Characterization of non-intentional emissions from distributed energy resources up to 500 kHz: A case study in Spain

Fernández, Igor; Uribe-Pérez, Noelia; Eizmendi, Iñaki; Angulo, Itziar; Vega, David; Arrinda, Amaia; Arzuaga, Txetxu

doi:10.1016/j.ijepes.2018.08.048

Cited by 30 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Therefore, the complete selection of disturbances is composed of: [26]. A compilation of these noise recordings is available in [23,27]. The six noises are identified as der04, der06, der34, der36, der50, and der51.…”

Section: Standard and Controlled Channel Disturbancesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Llano¹,

Angulo

Vega

et al. 2020

Applied Sciences

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Narrowband (NB) powerline communication (PLC) is extensively adopted by utilities for the communication in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems. PLC technology needs to overcome channel disturbances present in certain grid segments. This study analyzes improvement proposals of the physical layer of the main narrowband PLC technologies approved by international communication organizations that are currently deployed in Europe: Powerline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME) 1.3.6, PRIME 1.4, and G3-PLC, in order to improve PLC performance under channel disturbances. This thorough study is based on simulations carried out by an innovative ad hoc Virtual PLC Lab, developed by the authors, applied in replicable, fully-automated, and cost reduced test scenarios. The analysis is performed by applying standardized test methods and metrics, and by evaluating the influence of a set of representative channel disturbances defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and selected noises generated by distributed energy resources (DER) in normal operation. PLC performance improvements in terms of equalizer curve fitting, error correction codes, and noisy subcarrier suppression mechanisms are presented. The performance gain due to each physical improvement proposal is accurately measured and compared under the same conditions in a replicable and automated test environment in order to evaluate the use of the proposals in the evolution of future PLC technologies.As a result, sophisticated test methods are needed to evaluate, first, the effects of each type of disturbance on the different configurations of the communications technologies and, second, the efficiency of the strategies designed to overcome such disturbances. This paper proposes the use of a Virtual PLC Lab to evaluate the performance of several improvement proposals for several PLC technologies. The Virtual PLC Lab includes the whole communication system, composed not only of transmission and reception devices, but also on the characterization of the different effects of the propagation channel. As a result, it enables an efficient analysis of new coding or equalizing techniques that would require long and complex validation procedures, without the need of physically implementing these techniques in the hardware devices, reducing the time and the cost of these developments.Several articles study the NB PLC performance from 3 to 500 kHz in the presence of noise and harsh situations. This performance has been studied from multiple approaches. There are analytical studies based on generic PLC technologies [2]. Several studies are oriented to PRIME statistical performance in field setups [3,4]. Some specific studies focus on upper layer performance instead of being physical layer-oriented [5]. There are some comparisons of the performance of PLC technologies and physical layers, although these are not exactly under the same conditions [6]. Moreover, there is a lack of studies covering the PRIME standard in its recent 1.4 version and G3...

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Section: Standard and Controlled Channel Disturbancesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Llano¹,

Angulo

Vega

et al. 2020

Applied Sciences

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“…This frequency range seems to present lower noise levels and higher access impedance magnitudes, with respect to the CENELEC-A band. In this line, some field trials to evaluate the propagation properties of the electrical grid have been developed in recent years, mainly to evaluate the amplitude of the noise and interfering emissions [1,18,[21][22][23] and the transmission losses [18,24] in this frequency range. These studies demonstrate the need for a detailed characterization (in amplitude, time variability and frequency range) of the emissions generated by Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and the strong influence of both the grid topology and the distance between PLC modems in the transmission losses.…”

Section: The Effects Of the Grid Impedance On Narrow Band-power Line mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both the voltage levels and the propagation distances of these emissions are highly determined by the grid impedance. In this line, the analysis proposed in Reference [21] for the characterization of noise and non-intentional emissions generated by the electronics devices connected to the grid, which propagate through the propagation medium, together with the assessment of the transmission losses described in Reference [24], are complementary methods for a comprehensive characterization of the electrical grid as a propagation medium for NB-PLC. The use of passive filtering is one of the techniques analyzed to mitigate the effects of noise, but the input and output impedances of these filters, and their relation to the impedances of grid and smart meters, are relevant aspects to be considered [38].…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Measurement Methods of LV Grid Access Impedance in the Frequency Range Assigned to Nb‑Plc Technologies

et al. 2019

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The paper presents and evaluates three advanced methods for the characterization of the low-voltage (LV) grid access impedance for the frequency range assigned to Narrow Band-Power Line Communications (NB-PLC): 9 kHz to 500 kHz. This study responds to the recent demand from both regulatory bodies and Distribution System Operators about the need for accurate and validated methods for this frequency band, due to the limited knowledge of the impedance values in the electrical grid and their influence on NB-PLC transmission channels. In this paper, the results of a collaborative work to develop different proposals to overcome the challenges for the proper characterization of the frequency and time-varying grid impedance, from different theoretical approaches, are presented. The methods are compared in a controlled and isolated scenario: the impedance characterization of passive filters. Then, the results are validated two-fold: first, against theoretical simulations, based on the schematics provided by the manufacturer, and second, against the measurement results of a precision impedance meter, used as a reference of accuracy. The results demonstrate a high degree of precision of the three proposals to characterize the access impedance of the LV grid.

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“…The increase of electronic devices connected to the electrical grid is affecting the levels of conducted emissions along the electrical grid in harmonics of the fundamental, and in frequencies in the range of kHz. Some of the sources of these non-intentional emissions (NIE) are related to the improvements in power electronics for energy efficiency and the current deployment of distributed energy resources (DER) and electrical vehicles (EV) chargers through the distribution grid [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. The increasing number of such devices leads to more frequent and higher levels of emissions in the frequency range between 2 kHz and 150 kHz, as they operate with switching frequencies of several kHz [2][3][4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this higher frequency range, an additional issue is the impact on narrowband power line communications (NB-PLC), where disturbing NIE and communication signals coexist. The emissions may cause severe interferences on the transmitted data and the degree of impact depends on the level and spectral shape of the NIE [2][3][4]7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field Trials for the Characterization of Non-Intentional Emissions at Low-Voltage Grid in the Frequency Range Assigned to NB-PLC Technologies

et al. 2019

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The paper describes the results of a measurement campaign to characterize the non-intentional emissions (NIE) that are present in the low voltage section of the electrical grid, within the frequency range assigned to narrowband power line communications (NB-PLC), from 20 kHz to 500 kHz. These NIE may severely degrade the quality of the communications and, in some cases, even isolate the transmission devices. For this reason, the identification and characterization of these perturbations are important aspects for the proper performance of the smart grid services based on PLC. The proper characterization of NIE in this frequency range is a key aspect for the selection of efficient configurations to find the best trade-off between data throughput and robustness, or even for the definition of new improved error detection and correction methods. The huge number of types of NIE, together with the wide variety of grid topologies and loads distribution (density and location of homes and industrial facilities) are great challenges that complicate the thorough characterization of NIE. This work contributes with results from field trials in different scenarios, the identification of different types of NIE and the characterization both in time and frequency domains of all the registered disturbances. This contribution will be helpful for a better knowledge of the electrical grid as a transmission medium for PLC and, therefore, for evaluating the appropriateness of different robustness techniques to be applied in the next generation of smart grid services.

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Characterization of non-intentional emissions from distributed energy resources up to 500 kHz: A case study in Spain

Cited by 30 publications

References 18 publications

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Comparison of Measurement Methods of LV Grid Access Impedance in the Frequency Range Assigned to Nb‑Plc Technologies

Field Trials for the Characterization of Non-Intentional Emissions at Low-Voltage Grid in the Frequency Range Assigned to NB-PLC Technologies

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Characterization of non-intentional emissions from distributed energy resources up to 500 kHz: A case study in Spain

Cited by 30 publications

References 18 publications

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Comparison of Measurement Methods of LV Grid Access Impedance in the Frequency Range Assigned to Nb‑Plc Technologies

Field Trials for the Characterization of Non-Intentional Emissions at Low-Voltage Grid in the Frequency Range Assigned to NB-PLC Technologies

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Characterization of non-intentional emissions from distributed energy resources up to 500 kHz: A case study in Spain