Thesis (Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / As far as substation automation systems are concerned, one of the prime requirements of most utilities today is the interoperability between Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) of different manufacturers. The standard IEC 61850 - Communication Networks and Systems in Substations - allows such interoperability between IEDs for protection and automation of substations. Presently, many manufacturers have implemented, or are in the process of implementing this standard in their IEDs. This has encouraged some utilities to specify IEC is to ensure that both system requirements are met and the features and benefits of the standard are fully exploited. The author of this thesis investigated and brought forward the design of an integrated monitoring protection and control system of a network in Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) campus based of the IEC 61850 standard. A method of testing the physical IED based on Hardware-In-Loop (HIL) configuration with the Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) is developed and implemented. Mapping of IED Substation Configuration Language (SCL) with that of the RTDS GTNET cards is discussed and implemented to further exploit the use of realtime testing with Generic Object Oriented Substation Event messages (GOOSE). The thesis highlight the benefits of interconnecting the reticulation IEDs into a standardised communication network for protection, control and monitoring of each substation event. This improves the access to information and reduces maintenance cost on the reticulation network.

Thesis (Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Transformer Differential and overcurrent schemes are traditionally used as main and backup protection respectively. The differential protection relay (SEL487E) has dedicated harmonic restraint function which blocks the relay during the transformer magnetizing inrush conditions. However, the backup overcurrent relay (SEL751A) applied to the transformer protection does not have a harmonic restraint element and trips the overcurrent relay during the inrush conditions. Therefore, to prevent the malfunction caused by the transformer magnetizing inrush current, a novel harmonic blocking method is developed, implemented and tested in the RSCAD simulation environment. The IEEE 14 bus transmission system is considered as a case study. The IEEE 14 bus system is modelled and simulated in the DIgSILENT and RSCAD simulation environments respectively. The developed harmonic blocking scheme is implemented in the Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulation environment using Real-Time Digital Simulator and numerical protection IEDs. The developed scheme uses the Harmonic Blocking element (87HB) of the transformer differential relay (SEL487E) to send an IEC61850 GOOSE-based harmonic blocking signal to the backup overcurrent relay (SEL751A) to inhibit it from tripping during the transformer magnetizing inrush current conditions. The hardwired and GOOSE simulation results are analysed for the transformer differential protection and the backup overcurrent protection schemes for internal, external events and transformer magnetizing inrush current conditions. The simulation results proved that the IEC61850 standard-based protection scheme is faster than the hardwired. Therefore, the speed and reliability are improved using the IEC61850 standard-based GOOSE applications to the transformer digital protective relaying system.

Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Electricity substation monitoring and control systems have evolved over the years from simple systems capable of achieving minimalistic functions to autonomous, self-healing smart grid schemes (Farhangi, 2010). The migration of technology to networked smart grid systems was driven by the need for standardisation of communication networks, system configuration and also the reduction of system implementation costs and engineering time. Before the introduction of a uniform communication standard, legacy (non-standardised) communication protocols, for example, the Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3) were used by Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) for information exchange (Luwaca, 2014). These communication protocols could not provide a standard naming convention or data semantics since the data/information was accessed using an address-based system. The implementation of automation systems based on legacy protocols and RTUs was expensive because of parallel copper wiring required to connect instrument transformers and circuit breakers to multiple RTUs for protection and monitoring functions (Iloh et al., 2014). Legacy systems refer to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems implemented using RTUs and legacy communication protocols. Legacy systems tended to be vendor specific because devices from different vendors did not support the same communication protocol. These issues led to the introduction of the IEC 61850 standard. The IEC 61850 standard for “communication networks and systems in a substation” provides standardised naming convention, data semantics, standardised device configuration and also device interoperability and interchangeability in some instances. The IEC 61850 standard provides a solution to expensive parallel copper wiring and standardisation issues experienced with legacy protocols. In as much as the introduction of the IEC 61850 standard addresses problems experienced with legacy system there is still a need to provide inexpensive access to IEC 61850-compliant devices and effective knowledge transfer to facilitate implementation of automation systems based on this standard. The development of an IEC 61850-compliant device requires a specialised skillset and financial investment for research and industrialisation therefore only a few vendors manufacture these devices resulting in an increase in production and manufacturing costs. For this reason this research project develops VHDL modules for mapping IEC 61850-9-2 Sampled Value (SV) messages and IEC 61850-8-1 Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) messages on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platform. Sampled values are used for transmitting current and voltage transformer (CT and VT) measurements to protection devices while GOOSE messages exchange information/commands between primary equipment (CT, VT and circuit breaker) and protection devices over an Ethernet network known as the process bus.

A geração de energia elétrica é importante para todos os ramos de atividades econômicas e tem demanda crescente. Isso implica constantes melhorias dos sistemas secundários, entre eles os sistemas de automação, que evoluíram muito nos últimos anos. Em várias usinas hidrelétricas esses sistemas estão obsoletos e apresentam outros problemas, portanto, carecem de atualizações tecnológicas. O objetivo desta tese é responder às principais questões relacionadas às modernizações dos sistemas de automação de unidades geradoras hidráulicas de grande porte: por que, quando e como modernizá-los? Para isso, foram estudados a evolução desses sistemas, o estado da arte, as modernizações já realizadas e planejadas. Os dados foram obtidos da bibliografia e diretamente de especialistas, através de pesquisa de campo envolvendo as principais concessionárias brasileiras. Baseando-se nos estudos, foram elaborados critérios para tomar a decisão por modernizar, foram escolhidas a forma de modernização e de realização mais adequadas para grandes usinas e foi criado um modelo de sistema de automação usando o estado da arte. Esse modelo é totalmente digital, utiliza uma única rede de comunicação em todos os níveis (incluindo o controle central), é à prova de futuro e fundamenta-se na norma IEC 61850. Todos os componentes e características do sistema foram examinados. Por fim, foi proposto um método para especificação e projeto do novo sistema incluindo todas as etapas. Concluiu-se que, um conjunto de indicadores quantitativos pode decidir a necessidade de modernização dos sistemas de automação de grandes unidades geradoras e, tomada a decisão por modernizar, a melhor solução é a substituição total de uma só vez (uma parada) usando o modelo criado. Os métodos e o sistema propostos podem ser usados como referências no setor elétrico para facilitar as atualizações tecnológicas e garantir resultados efetivos uniformes, com longo tempo de vida e independência dos fornecedores. / The generation of electricity is important to all branches of economic activities and faces a growing demand. This implies constant improvements of the secondary systems, including the automation systems, which have evolved a great deal in recent years. At several hydroelectric power plants these systems are obsolete and present other problems, therefore, technological upgrades are required. The objective of this thesis is to answer the key questions related to the modernizations of automation systems of large hydraulic generating units: why, when and how to modernize them? To this effect, studies were undertaken about the evolution of these systems, the state of the art, the modernizations already introduced and those planned. The data were obtained from the bibliography and directly from experts, through a field survey involving the major Brazilian utilities. Based on these studies, criteria to support the modernization decision were developed, the most suitable manner of modernization and of its implementation in large power plants were chosen and an automation system model using state of the art was created. This model is fully digital, uses only one communication network at all levels (including the central control), is future proof and is based on the IEC 61850 standard. All components and features of the system were examined. Finally, a method including all stages for specification and design of the new system was proposed. It was concluded that, a set of quantitative indicators can decide the need for modernization of the automation systems of large generating units and, once the decision to modernize is taken, the best solution is the total replacement during a single unit shut-down using the model created. The methods and system proposed can be used as references in the electricity sector to facilitate the technological upgrades and to ensure effective uniform results, with the prospect of a long service life and independence from the suppliers.

A geração de energia elétrica é importante para todos os ramos de atividades econômicas e tem demanda crescente. Isso implica constantes melhorias dos sistemas secundários, entre eles os sistemas de automação, que evoluíram muito nos últimos anos. Em várias usinas hidrelétricas esses sistemas estão obsoletos e apresentam outros problemas, portanto, carecem de atualizações tecnológicas. O objetivo desta tese é responder às principais questões relacionadas às modernizações dos sistemas de automação de unidades geradoras hidráulicas de grande porte: por que, quando e como modernizá-los? Para isso, foram estudados a evolução desses sistemas, o estado da arte, as modernizações já realizadas e planejadas. Os dados foram obtidos da bibliografia e diretamente de especialistas, através de pesquisa de campo envolvendo as principais concessionárias brasileiras. Baseando-se nos estudos, foram elaborados critérios para tomar a decisão por modernizar, foram escolhidas a forma de modernização e de realização mais adequadas para grandes usinas e foi criado um modelo de sistema de automação usando o estado da arte. Esse modelo é totalmente digital, utiliza uma única rede de comunicação em todos os níveis (incluindo o controle central), é à prova de futuro e fundamenta-se na norma IEC 61850. Todos os componentes e características do sistema foram examinados. Por fim, foi proposto um método para especificação e projeto do novo sistema incluindo todas as etapas. Concluiu-se que, um conjunto de indicadores quantitativos pode decidir a necessidade de modernização dos sistemas de automação de grandes unidades geradoras e, tomada a decisão por modernizar, a melhor solução é a substituição total de uma só vez (uma parada) usando o modelo criado. Os métodos e o sistema propostos podem ser usados como referências no setor elétrico para facilitar as atualizações tecnológicas e garantir resultados efetivos uniformes, com longo tempo de vida e independência dos fornecedores. / The generation of electricity is important to all branches of economic activities and faces a growing demand. This implies constant improvements of the secondary systems, including the automation systems, which have evolved a great deal in recent years. At several hydroelectric power plants these systems are obsolete and present other problems, therefore, technological upgrades are required. The objective of this thesis is to answer the key questions related to the modernizations of automation systems of large hydraulic generating units: why, when and how to modernize them? To this effect, studies were undertaken about the evolution of these systems, the state of the art, the modernizations already introduced and those planned. The data were obtained from the bibliography and directly from experts, through a field survey involving the major Brazilian utilities. Based on these studies, criteria to support the modernization decision were developed, the most suitable manner of modernization and of its implementation in large power plants were chosen and an automation system model using state of the art was created. This model is fully digital, uses only one communication network at all levels (including the central control), is future proof and is based on the IEC 61850 standard. All components and features of the system were examined. Finally, a method including all stages for specification and design of the new system was proposed. It was concluded that, a set of quantitative indicators can decide the need for modernization of the automation systems of large generating units and, once the decision to modernize is taken, the best solution is the total replacement during a single unit shut-down using the model created. The methods and system proposed can be used as references in the electricity sector to facilitate the technological upgrades and to ensure effective uniform results, with the prospect of a long service life and independence from the suppliers.