High speed peer-to-peer communication system for integrated protection and control in distribution networks

This paper describes a development in the use of serial communication in conjunction with intelligent combined protection and control relays (or terminals), to provide improved availability, performance and flexibility of application for power distribution in distribution networks and in industrial control or power plants. This paper describes the benefits that can be achieved by the use of a high speed (e.g. 1.25 Mbits/s), peer-to-peer communication system using Echelons LonWorks technology. These benefits include the possibility to build more flexible systems including, for example, support for "multimaster" implementations, possibility to achieve direct communication between devices in the system, and improved response times. The paper identifies how the high speed communication system, when combined with a new generation of intelligent protection and control terminals now available for distribution circuits, provides peer-to-peer communication and enables implementation of substation automation application functions, which are not possible with previous systems employing master-slave technology and relatively slow speed communication.