Implementation techniques of the IED and network monitoring system in IEC61850 SA

Substation automation using IEC61850 (IEC61850 SA) now is widely implemented by many power utilities around the world. Currently, communication architecture of IEC61850 SA is based on Ethernet and TCP/IP technology. Thus, the SA network consists of computers, Ethernet switches and many various IEDs such as protection relays and bay controls units (BCUs). The performance of most SA functions relies on rapid information transferring among IEDs such as tripping commands or blocking commands. Consequently, if any critical function cannot perform on certain time, then an undesired result may occur such as a bigger outage than it should be. Thus, the IED and network monitoring system (INMS) is proposed to monitor the communication health of IEDs including network devices and report alarms and information to maintenance crews for maintaining suspected devices before any critical function will perform. This paper presents in-house implementation techniques that to improve the existing SA by integrating a satisfactory IED and network monitoring function in order to enhance condition-based maintenance of IEC61850 devices.