulate a given training data set. Furthermore, transmitted data are managed with a chaotic interleaver to secure data transmission and give more robustness against impulsive bursts. Simulation results are carried out on an OFDM PLC transmission chain compatible with the HomePlug AV standard under different impulsive noise scenarios. The results demonstrated the scheme's ability to detect and remove the impulsive noise from the PLC channel while keeping a high security level by using the chaotic interleaver. The major advantage of this system is its ease of implementation and faster convergence rate.

Radiation Mitigation for Power Line Communications Using Time Reversal

Power Line Communication (PLC) is the response for nowadays high demand of multimedia services in domestic environment, not only for its fast and reliable transfer characteristics but also for its flexible low cost implementation, since the PLC technology uses the existing electrical network infrastructure and the omnipresent outlets throughout the home. The transfer of such a high bit rate through the mains network generates acceptable radiated emission regulated by international standards, but the increment in speed for new generation PLC may cause higher levels of emissions. This paper explains the use of the Time Reversal (TR) technique to mitigate radiated emissions from PLC systems. This method was probed experimentally in real electrical networks with excellent results: in 40% of the observations, the Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) generated by PLC transmission could be reduced by more than 3 dB, and this EMI mitigation factor could increase to more than 10 dB in particular configurations.

Modeling of Electromagnetic Interference and PLC Transmission for Loads Shedding in a Microgrid

This paper presents an electric line study of microgrid. To optimize the management of electric sources, generally a proposed solution is the load shedding. To achieve it, the power line communication (PLC) is often used to communicate when it is not possible to add cables. Such technologies use the power line network as a propagation and communication medium. The network quality depends mainly on the power grid topology, but also on the connected household electrical appliances that have a large impact on the PLC systems due to their impedances and noise. In this paper, we propose a new simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) approach for modeling both the electromagnetic (EM) disturbances generated by a printer and the power network. First, the high-frequency power cable characteristics are extracted from S parameter measurements. Then, the model of EM noise generated by a printer is deduced from time-domain measurement and integrated to the SPICE simulator by means of its Laplace transform. Simulation and modeling results of a simple power grid are given in terms of insertion loss evaluation (S21 parameter). A validation of the EM noise model is performed by means of a comparison between simulation and measurement results in frequency domain at several points of a simple power network. The present approach allows the prediction of EM interference generated by all household devices at any access points of a power line network without carrying out a systematic measurement.

CHANNEL CAPACITY OF HIGH-SPEED POWERLINE COMMUNICATION IN VEHICLES

Powerline Communication (PLC) Systems intents to use the mains network in vehicles for high-speed data transmission. Carrier frequencies in the range of MHz are required to establish data rates of some megabits per second. In this paper, typical reference channels extracted from channel measurements are presented and computation results of their capacities according to Shannon’s theorem are presented. Furthermore, the effect of limitations of frequency range and power spectral density of transmitted signal on achievable capacity is investigated. This paper outlines an assessment for theoretical channel capacity and achievable data rates of vehicular PLC transmission schemes. Finally, EMC (Electromagnetics Compatibility) constraint according to CISPR 25 (Comite International Special des Perturbations Radioelectrique – The International Special Committee on Radio Interference) is deeply considered.