CH 10 Communicn

10.
COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
By,
Dr. M K Khedkar
INTRODUCTION
• There are many communication
methods available. Evaluation of
different communication systems for
data communication between
Distribution control centre (DCC) and
any point on the distribution network
is required at the planning stage.
• The fundamental requirements for
communication infrastructure are:
 (i) Determination of system average message
rate;
 (ii) Capacity to handle the requisite amount of
data and multitasking;
 (iii) Data throughput and system response
times should meet various application
requirements;
 (iv) It should allow for network growth and
added applications.
The communication may be used individually or
combined.
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES USED
FOR COMMUNICATION
• Different techniques used for
communication are
 public telephone communication (PTC),
 Power line carrier communication
(PLCC),
 Radio communication,
 Fibre optics, and
 Satellite communication.
Fibre Optics
• Fibre optics, with its explicit downward
cost trend in terms of product as well as
installation and maintenance costs, has
become a widely accepted choice, as it
offers both technical and commercial
advantages over conventional systems
that use metallic cables and radio links.
Contd..
• The communication basically consists of a transmitter,
and a receiver for information signals coming from the
user’s device, which is connected through copper wires
to the switching centre or exchange, where it is changed
in to a digital signal like 1s or 0s for easy handling .
• The signal is then transferred to the transmitter. In the
transmitter, the information signal which is electrical
drives an optical source: Laser or light emitting diode
(LED), which in turn, optically modulates the
information signal, which get coupled into the optical
fibre.
• The receiver located at the other side of the link
detects the original signal and demodulates or
converts back the optical signal to the original
information signal (electrical).
• The signal is then connected through copper wires
to the switching device or exchange for selection
and connection to the proper user or user device.
• This type of communication is important for trunk
routes power transmission lines. In such a
situation, the problem of electrical interference is
not encountered. This has advantage of high data
rate (9600 bits and much more) and immunity
from noise
• Optical fibres are available in cable form. Such
cables can be laid in cable trenches. There is a
trend to associate optical fibres with power cables
or conductors themselves. Optical fibres are
embedded within the cables/conductors, either
earth or phase conductor.
• Optical fibre communication is expected to play
an important role in future protection signalling,
either as a dedicated protective relaying link, or as
channels within a multiplexed system which carry
all communication traffic such as voice, tele-
control, tele-metering and protection signalling.
Public telephone Communication
(PTC)
• Dial-up and dedicated leased telephone
lines are often used for Distribution
Automation.
• Telecommunication services through
Packet Switching Network (PSN), cellular
radio or rural radio are viable, and may
have the advantages of providing services
in otherwise inaccessible places.
Satellite Communication
• This technology is useful for load management controls.
Satellite based VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal)
network communication is used for power systems. It has a
99.5% reliability factor
• A communication signal sent from a VSAT to the satellite
at a particular frequency .The signal is amplified, shifted
to a different frequency and sent back to the VSAT at the
destination.
• A VSAT network is distance insensitive. One has to pay
only for the cost of VSATs and service charges, which are
very reasonable. The whole network can be monitored and
controlled centrally. If there is any problem in the network
it can be diagnosed from the hub.
Contd..
Primarily, there are three types of technologies for
VSAT networks.
1. The Government of India has approved the ‘star’
technology. In this configuration, at the centre of
the network is a big earth station known as the hub
with a dish diameter 6-11 meters. The control of
the network is at the hub and it maintains a
communication link between VSATs scattered all
over the country or region. The configuration is
therefore called the Star.
2. The other technology is the ‘MESH’ technology. The
configuration permits a group of VSATs to
communicate directly with other VSATs going
through the central hub. In this type of configuration,
any one of the VSATs functions as a hub and controls
the whole network.
This configuration enables better voice and video
communication than the Star configuration. This
technology has also been introduced in India.
3. In the third type of configuration, there is
point to point connection between the
VSATs .In such a network, data, voice and
video signals are carried directly between the
locations.In satellite communication, an
extended C-band is used for communicating
the data.
Schematic diagram for VSAT Network
Satellite
VSAT Consumer data

Center
VSAT
Hub
Network
Interface
Unit
Radio Communication
• Radio communication systems, like PLC systems,
are usually owned by the utility, but they have the
important advantage of their operation being
independent of the condition of the power system.
• Furthermore, many data channels, including high
speed channels, as well as voice communication
can be provided.
• Radio technologies require licensing generally
UHF and VHF radio is the most widely used
medium.
• The disadvantages of radio are the limited
channels available from licensing authorities, the
relatively low data rate possible (typically 1200
bits/sec).
• The radio technologies generally used are:
a) UHF point to point Radio

UHF radio in the 800-900 MHz range is widely used by
utilities for two-way point to point communications.
Systems in the 400 MHz range are also available.
These systems usually support up to 15 voice and data
channels operating at 4800 or 9600 bps.
They require line of sight operation, in particular for the
900 MHz frequency bands.
With flat terrain and antennas mounted at reasonable
height, reliable operation over a range of 30 to 40 Km
is practical. Dish antennas are used for point to point
radios.
b) UHF Multi Address System radio
• Multi address systems were developed as a
substitute for dedicated telephone lines, and are
widely used for SCADA/EMS/distribution
automation application.
• They consist of master radio station which
communicates with several remote radios with
IRTU (RTU interfaced with distribution
equipment). Each system uses a pair of
frequencies (400 MHz –1000 MHz) one for
master to remote communications and the other
for remote to master, so that duplex
communication is possible.
•
• Providing remote more sub master station
can increase coverage. An omni directional
rod antenna is used at the master radio.
• At the remote radios, directional antennas
provide better performance, but less
expensive, less conspicuous and vulnerable
“stick” antennas are also used. This
technology is useful for load management.
c) VHF Radio
• One way VHF radios (typically, the 154
MHz band widely used in the USA) is
generally used to send load control
commands. Inexpensive radio
receives/switches are available for giving
load control switching commands.
d) Packet Switching Network (PSN)
• A packet switching network uses low power
UHF spread spectrum transmission (typical
900 MHz band) and does not require
licensing of frequencies.
PSN Contd..
• It is a unique solution to frequency management
using ‘spread spectrum technology’. Due to its very
low power density spectrum, it minimizes
interference to existing services. The packet
switching sends short burst of digital information
over low power radios. These are data transmission
networks with computerized nodes that perform
specific communication tasks such as routing.
• Many power utilities in the world are using packet
switching networks for many purposes, ranging from
real time SCADA, EMS to line and capacitor
switching, administrative data, and from inter utility
to intra utility communications.
e) Cellular radio
• This system is widely used for AMR, DSM and
DA.
• Its benefits include wide area broadcast and
monitoring capability, and it is ideal for field
operations.
• The system has two levels of communication
digital cellular for wide area network (WAN) at
900 MHz range and a low power spread
spectrum RF as well as PLC channel for local
area network (LAN).
Thank You

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10.

VSAT Consumer data

a) UHF point to point Radio

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