2013 IEEE 7th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2013), Langkawi, Malaysia.

3-4 June 2013

Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) Hardware Design

and Implementation Efficient in Different
Application
1
W. N. S. E. Wan Jusoh, 2M.A. Mat Hanafiah, 3M.R. Ab. Ghani, 4S.H. Raman

Faculty of Electrical Engineering,

Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM),
Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia

[email protected], [email protected] [email protected]

1

Abstract— This paper introduces the design and the implement flexible control of distribution system to
development of RTU module with small remote enhance efficiency, reliability, and quality of electrical
telemetry unit suitable for different application in low services. The implementation of distribution automation
voltage system. The design based on microcontroller system will be highlighted based on two factors which
which represents the intelligent brain of any low cost are the benefit of distribution automation system
RTU. Small sizes RTU are responsible for data implementation and area of distribution automation
acquisition in substations and accomplishment of system implementation. Transmit commands or
central station commands. This paper presents a new instruction (binary plus type or continuous), set points,
hardware design for an RTU that performs based on control variables and monitoring as a function of time
a PIC16F877 device operating at 20MHz and runs [1].
from a 9-24V AC/DC supply. The design is composed The remote terminal unit (RTU) is a standalone data
of four main modules with its own components in the acquisition and control unit. The primary function is to
architecture which include communication interface, control and acquire data from process equipment at the
analogue input, digital input and digital output. All remote location and also to transfer that data back to a
operational tasks will be handled by a non-expensive central unit. The data might be in electric parameter such
distribution automation system through it intelligent as RMS value of voltage and current, frequency, active
RTU by providing the best solutions without human power etc. or in various quantities e.g. temperatures, oil
intervention. Only Intelligent RTU together with the level, switch status etc. recorded in the field of
SCADA is capable to perform intelligent decisions on distribution transformer and feeder by using data
the distribution automation tasks. An intelligent acquisition device. The central computer control
Microcontroller based RTU for distribution received the data via communication protocol e.g. is IEC
automation system is proposed to innovate and 61850, DNP3 etc. and only acquired data will processed
renovate the downstream part of the power and displayed by Graphic User interface (GUI). The
distribution system including the most advance interconnection of distribution, control and
communication networking system. This method communication system is shown in Figure 1.
utilizes automation concept of creating an intelligent
RTU through modification and innovations.

Keywords—RTU; SCADA; Intelligent microcontroller;

Software; Communication networking.

I. INTRODUCTION

Figure 1: Interconnection of distribution, control and

Electrical power systems used to deliver electricity
communication system [2]
to consumers in electric power distribution system. The
distribution field of automation allows the utilities to

978-1-4673-5074-7/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE 570

 2013 IEEE 7th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2013), Langkawi, Malaysia. 3-4 June 2013

RTU can monitor three types of data which are

analog, digital and control. For analog, RTU measure
data by kV, MWatt, MVar, Hz and Amps and the analog
input has a different types including 4-20mA, 0-10V, -
2.5 to 2.5V, 1-5V. Data types for digital might be in
status, alarm or indication and data type for control are
open and close, raise or lower and reset. The Figure 2
and Figure 3 show the incoming and outgoing signal into
and from RTU.

Figure 4: Hardware Functionality in RTU [4]

Table 1: Hardware function part [2]

Hardware Function
Figure 2: Incoming signals into RTU [3] Part
PIC16F877 The PIC 16F877 microcontroller has a 40
pins and can be programmed to accept
either analogue or digital input; the other
input output pins can interface digital
inputs. The first step of implementing
the proposed design of Ethernet system is
to interface the microcontroller (16F877)
with sensors, accessory part and Ethernet
controller. The I/O consists of 8 opto-
couplers with digital input, 8 open-
collector digital outputs (to drive relays
etc.) and 4 10-bit analogue inputs.

Data The data collection section is performed

Collection by interfacing the PIC16F877 with
Part sensors. The sensors identify which data
Figure 3: Outgoing signal from RTU [3] is to be collected such as voltage, current,
temperature and etc. the 4-20mA current
and voltage sensor were selected. There
II. HARDWARE DESIGN OF SYSTEM are also an on board temperature and
incoming supply measurement.

The RTU architecture comprises of a CPU, volatile Accessory Adding a keypad and LCD display to the
memory and nonvolatile memory for processing and Part proposed RTU can indicate the data of
storing programs and data. It communicates with other voltage/current at RTU board and sent to
devices via either serial ports or an onboard modem with the computer interface via
I/O interfaces. It has a power supply with a backup communication media. The RTU keypad
battery, surge protection against spikes, real time clock also can be used to set the password
and watchdog timer to ensure that it restarts when which means only the developer and the
operating in the sleep mood. Figure 4 shows the block team could control or change the setting
diagram of a typical RTU configuration. of the RTU.

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 2013 IEEE 7th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2013), Langkawi, Malaysia. 3-4 June 2013

Ethernet The PIC16F877 can be connected to the There is no end stage in this flow chart because the
module part computer network media via an Ethernet RTU will always waiting for any request from the central
controller unit. Microchip ENC28J60 is unit/SCADA.
a stand-alone Ethernet controller with
SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface). The The complex function of program is based on the
ENC28J60 meets all of the IEEE 802.3
data input from the analogue and digital. The program
specification, support one 10BASE-T
port full duplex mode. ENC28J60 is used data in PIC16F877 is set accordingly to the variable
in the implementation on the proposed shown in figure 5:
RTU [5].

Communicat Communications uses RS422 multi-drop

ion Protocol serial and allows up to 16 of them to
share a serial line. The basic features are:
 4 bit address
 4 bit command identifier
 8, 10 or 12 bit resolution of analogue
input
 8-12 bits resolution of counters
 Pulsing of digital outputs with single
command
 Ability to read and write in EEPROM

III. SOFTWARE DESIGN OF SYSTEM

The general flowchart of the implemented program

is shown in Figure 4, complex functions were given in
subroutines. These routine easily give a good
understanding of the main program. The program was
implemented to reside in the ROM of tahe PIC16F877
which perform the operation of the data collection from
Figure 5: ITIC (The Information Technology Industry
sensors and transmitting data to the master station unit
Council) [6]
(RTU/SCADA) via communication protocol.
a. Voltage Swell
This region describes a voltage swell having RMS
amplitude of up to 120% of the RMS nominal voltage,
with duration of up to 0.5 seconds. This transient may
occur when large loads are removed from the system or
when voltage is supplied from sources other than the
electric utility.

b. Voltage Sag

Two different RMS voltage sags are described.

Generally, these transients result from application of
heavy loads, as well as fault conditions, at various points
in the AC distribution system. Sags to 80% of nominal
are assumed to have a typical duration of up to 10
seconds, and sags to 70% of nominal are assumed to
Figure 4: The implemented program in the RTU have duration of up to 0.5 seconds.

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 2013 IEEE 7th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2013), Langkawi, Malaysia. 3-4 June 2013

IV. DISCUSSION
All of the above problems can be solved by proposing
Generally, the operation start when the sensor sense non-expensive intelligent distribution automation system.
the current/voltage at the substation either less than 240V
or more than 240V, it detect as a fault. The program of
RTU identifying the voltage less than 240V, it will ACKNOWLEDGMENT
represent under-voltage and process will go through the
voltage transducer and analog sensor before RTU The authors would like to thank to the Ministry of
identifying the fault type. If the voltage is more than Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Ministry
240V, the circuit breaker will automatically detect over- of Higher Education (KPT), Government of Malaysia and
voltage fault. The under-voltage and over-voltage data the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the
sampled in RTU memory before indicate at GUI support and assistance given to this research.
interface. The GUI will present command from RTU and
then display the type of fault and the action that have
been taken. Besides, the GUI can also give a command
to RTU e.g. to on/off the circuit breaker. REFERENCES

[1] Palak Parikh, “Distribution Automation System”,

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