Practical applications of peer-to-peer messaging in industrial facilities

The IEC61850 standard enables several benefits when using an Ethernet network, such as high speed device-to-multi-device communications with both digital and analog values and between different vendors, and a common data naming format and structure. This paper will briefly review the key elements of IEC61850 protocol including network requirements and discuss the minimum wiring design that can be applied to IEC61850 installations within industrial sites and power plants. Several practical applications of IEC61850 protocol will be discussed, such as zone interlocking bus protection scheme, main-tie-main bus transfer scheme, device tripping and resetting, oscillography cross triggering, load shedding scheme using analog and digital GOOSE, and process bus applications.