APPS: Substation Communications

- Introduction
APPS 2019

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Agenda
•Communication – basics and definitions

•Ethernet

•Substation protocols
Communication – basics and
definitions
Communication Definition

What is communication ?

❑General → Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or

interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or
signs”

❑Technical →Exchange of information to fulfil a specified function

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Communications in Utility Automation: Why to use it?

❑Why would utilities/industry use communications to

substation equipment?
▪To get power system data into a remote SCADA / DCS system
▪To control plant from remote. Example: Control of Switchgear,
Load shedding, …
▪To perform analysis of events/ disturbances
▪To record & store data for trending/logging
▪To prepare reports from the collected data from the IEDs
▪To configure/ monitor / Control IEDs
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Communication Requirements

❑ From IED
▪ Measurements
▪ Plant status
▪ Trip information
▪ Fault location
▪ Fault, event & disturbance records
▪ Maintenance information
❑ To IED
▪ Change settings, Configure IEDs
▪ Plant control (CB, disconnector, Tap Position, ...)
❑ Peer-to-peer communications
❑ Time Synchronization
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Digital Communications : Definitions

❑ PROTOCOL:
Rules and procedures that communications networks
use to communicate on the communications medium

❑ HARDWARE CONNECTIONS
▪ Physical shape
▪ Electrical characteristics Protocols / Formats

❑ DATA FLOW
▪ Control transmitter/receiver rate
▪ Detection of data corruption
❑ DATA CODING Language
▪ Code information
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Communication Interfaces – Physical Media

❑What is a Transmission medium ?

▪ Information carrier is called a transmission medium

❑Different communication media

▪ Copper (Dedicated Copper )
▪ Wireless (Electromagnetic waves – Example: Radio, Wi-Fi)
▪ Optical
Electro-optical Opto-
electrical converter electrical electrical repeater
converter
Fibre-optic cable
signal signal

Transmitter side Transmission line Receiver side

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Communication Modes

❑Communication Modes
▪ Simplex → Communication only in one direction at all the time

▪ Half Duplex →A half-duplex system provides for communication

in both directions, but only one direction at a time (not
simultaneously). Typically, once a party begins receiving a signal,
it must wait for the transmitter to stop transmitting, before
replying.
Ex. walkie-talkie, RS232

▪ Full Duplex → A full-duplex, or sometimes double-duplex system

allows communication in both directions, and unlike half-duplex,
allows this to happen simultaneously.
Ex. PSTN Telephone, Ethernet

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Transmission Systems

❑ SYNCHRONOUS

▪ Bit periods controlled by synchronizing the clocks at the

transmitter and at the receiver
▪ Framing bits are added to blocks of data

❑ ASYNCHRONOUS

▪ Transmitter and Receiver clocks run at approximately

the same rate
▪ Framing bits are added to raw data bits

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Communication Interfaces

Different communication interfaces

▪ Serial
▪ Parallel
▪ Ethernet Physical Communication

Serial Parallel Ethernet

RS232
RS485
RS422
Many more…

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Communication Interfaces – Serial & Parallel

▪In Serial Communication, data is transmitted bit by bit

over the communication channel.
▪Parallel communication is a method of sending several
data signals over a communication link at one time.

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Typical Connectors/Interfaces

USB
BNC

Microwaves

RJ-45

RJ-11 Wi-Fi

Fiber Connectors Electrical Connectors

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Communication cables

Fibers Electrical Cables

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Network Topology: serial communication

Modem SCADA Engineering

Client Station

Modem

Modem

DNP3.0
DNP3.0
Substation
Gateway Modem
HMI
EIA485
DNP3.0
EIA485 EIA485
IED * IED IED EIA232 Laptop Gatewa
Front Computer y

* proprietary protocol
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Transmission Definitions: Client/Server

❑ MASTER/SLAVE

▪ Slave (IED) can only send when it receives a request from

the Master (e.g. RTU)
▪ Slave sets flags to indicate functions need servicing by the
Master

❑ CLIENT/SERVER

▪ same relationship as Master/Slave

▪ but can have multiple Clients!

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Network Terminology

Network An interconnected group of nodes or

stations linked by communication
channels

Node The interface point where one or more

functional units are connected

LAN Local area network (<5km)

WAN Wide area network

Network topology Pattern of nodes and their interconnection

Gateway Equipment which makes data from a

separate subnetwork available to primary
network

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Network devices

❑ Hub

❑ Bridge

❑ Switch

❑ Router

❑ Repeater

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Network Topology: Ethernet communication

SCADA Engineering
Client Station
EIA232
Ethernet Terminal
Switch WAN Server

Terminal
Gateway Substation Server
IEC 61850 HMI

EIA485 Etherne Etherne

IED * tIED t
IED EIA232 Laptop Gatewa
Front Computer y

* Non-61850 protocol
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OSI 7 Layer Model

7 Application Application Specific Protocols Application 7

6 Presentation Message Format, Language Presentation 6

5 Session Dialog Between Processes Session 5

4 Transport Flow Control, Message sequence Transport 4

3 Network Packets (Routing) Network 3

2 Data link Error Detection, Frames 2

Data link
1 Physical Tx and Rx of Raw Bits 1
Physical

Physical transmission medium

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Protocols: Analogy

Postal
network
service

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Ethernet
Ethernet: History

❑ 98% of all data traffic in all enterprise start and end on an Ethernet port
▪ easy to understand, implement, manage and maintain
▪ Very High Speed
▪ low cost
▪ strong industry support
▪ continuous development (switching, speed, fiber, wireless, ...)
▪ extensive topological flexibility

❑30 years of history

❑Most dominant standard in the networking industry

▪ IEEE 802.3 / ISO 8802.3
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Ethernet: Frame Structure (1)

Sending adapter encapsulates IP datagram (or other network layer protocol

packet) in Ethernet frame
Preamble Dest. Source Type Data CRC
address address

8bytes 6bytes 6bytes 2bytes 64 - 1500bytes 4bytes

Preamble:
❑7 bytes with pattern 10101010 followed by one byte with pattern 10101011
❑ used to synchronize receiver, sender clock rates

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Ethernet: Frame Structure (2)

MAC Addresses: 6 bytes

Type: indicates higher layer protocol (mostly IP but others possible, e.g., Novell
IPX, AppleTalk)
CRC: checked at receiver, if error is detected, frame is dropped

Preamble Dest. Source Type Data CRC

address address

8bytes 6bytes 6bytes 2bytes 64 - 1500bytes 4bytes

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Ethernet: TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

❑TCP is a transport layer protocol

❑Provides reliable byte stream service between two processes in two computers
across the Internet

❑Sequence numbers keep track of the bytes that have been transmitted and received

❑Error detection and retransmission used to recover from transmission errors and
losses

❑TCP is connection-oriented: the sender and receiver must first establish an

association and set initial sequence numbers before data is transferred

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Ethernet: Managed Switch

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)

❑Isolate traffic between groups of ports.
❑Control access to the various VLAN groups
Bandwidth Rate Limiting
❑Set a maximum bandwidth for each port.
Quality of Service
❑Allow "high priority" messages quick throughput.
❑Define message importance.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
❑Monitor switch port parameters.
❑Allows easy access to switch information for HMI, SCADA and other
applications
Port Mirroring
❑Provides message troubleshooting access.
❑Allows messages to be monitored for message content.
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Ethernet: Router

❑Routes packets from one network (LAN) to another.

❑Makes decisions about what route a packet should take.

ROUTER

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Ethernet: VLAN

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)

❑Allows the Ethernet network to be partitioned into smaller logical groups and
restrict traffic between them.
❑Two logically separated Ethernet networks can be created from one physical
network/device.
❑Provides more security.
❑Provides more traffic segregation.
❑Separates data and control network.

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Ethernet: What is SNMP?

❑SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is a protocol that allows

for remote and local management of items on the Ethernet network
including servers, workstations, routers, switches and IEDs.

❑Comprised of agents and managers

▪ Agent - process running on each managed node collecting information

about the device it is running on.

▪ Manager - process running on a management workstation that requests

information about devices on the network.

❑Three Versions – V1, V2 (V2c) and V3

❑MIB – Management Information Base

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SNMP

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Substation protocols
Serial Communications Protocols

Outside the substation NMS/SCADA

Standard/independent: IEC 60870-5-101,

IEC 60870-5-104, DNP3, MODBUS, etc. RTU / Bay
Proprietary RTU protocols Computer /
Master / Slave , Speed 9.6 to 64 kbps + Gateway

Within the substation

Standard/independent: IEC 60870-5-103, IEDs
DNP3, MODBUS, Profibus, etc.
Proprietary: Courier, SPA-Bus, etc.
Master / Slave , Speed 1200bps to 64 kbps

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Serial protocols : limitations

❑ Designed 20-30 years ago to:

▪ minimise the communication bandwidth
▪ minimise the processor/memory load
❑Few global standards
❑Slow communication: need for multiple links
❑Difficult connection of a third party application - gateway
❑Database absolute address, not flexible, no modelling
❑Master-slave: long recovery time in case of master failure
❑Peer-to-peer communication usually not possible

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Need for Standardisation

❑ Lack of commonality between vendors

❑ Lack of standard SCADA / DCS protocols
❑ Existing industry protocols (e.g. Modbus, Profibus,..) not well
suited to substation communications
❑ Cost of interface / gateway solutions
❑ Global market

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Changes in Technology

❑Processor speeds have been multiplied by 30 (at least) in last 20 years

❑Cost of Memory has dropped considerably
❑Ethernet is widely available
▪ 100 Mbit/s, 1 Gbit/s, 10 Gbit/s
▪ 40 GbE and 100GbE – Future Trend
❑Software technology allows easier implementation of complex concepts
▪ For example, Object Oriented Design enabling the re-use of existing software
modules

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Recent Developments in substation comms

❑IEC 61850
▪ Developed for substation domain
▪ International Standard first issued in 2004
▪ Ethernet communication
▪ Goose, Process bus SV (9-2LE)
▪ Hundreds of substations commissioned
▪ Edition 2 of the Standard issued in 2013

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Imagination at work