Method and apparatus for optimized centralized critical control architecture for switchgear and power equipment

• US 6,892,115 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wang, Changting, Premerlani, William James, Berkcan, Ertugrul, Sexton, Daniel White, Evans, Scott Charles, Andarawis, Emad Andarawis, Schnore, Austars Raymond Jr., Sealing, Charles Scott, Topka, Terry Michael, Pearlman, Marc Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US10/373,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/286, 700/287, 700/291, 700/292, 700/295, 702/64, 702/58, 340/825.69, 340/3.1, 340/3.4, 307/38, 307/39, 361/72, 361/3, 361/60
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/05 Digital input using the sampling of an analogue quantity at regular intervals of time , input from a/d converter or output to d/a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/20 operated by excess current as well as by some other abnormal electrical condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0061 concerning transmission of signals transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/006 Calibration or setting of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/05 with means for increasing reliability, e.g. redundancy arrangements for logic circuits H03K19/003
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/261 involving signal transmission between at least two stations transmission of signals in general H02H1/0061
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/262 involving transmissions of switching or blocking orders
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/263 involving transmissions of measured values comparison of currents or voltages using pilot wires H02H3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/30 Staggered disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00012 using an auxiliary transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00018 using phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0004 : involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 : Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 : The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 : Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/001 : Methods to deal with contingencies, e.g. abnormalities, faults or failures
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 : Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/12 : for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0658 : Clock or time synchronisation among packet nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 : by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0018 : based on latency requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 : using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 : Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 : Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 : Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A method of monitoring and controlling a power distribution system is provided. The power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit breakers, a plurality of node electronic units, and wherein each associated circuit breaker is electrically coupled with each respective node electronic unit. The system also includes at least one digital network, and at least one central control processing unit (CCPU) wherein each CCPU includes a first power system global information set, and each CCPU is communicatively coupled to the plurality of node electronic units. The method includes transmitting at least one digital message from each node electronic unit to each CCPU over a respective network, determining an operational state of the power distribution system from the digital message, and transmitting at least one multicast message from each CCPU to each node electronic unit such that the circuit breakers are operable from each CCPU.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring and controlling a power distribution system, said method comprising:

transmitting at least one first message from a plurality of node electronic units to a processor over a network, said first message being indicative of a power condition in the power distribution system and/or a condition of a circuit breaker in communication with each of said plurality of node electronic units;

determining an operational state of the power distribution system from said first message; and

transmitting at least one second message from said processor to each of said plurality of node electronics unit such that said circuit breakers are operable by said processor.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting said at least one first message comprises transmitting at least one digital unicast message from each of said plurality of node electronic units to said processor.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network uses a Fast Ethernet protocol.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said network is upgradeable based on future revisions to IEEE 802.3(u) and its successors.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network operates at a data transmission speed of at about 100 Mbps.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network operates at a data transmission speed of about 1 Gbps.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network has a star topology.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said operational state is determined in said processor in real-time.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said processor has a real-time operating system.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second message is a multicast message from said processor to all of said plurality of node electronics units.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network is more than one digital communication network.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said processor is more than one processor.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first message is transmitted over each of said more than one network.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising communicatively coupling each of said more than one processor to each of said more than one network such that each processor is able to communicate through each network.

15. A method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising synchronizing said more than one processor with respect to time so that each process is able to determine a relative difference in clock speed therebetween.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising synchronizing said plurality of node electronic units so that said first message from each node electronics unit represents a synchronized condition of the power distribution system.

17. A centralized power distribution system comprising:

at least one digital network communicatively coupled to at least one central control processing unit (CCPU), wherein a number of said at least one digital network is equal to a number of said at least one CCPU, said at least one CCPU and said at least one digital network configured as redundant networks; and

a plurality of node electronic units, each said node electronic unit communicatively coupled to each said redundant network, and each said node electronics unit coupled to an associated circuit breaker, each said node electronics unit configured to receive signals from said associated circuit breaker, and transmit signals to said associated circuit breaker.

18. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said at least one CCPU is configured to:

receive digital signals from all said plurality of node electronic units over said at least one network;

determine an operational state of said power distribution system from said digital signals; and

transmit a multicast message to all said plurality of node electronic units such that said circuit breakers are operable from each said CCPU.

19. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said node electronics unit is configured to transmit at least one digital unicast message over the network using Fast Ethernet protocol.

20. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said network is upgradeable based on future revisions to IEEE 802.3(u) and its successors.

21. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one digital network is capable of operating at about 100 Mbps.

22. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one digital network is capable of operating at about 1 Gbps.

23. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one digital network is configured in a star topology.

24. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one CCPU is configured to use a real-time operating system.

25. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one CCPU is configured to determine an operational state of said power distribution system based on said node electronics unit messages received from all node electronics units.

26. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one node electronics unit is coupled to each circuit breaker in a one-to-one correspondence.

27. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said at least one CCPU is configured to broadcast at least one multicast message from each CCPU to all node electronics units over said network.

28. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each network comprises:

at least one digital communication network;

at least one CCPU that includes at least one network communication interface wherein each interface is communicatively coupled to at least one of the network switches; and

at least one node electronics unit that includes at least one network communication interface wherein each interface is communicatively coupled to at least one of the networks such that each CCPU is communicatively coupled to each node electronics unit through each network.

29. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 28 further comprising a network switch communicatively coupled to each network to facilitate network communications.

30. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said network is a dual redundant network that comprises:

two digital communication networks;

two CCPUs that each include at least one network communication interface wherein each interface is communicatively coupled to one of said networks; and

at least one node electronics unit that comprises two network communication interfaces wherein each interface is communicatively coupled to one of the networks such that each CCPU is communicatively coupled to each node electronics unit separately through each network.

31. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 28 wherein each CCPU is communicatively coupled to each switch of each other respective network such that each CCPU is able to communicate through each network through each respective switch.

32. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 28 wherein each switch is communicatively coupled to each other switch of each other respective network such that each CCPU is able to communicate through each network through each respective switch.

33. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said CCPU is communicatively coupled to each other CCPU only through messages transmitted from each said CCPU to the node electronics units and messages received by each said CCPU from the node electronics units.

34. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each CCPU is configured to determine a relative difference in clock speed between it and each other CCPU.

35. A power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of circuit breakers;

at least one digital network;

at least one central control processing unit; and

a plurality of node electronic units, each node electronic unit being communicatively coupled to said at least one central control processing unit via said at least one digital network and each node electronic unit being communicatively coupled to an associated circuit breaker of said plurality of circuit breakers so that each node electronic unit transmits a first message to said at least one central control processing unit, wherein said at least one central control processing unit transmits a signal to each node electronic unit to ensure that said first message from all of said plurality of node electronic units represents a synchronized condition of the power distribution system.

36. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 35 wherein each node electronic unit receives a second message from said at least one central control processing unit over said at least one digital network processor such that all of said associated circuit breakers are operable by said at least one central control processing unit in response to said synchronized condition.

37. A centralized power distribution system in accordance with claim 35 wherein said at least one digital networks comprises a number of networks that is equal to a number of said at least one central control processing units.