Electric power system automation using time coordinated instructions

• US 8,682,496 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Inventors: Schweitzer, Edmund O. III, Whitehead, David E., Zweigle, Gregary C., Fischer, Normann, Morris, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/593,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 700/297, 700/286, 700/293, 700/295, 702182-185, 702 60- 64, 702/57, 342/500, 707/100, 340/870, 709/232
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/06 Controlling transfer of power between connected networks; Controlling sharing of load between connected networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/16 by adjustment of reactive power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/1821 using shunt compensators H02J3/1807, H02J3/1878 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/30 Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/00 Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/18 using switches, relays or circuit breakers, e.g. intelligent electronic devices [IED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/22 Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS] or power factor or reactive power compensating or correcting units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A system for controlling and automating an electric power delivery system by executing time coordinated instruction sets to achieve a desired result. A communication master may implement the execution of time coordinated instruction sets in a variety of circumstances. The communication may be embodied as an automation controller in communication with intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). The communication master may also be embodied as an IED that is configured to coordinate the actions of other IEDs. The time coordinated instruction sets may include steps for checking status of power system equipment before executing. The time coordinated instruction sets may include reactionary steps to execute if one of the steps fails. The time coordinated instruction sets may also be implemented based on a condition detected in the electric power delivery system, or may be implemented through high level systems, such as a SCADA system or a wide area control and situational awareness system.

Claims

1. A communication master for controlling an electric power delivery system, comprising:

a processor;

a communications interface to communicate with a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) via an electronic network;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising;

instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to;

establish an execution time for a time coordinated instruction set that includes a coordinated action at which the plurality of IEDs are to begin to execute the time coordinated instruction set comprising at least one execution action for execution by at least one of the plurality of IEDs in communication with monitored equipment; and

transmit the execution time to the plurality of IEDs via the communications interface for time coordinated execution at the execution time by the plurality of IEDs.

2. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises a database comprising a plurality of time coordinated instruction sets.

3. The communication master of claim 2, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communication master to receive from the plurality of IEDs, an indication of an electrical characteristic of monitored equipment detected by at least one of the plurality of IEDs.

4. The communication master of claim 3, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communications master to select the time coordinated instruction set from the plurality of time coordinated instruction sets based upon the indication.

5. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions for execution by one or more of the plurality of IEDs, and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to transmit each execution action to the respective IEDs.

6. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions for execution by one or more of the plurality of IEDs, and the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to:

identify which of the plurality of IEDs is to perform each of the plurality of execution actions; and

transmit each execution action to the respective IEDs identified to perform one or more of the plurality of execution actions.

7. The communication master of claim 1, further comprising an external time input configured to receive an external time signal from an external time source, and wherein the execution time is established based on the external time signal.

8. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to obtain verification from a user prior to establishing the execution time.

9. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to query each of the plurality of IEDs prior to the execution time to determine readiness of the plurality of IEDs to perform the execution actions of each of the time coordinated instruction set.

10. The communication master of claim 1, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions and at least one of the plurality of execution actions is associated with an offset time, the offset time specifying an offset execution time that follows the execution time by the offset time.

11. A communication master for controlling an electric power delivery system, comprising:

a processor;

a communications interface to communicate with a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) via an electronic network;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising;

instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to;

establish a first execution time for a first time coordinated instruction set that includes a first coordinated action at which the plurality of IEDs are to begin to execute the first time coordinated instruction set comprising at least one execution action for execution by at least one of the plurality of IEDs, in communication with monitored equipment

transmit the first execution time to the plurality of IEDs via the communications interface for time coordinated execution at the first execution time by the plurality of IEDs;

evaluate a condition following the first execution time;

establish a second execution time for a time coordinated instruction set that includes a second coordinated action at which the plurality of IEDs are to begin to execute the second time coordinated instruction set comprising at least one execution action for execution by monitored equipment in communication with one or more of the plurality of IEDs;

transmit the second execution time to the plurality of IEDs via the communications interface for time coordinated execution at the second execution time by the plurality of IEDs.

12. The communication master of claim 11, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communication master to receive from the plurality of IEDs, via communications interface an indication of an electrical characteristic of monitored equipment detected by one of the plurality of IEDs.

13. The communication master of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises the electrical characteristic of the monitored equipment.

14. The communication master of claim 12, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communications master to select at least one of the first time coordinated instruction set and the second time coordinated instruction set from a plurality of time coordinated instruction sets, each of the plurality of time coordinated instruction sets comprising at least one execution action for execution by monitored equipment, based upon the indication of an electrical characteristic of monitored equipment.

15. The communication master of claim 11, further comprising an external time input configured to receive an external time signal from an external time source, and wherein at least one of the first execution time and the second execution time is established based on the external time signal.

16. The communication master of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to query each of the plurality of IEDs prior to the first execution time and the second execution time to determine readiness of each IED to perform the execution actions of each of the first time coordinated and the second time coordinated instruction set.

17. The communication master of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises software instructions to query each of the plurality of IEDs prior to the first execution time and the second execution time to determine readiness of each IED to perform the execution actions of each of the first time coordinated instruction set and the second time coordinated instruction set.

18. The communication master of claim 11, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communication master to receive from the plurality of IEDs an indication of an electrical characteristic of monitored equipment detected by one of the plurality of IEDs.

19. The communication master of claim 18, wherein the instructions executable on the processor enable the communications master to select the time coordinated instruction set from a plurality of time coordinated instruction sets, each of the plurality of time coordinated instruction sets comprising at least one execution action for execution by monitored equipment, based upon the indication of an electrical characteristic of monitored equipment.

20. The communication master of claim 11, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions and at least one of the plurality of execution actions is associated with an offset time, the offset time specifying an offset execution time that follows the execution time by the offset time.

21. A communication master for controlling an electric power delivery system, comprising:

a processor;

a communications interface to communicate with a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) via an electronic network;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising;

instructions executable on the processor that enable the communication master to;

establish a first execution time for a time coordinated instruction set that includes a coordinated action at which at least one of a plurality of IEDs is to begin to execute the time coordinated instruction set comprising at least one execution action for execution by at least one of the plurality of IEDs in communication with monitored equipment; and

transmit the execution time to the plurality of IEDs via the communications interface for time coordinated execution at the execution time by the plurality of IEDs.

22. The communication master of claim 21, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions and the instructions executable on the processor enable the communications master to establish a plurality of execution times relative to the first execution time and associated with the plurality of execution actions.

23. The communication master of claim 21, wherein the time coordinated instruction set comprises a plurality of execution actions and the instructions executable on the processor enable the communications master to establish a particular execution time for each of the plurality of execution actions.