Automating Substations
Adding locally intelligent nodes can create networks that are more efficient and reliable. The smart grid makes use of communications, computing, and power electronics to create a system that is self-healing and adaptive. The smart grid is also able to "interact" with end-users at the consumer, business, and industry level, and can be used to predict and prevent emergencies instead of just waiting around for something bad to happen.
How Do Intelligent Substations Fit into a Smart Grid?
The electric power dispatching control center supervises the grid while the automated management system for transmission and distribution is operating. Decision making and information is handled by the intelligent substation, which reports electric power consumption, operates the switchboard, and gathers information, with decision making sent back to the electric power dispatching control center.
IEC 61850 and IEEE 1613 Certified
Substation LANs and serial port requirements place heavy demands on the physical and functional reliability of all of the hardware used in the system. The IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 standards define the highest standard of EMI immunity and error free communication requirements for network equipment used in substations. Moxa's substation Ethernet switches and embedded computers are IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 certified, guaranteeing that our products are protected against a variety of environmental factors.
Industrial Embedded Computers and Ethernet Switches Play an Important Role
To achieve these missions, intelligent substations need powerful embedded computers with multiple serial ports for legacy device connectivity and to perform a multitude of front-end tasks, such as protocol conversion, data acquisition, numerical computing, data distribution, and remote device monitoring and management. Industrial Ethernet switches are a fundamental building block of IEC 61850 based substation automation systems and must perform extremely reliably and continue to operate under challenging conditions, such as EMI threats.
The Segments of an Intelligent Substation
Intelligent substations can be classified into three categories: utility substations, industrial substations, and commercial substations. The categories are differentiated by voltage level and overall size.
Utility substations consume a high amount of voltage and require a large scale operation. The high voltage is often required for large factories or mass public transit systems and is the top phase of the power distribution process. The voltage could be as high as 500 KV. There are fewer substations of this type but they must satisfy a high demand.
Industrial substations are the most common. The voltage required is around 220 KV, and is used for medium-sized factories or commercial buildings.
Commercial substations require a voltage level of 100 to 110 KV, and are used for small-scale operations, such as store buildings or residential areas.
