The FDR (Frequency Disturbance Recorder) is a data acquisition device for the power system. The device is portable and can be used with any residential wall outlet for frequency data collection. Furthermore, the FDR transmits calculated frequency data to the web for access by authorized users via Ethernet connection. As a result, Virginia Tech implemented Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET) with these FDR devices. FNET is a collection of identical FDRs placed in different measurement sites to allow for data integration and comparison. Frequency is an important factor for power system control and stabilization. With funding and support provided by ABB, TVA and NSF the FDRs are placed strategically all over the United States for frequency analysis, power system protection and monitoring. The purpose of this study is to refine the current FDR hardware design and establish a new design that will physically fit all the components on one Printed Circuit Board (PCB). At the same time, the software that is to be implemented on the new board is to be kept similar if not the same as that of the current design. The current FDR uses the Axiom CME555 development board and it is interfaced to the external devices through its communication ports. Even through the CME555 board is able to meet the demands of the basic FDR operations, there are still several problems associated with this design. This paper will address some of those hardware problems, as well as propose a new board design that is specifically aimed for operations of FDR. / Master of Science

Recent large-scale blackouts revealed that power systems around the world are far from the stability and reliability requirement as they suppose to be. The post-event analysis clarifies that one major reason of the interconnection blackout is lack of wide area information. Frequency dynamics is one of the most important parameters of an electrical power system. In order to understand power system dynamics effectively, accurately measured wide-area frequency is needed. The idea of building an Internet based real-time GPS synchronized wide area Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET) was proposed to provide the imperative dynamic information for the large-scale power grids and the implementation of FNET has made the synchronized observations of the entire US power network possible for the first time. The FNET system consists of Frequency Disturbance Recorders (FDR), which work as the sensor devices to measure the real-time frequency at 110V single-phase power outlets, and an Information Management System (IMS) to work as a central server to process the frequency data. The device comparison between FDR and commercial PMU (Phasor Measurement Unit) demonstrate the advantage of FNET. The web visualization tools make the frequency data available for the authorized users to browse through Internet. The research work addresses some preliminary observations and analyses with the field-measured frequency information from FNET. The original algorithms based on the frequency response characteristic are designed to process event detection, localization and unbalanced power estimation during frequency disturbances. The analysis of historical cases illustrate that these algorithms can be employed in real-time level to provide early alarm of abnormal frequency change to the system operator. The further application is to develop an adaptive under frequency load shedding scheme with the processed information feed in to prevent further frequency decline in power systems after disturbances causing dangerous imbalance between the load and generation. / Ph. D.