Fault tolerant ethernet based network for time sensitive applications in electrical power distribution systems

Abstract

The paper analyses and experimentally verifies deployment of Ethernet based network technology to enable fault tolerant and timely exchange of data among a number of high voltage protective relays that use proprietary serial communication line to exchange data in real time on a state of its high voltage circuitry facilitating a fast protection switching in case of critical failures. The digital serial signal is first fetched into PCM multiplexer where it is mapped to the corresponding E1 (2 Mbit/s) time division multiplexed signal. Subsequently, the resulting E1 frames are then packetized and sent through Ethernet control LAN to the opposite PCM demultiplexer where the same but reverse processing is done finally sending a signal into the opposite protective relay. The challenge of this setup is to assure very timely delivery of the control information between protective relays even in the cases of potential failures of Ethernet network itself. The tolerance of Ethernet network to faults is assured using widespread per VLAN Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol potentially extended by 1+1 PCM protection as a valuable option.