Micro Grid and Feeder Automation
A micro grid refers to a system with one or many distribution substations and energy storage systems that can cooperate with external systems or operate independently. A micro grid can vary in scope, size, and ownership; it is smaller for household applications and larger for some industrial districts or business centers. Micro grids can be constructed in a short time without long distance electric circuit deployment to quickly resolve electric capacity shortage problems.
A feeder automation system deals with the "last mile" of electric power transmission to end-users in either households or manufacturing sites. Building a feeder automation system often involves multiple IP-based networks that make use of both wired and wireless architectures to construct many distributed systems based on Feeder Terminal Units (FTUs). Unlike traditional systems that rely mainly on manual operations, a feeder automation system can enhance the reliability and quality for electric power feeder systems, reduce downtime when the system is out of order, and monitor the real-time operation status, reducing both risk and maintenance costs. A feeder system can be implemented using traditional above ground utility poles, or below ground, with the choice depending on the situation at the field site.
A Feeder Remote Terminal Unit (FRTU) is the main control center that monitors various FTUs. The FRTU is a self-healing and redundant system that uses fiber network communications with DNP over TCP/IP networks. Because of this, the FRTU requires a powerful computer and various switches and IP modems to ensure that the automation system is both efficient and reliable.
Benefits
