On Creating a New Format for Power Quality and Quantity Data Interchange

IEEE 1159, a recommended practice for monitoring power quality has resulted in a consistent set of terms, definitions and guidelines for monitoring power quality. IEEE 1159 does not address the need however, for a consistent mechanism for transporting the output of these instruments to the end user. Each vendor has their own communications, control, and analysis software that is not compatible with any other vendor. In addition to the difficulty with exchangeability of monitored data, there is a similar difficulty in exchanging and comparing the results of computer simulations. Simulation tool vendors also use a variety of file formats and conventions appropriate for their programs. Given that today's power quality engineers need to transport the output of different vendors monitors and simulation programs to various database and analysis programs (also from multiple vendors), a need exists for a standard data interchange format. This paper describes the principal issues that were addressed in the development of the IEEE 1159.3-2003 Recommended Practice for the Transfer of Power Quality Data (also known as the power quality data interchange format - PQDIF)