1

The Visual Specification Method - Making

Specifying IEC 61850 Based System Easier
Marco. C. Janssen
UTInnovation B.V, Netherlands

 automation systems, by supporting the use of functional

Abstract-- IEC 61850 supports the use of functional designs for designs. The most important part of the design of a substation
specifying substation automation systems. However, specifying automation system is no longer the devices used, but the
such systems is not standardized within IEC 61850. This means functionality the system should perform. With the use of
that utilities are somehow left in the dark regarding the use of the functional designs and the possibility to use multiple vendors
engineering process defined in IEC 61850-6 and therefore often
in one substation automation system, a clear definition of all
revert to using traditional and proprietary ways to specify their
requirements.
the system specifications is of importance. There is a need for
a clear (unambiguous) specification to reduce technical,
To overcome this hurdle UTInnovation has invented a visual interoperability and performance issues.
specification method (VSM) that graphically specifies functions,
the interconnections needed and all the associated performance IEC 61850 part 6 introduces the System Specification
classes. The result of this method is a set of so called ‘function Description file (.ssd) that is intended to serve as the
layers’ that together describe that total functionality of a specification for the substation automation system. Although
substation. This abstract specification can be used as part of the the .ssd is a major step forward, the current definition of the
overall functional specification and serves as the basis for the .ssd .ssd file does not specify everything a utility normally
file that should be constructed for every IEC 61850 based system.
requires. The .ssd specifies the single line diagram and the
Based on this process, the utility can much easier select the logical nodes that should be used to implement the required
IEDs that implement the required functions and create reusable functionality, however it does not specify the interconnection
modules that make the specification process much more efficient. between the logical nodes nor the performance requirements
The main benefit of the presented method is that it combines associated with the overall function or the logical nodes. Also
several specifications in one document that can be processed by the .ssd as it currently defined in IEC 61850 does not offer a
computers because the specification is defined using as much
graphical representation as possible making it also easier to
way to get from a functional design to IEDs. The definition of
understand for humans. virtual IEDs as part of the .ssd is a first step, but for the
implementation of a real system the translation into real IEDs
The paper explains the use of the method based on a real is elemental.
project in which the method is applied to define the functionality
of six (6) different medium voltage substations with the objective For an unambiguous specification not only the logical
to significantly reduce the time necessary to specify IEC 61850 nodes are of importance, but also their interconnections, the
based systems, remove ambiguities, standardize substation data objects that logical nodes should contain to support the
functions, create reusable specifications and create a common functions, the datasets, the communication services and the
specification platform performance requirements associated with these functions
Index Terms-- IEC 61850, Specification, Visual Specification should be defined.
Method
The manufacturers of secondary equipment have several
I. INTRODUCTION means to specify the capabilities (.icd), data model (MICS)
and services (PICS) of their products. Utilities and system

R enovation versus innovation is the challenge utilities are

facing when coping with aging secondary equipment and
the installation of new substation automation systems.
integrators on the other hand do not have a standardized way
to specify their requirements and this means that utilities and
system integrators are still forced to define their own
The difference in lifecycles between equipment, demand for standards, which is neither in the interest of the utilities nor
new functionality and an increasing demand for quality data the manufacturers and leads to inefficiencies and costs.
from the different grid components requires a different
strategy for the design and implementation of substations in In this paper a new visual specification method is
general and substation automation systems in particular. introduced to specify per function the required data, the
communication services to be used and the associated
This new strategy has already led to the definition and use performance requirements.
of the IEC 61850 standard [1], since it offers flexibility,
interoperability and a semantic data model. The IEC 61850 The major benefit of this method is that it combines several
standard provides a new paradigm for designing substation specifications in one document that can be processed by
computers, because the specification is defined using as much
Marco C. Janssen is with UTInnovation, Duiven, The Netherlands (e-mail: graphical means as possible, making it also easier to
[email protected]).
 2

unnderstand foor humans. With this visual functional

sppecification m
method, a maanaged develoopment proceess has
beeen created thaat builds a briddge between a single line diiagram
annd an unambigguous specificcation

II.. VISUAL SPEC

CIFICATION METHOD
The Visual S Specification Method (VSM M) is a methood with
w
which utilitiess and system m integratorss can speciffy the
fuunctionality annd informationn exchange foor IEC 618500 based
syystems in a grraphical way. The method is based on thhe IEC
611850 [1] .ssd file that describes the singgle line diagraam, the
fuunctions of thhe system andd the requiredd logical nodees. The
V
VSM howeverr extends thiss base inform mation with logical
coommunicationn paths, data exchange annd requiremennts for
coommunicationn performance. All this inforrmation is preesented
inn a graphical w
way. In short thhe VSM:
• Defines the single line diaagram (SLD);
• Describes onne (1) system function per ppage;
• Defines the IEC 61850 loogical nodes fo for each system
m level F
Figure 1: Substation single line diaagram
(process/bayy/station) per ssystem functioon; A
As defined inn IEC 61850 the single linne diagram iss the
• Defines all llogical connecctions betweenn the logical nnodes; basiis of the speciification of ann IEC 61850 based automaation
systtem. It unambiiguously descrribes for exam
mple the substaation
• Defines thee required trannsfer of information betweeen the struccture includinng the high voltage equipmeent, their topology
logical nodees (PICOMs); and interconnections. The singgle line diagraam is also a w well-
• Defines the required comm
munication peerformance. know wn symbolic representatioon of the reaal equipment and
powwer engineers know what is meant w with the electtrical
The VSM caan be used in various ways. For examplee it can symmbols in the diagram. In IEC C 61850 the siingle line diaggram
bee written onn sheets of ppaper or settup in a com mputer is deefined in the .sssd file.
appplication. Thhe latter can bbe an existingg application like a
sppreadsheet prrogram or a VSM appplication. A VSM IV
V. FUNCTIONA
AL DESCRIPTIO
ON
appplication does not yet existt but could be developed.
Itt would take several pagess to describe all the functiional
The VSM m
method consistss of four mainn components: requuirements for the substationn design chossen for this paaper,
• Single Line Diagram; but in order to explain the process the definition off the
prottection functioons for the 1115 kV overhead lines has been
b
• Logical Nodde Allocation; selected.
• IEC 61850 S
Service Definitions. A
As pictures saay more than a thousand words, w the ovverall
funcctionality for tthe overhead liines is given iin figure 2.
• Communicaation and Perfo
formance Identtification;
Based on a rreal example ffrom a project in Latin Ameerica in
w
which the VS SM has beenn successfullly applied fo for the
sppecification off six standarddized substatioon designs thee main
coomponents willl be developeed and explainned.

III. SINGLEE LINE DIAGRA

AM
In the projeect in which the VSM haas been appliied six
sttandardized designs
d have been providded by the utility
toogether with fuunctional desccriptions of all the main funnctions
suuch as protectiion, control, measurements,
m etc.
One of the six standardizeed substation ddesigns that reequired
ann IEC 61850 based functional specificcation compriises of
thhree voltage leevels 115 kV, 32.5 kV and 13.2 kV in a double
buusbar arrangem ment with a byypass switch.
Figure 2: O
Overall functionaality required for ooverhead lines
The single line diagram of this arranngement is givven in
figgure 1. Inn words these functions com
mprise:
• D
Distance – AN
NSI 21: Full scheme type with indepenndent
 3

measuring systems, independent phase and ground logical pole trip under single-phase faults.
units, with quadrilateral characteristic three (3) zones
• Synchronism-check – ANSI 25: To perform the
forward, one (1) zone backward and an extended zone,
synchronism-check, the relay must allow adjusting the
with easy to interchange the direction of any zones and
differences in angle ǻĭ, frequency ǻf and voltage ǻV.
single-pole and three-pole tripping command.
• Power swing blocking – ANSI 68: The relay must emit
• Overvoltage – ANSI 59: With measurement per phase
blocking signals to some zones of the distance protection
and two stages with definite time curve.
for a specified time and must have unblocking by current.
• Undervoltage – ANSI 27: With measurement per phase In case of a subsequent fault, the relay must allow to have
and two stages with definite time curve. some zones of the distance protection, in order the distance
protection can operate, the relay must allow the user to
• Fault Closing - ANSI 50HS: With a definite time
customize the blocking zones (Z1, Z2, Z3).
bidirectional overcurrent stage and the relay must allow
implantation of activation logic of the 50HS function by This is quite a bit of text for just one overhead line
breaker status changes and/or binary inputs related to the protection definition. Imagine the amount of text need to
closing command from any level of control. describe the entire substation functionality. In addition all
these texts may leave room for interpretation by the reader and
• Phase Directional overcurrent - ANSI 67: With three-
therefore the same text can lead to different implementations.
pole tripping command, an IEC inverse time curve, two
However there is a better way of describing this by using
curves of definite time and polarization with zero-sequence
pictures and this is where the VSM comes in.
components of voltage and current variables.
The distance function – ANSI 21 is taken as an example to
• Phase and Ground bidirectional overcurrent – ANSI 67N:
work out the main components of the VSM step by step.
With three-pole tripping command, an IEC inverse time
curve, two curves of definite time and polarization with
V. SINGLE LINE DIAGRAM FOR THE CHOSEN FUNCTION
zero-sequence components of voltage and current
variables. The single line diagram applicable for the distance function
is that of the 115 kV overhead line. This is shown in figure 3
• Phase overcurrent 50/51: Function per phase with IEC
inverse time curve and one definite time curve and three-
pole tripping command.
• Neutral overcurrent 50N/51N: Function per phase with
IEC inverse time curve and one definite time curve and
three-pole tripping command.
• Breaker Failure – ANSI 50BF: Activated by the operation
of any protection function of the multifunctional relay and
by means a binary input. The operation of the function
50BF must be executed in two stages, the first stage is the
confirmation of the single-pole and/or three-pole tripping
and the second stage is a final tripping.
• Reclosing – ANSI 79: Enabled by the operation of the
distance function in Z1 and/or operation of the
teleprotection scheme, according to the type of fault, the
reclosing will be executed single-pole for single-phase
faults and three-pole for faults between phases. The
reclosing function must be capable to detect evolving Figure 3: Applicable single line diagram overhead lines
faults, with this type of fault; the relay will emit an The next step is the allocation of the logical nodes that
opening three-pole command and initiate a three-pole describe the distance protection function on the single line
reclosing cycle. The algorithm of the reclosing function diagram shown in figure 2.
must consider the function blocking before detection of a
manual closing by means a binary input. VI. LOGICAL NODE ALLOCATION
• PUTT and POTT tele-protection schemes: The operation The IEC 61850 concept of free allocation of logical nodes
of PUTT and POTT functions must produce a single-pole means that the definition of the system functionality is
trip under single-phase faults. possible without defining the hardware upfront. The approach
• Directional comparison tele-protection scheme: The trip also allows to group logical nodes per system level. In a
occurs when each extreme detects the fault and receives substation these levels are known as Process-level, Bay-level
permission from the other extreme and must operate by the and Station-level. The reason to group logical nodes on these
following scheme. The operation of Directional levels is because the type of communication (the message
comparison tele-protection function must produce a single- types) between and within the different levels can be different.
An example of logical node allocation per system level is
 4

shhown in Figuree 4. P
Process Level:
The choice of the logicall nodes is stroongly related to the - Circuit Brreaker – XCB
BR – single phase trippinng is
fuunction, but off course addittional logical nodes can be added required sso three XCB
BR Logical N
Nodes are neeeded,
foor specific funnctionality (e.g. the IHMI tto model the HMI). one per phhase
After all the reequired logicaal nodes have been placed in the
A
- Bypass Sw witch – XSW WI – the stattus of the byypass
thhree substationn levels, the nnext step is to define the logical
switch is uused to determmine whether tthe trip goes too the
coommunicationn paths betweeen these logicaal nodes.
local circuuit breaker or tto a remote cirrcuit breaker
System
mLevels - Currents – TCTR – m measurements are necessaryy per
phase andd neutral so ffour TCTR Logical
L Nodess are
Processs Bay Station
n required
- Voltages – TVTR – m measurements are necessaryy per
phase andd neutral so ffour TVTR L
Logical Nodess are
LN
LN LN
LN
N LN required
B
Bay Level:
LN
LN - Distance ZZones – PDISS– three (3) zoones forward, one
LN L
LN LN (1) zone bbackward and an extended zone are requuired
so five PD
DIS Logical Noodes are needeed

Figure 4: System
m levels and Logiccal Nodes
- Teleprotecction schemess – PSCH – tthis Logical N
Node
can be useed for PUTT aand POTT schhemes so onlyy one
At this stagee of the VSM the communiication paths hhave to is needed
bee taken into acccount and thiss includes:
- Trip Connditioning – P PTRC – Thee trips from the
1.. Communicaation between logical nodess that is inextrricable protectionn functions in aan IEC 618500 based schem
me go
bound to a specific
s system
m function. E..g., interlockinng data to a trip coonditioning Loogical Node
(CILO) neeeded to perfoorm a control action on a high
If we translate this to the sinngle line diagrram it should look
voltage com
mponent; like figure 5
2.. Communicaation between logical nodes needed to trransfer
user specific informationn. E.g., the sum
m of switchedd amps
(SumSwAR Rs,CSWI) thatt can be used for conditionn based
monitoring.
When definiing the logicaal communicaation paths it should
bee considered that
t the comm munication deffined in step 1) will
noormally be im mplemented bby IED manuufacturers andd may
paartly not be visible as it occurs inside the IED and partlly may
bee made avaiilable throughh communicaation servicess (e.g.
G
GOOSE for trippping). As ann end-user it iss therefore oftten not
poossible nor waanted to redefifine this type oof communicaation in
a different waay. The com mmunication ddefined in sttep 2),
hoowever, has evverything to ddo with end-usser requiremennts and
is closely relateed to the data aand communiccation servicess made Figure 5: Logiccal Node Allocation
avvailable by thee IED manufaacturer. For exxample: the ennd-user
SumSwARs shhall be commuunicated to a station
sppecifies that S VII. IEC 61850 SEERVICE DEFINITIONS
coomputer (HM MI) by buuffered repoorting. Not every
m
manufacturer shhall be able too comply withh this requiremment as Itt is necessary to connect thhe Logical Nodes to the proocess
SuumSwARs iss an optionaal data of C CSWI and buuffered and to each otheer in order to define whichh elements off the
reeporting mightt not be supported by the IED. I The VSM M will systtem need to exxchange inform mation.
hoowever unmisstakably makee clear that thiis is required by the Starting with the process level, the connections cann be
S
ennd-user. definned as followss.
As can be seeen in figure 2 the distancee protection fuunction Since the higgh voltage prrocess is connventional all the
S
is applied in a rredundant fashion, or in othher words twoo IEDs Loggical Nodes connected too the processs level willl be
arre required that implement the distance protection funnction. connnected hardwiired. The Circuit Breaker w
will receive thee trip
Siince both IEDDs are identicaal as far as thee distance prottection infoormation usingg GOOSE messsages. The cuurrent and volltage
fuunction ANSI 21 is concerneed the Logicall Nodes necessary to transformers use sampled vallues to comm municate withh the
deescribe each ofo these redunndant functionns are identiccal and distaance protectiion zones. TThe trip condditioning Loggical
arre as follows. Noddes send GOO OSE messages. Finally the llogic to determmine
 5

w
whether the loccal circuit breeaker or a rem
mote circuit breaker
b D
Data Object(s) Data Attribu
ute(s) Msg. tyype PC
shhall be trippedd also uses GO
OOSE messagees. P
Pos stVal, q, t 3 P2(TT2))
This can easily
e be reppresented graaphically usinng the O
OpCntRs stVal,q,t 3 P2(TT2))
noomenclature ffor the differennt connection types as definned by
thhe VSM as shoown in figure 55. …

Table 1:
1 The communiccation and perform
mance table

L
Like in real syystems it is posssible to use tthe VSM to deefine
multtiple links forr a single logiical communiccation path. TTable
1 shhows there are two links. EachE link deffines one or m
more
dataa objects and / or data attribbutes. In case the data attriibute
coluumn is empty the whole datta object with all its Mandaatory
dataa attributes shhall be includded. The messsage type column
Figure 5:: Graphical repressentation of comm
munication servicees
definnes which off the 7 messaage types [3] shall be usedd. In
All input annd output linnks of the deffined set of logical Table 1 link A reequires twice the message ttype 3 to be uused,
D) can be reeplaced by one or more of the
noodes (the IED but also different message typees can be com mbined for a siingle
coommunicationn services desccribed in figuree 5. link.
The IEC 61850 service ddefinitions are an importantt factor F
Following thiss principle andd the definitioons of IEC 611850
inn the VSM. A At some point in the designn process the logical part 5 for the exaample of the ddistance proteection selectedd for
noodes are alloccated to real devices.
d By drrawing a dotteed line this paper this reesults in the final diagram m for the distaance
arround a set off logical nodees the designeer indicates thhat the prottection functioon that includees the perform
mance table foor all
enncircled logicaal nodes beloong to a certaain IED. This set of of thhe connectionss as shown in figure 7.
loogical nodes sshall be givenn a meaningfuul name (tag) which
prreferably follows the nam ming conventions as definned in
ISSO/IEC 813466 [2]. This nname can thenn be re-used in the
deefinition of a different systeem function (iin the VSM thhis is a
diifferent page) that resides inn the same IED
D.
If this is appplied to the eexample the rresult is as giiven in
figgure 6.

Figure 7: The ccomplete diagram

m for the distance pprotection functioon

T
The process is then repeatedd to describe eevery functionn that
is paart of the systtem, resulting in several diaagrams that caan be
seenn as functionall layers and thhat together deescribe the ovverall
Figure 6: Logical Nodes coonnected by comm
munication servicces
funcctionality of thhe IEC 61850 based system..
VIII. COMMUNICATTION AND PERFFORMANCE
IX. THE SSD FILE
After specify
fying and defiining the singgle line diagraam, the
T
The ultimate step for inclluding the obbtained graphhical
Loogical Nodess and logical communicatiion paths, the next
definnitions in a sppecification baased on part 6 of IEC 618550 is
sttage of the VVSM is the deefinition the communicatioon and
the creation of thhe SSD file. Since the VSM M already incluudes
peerformance tabble. In this tabble, each data to be communnicated
the Single Linne Diagram,, the Logiccal Nodes, the
(thhe link) is deefined in termms of the Daata Object, thee Data
com
mmunication seervices to be uused and descrribes the hardw ware
A
Attribute(s), thhe Message T Type and the Performance Class
and the redundanccy required thiis final step is very easy.
(PPC) with the aassociated Traansfer Time ((TT). Each m message
tyype defines onne or more peerformance claasses (PC) annd each
X. CONC
CLUSIONS
peerformance claass has a transsfer time (TT)) [3]. This deffinition
is currently part of Editioon 2 of IEC C 61850, but these Inn conclusion the visual speecification meethod as preseented
deefinitions can also be used ffor systems baased on Editioon 1 of in tthis paper is a new methhod that allow ws to graphiccally
thhe standard. speccify IEC 618850 functionss and system ms. It providees a
num
mber of advanttages includingg the followinng.
 6

The resulting model is a powerful tool that can be used

throughout the design process. It can be the basis for
discussions inside a company between designers and stake-
holders, and also towards manufacturers of IEDs, network
equipment, etc.;
There is no direct need for specialized software programs
to start using this method. A spreadsheet program or CAD
program is enough to get started;
Although no special software program is needed, a
specialized VSM program would enable the user to read .ssd
files, match IEDs with the specification, generate signal lists,
etc.
The application of the VSM in a real project has proven to
be very effective to define, and share the specification of
complex substation functions in an IEC 61850 based system.
The result of the VSM is not only an unambiguous definition
it also is a reusable result that can very easily be integrated in
any functional specification and translated into IEC 61850
compliant SSD files.

XI. REFERENCES
[1] 2009, IEC 61850 Communication networks and systems
in substations, parts 6, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, IEC, Switzerland.
[2] 2009, ISO/IEC 81346 Industrial systems, installations and
equipment and industrial products -- Structuring
principles and reference designations, ISO/IEC,
Switzerland
[3] 2010, Draft CDV IEC 61850 Communication networks
and systems in substations part 5, TC57 WG10.

XII. BIOGRAPHY
Marco C. Janssen is the CEO of
UTInnovation. He received his BSc degree in
Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic in
Arnhem, The Netherlands.
He has worked for over 21 years in the field of
Smart Grid, Protection, Control, Monitoring,
Advanced Metering Infrastructures and Substation
Automation.
He is member of IEC TC57 WG 10, 17, 18, 19, the IEEE
PES Power System Relaying Committee and CIGRE B5 and
D2 working groups. He is editor of the Quality Assurance
Program for the Testing Subcommittee of the UCA
International Users Group, holds one patent, has authored and
presented more than 38 technical papers and is the author of
the “I think” column in the PAC World magazine.