Case study: Power Line Carrier & Programmable

Logic Control in Electrical Substation

Introduction
Much attention has been given to the use of PLCs (Programmable Logic
Controllers) in substation and distribution automation applications in recent years.
Innovative engineers and technicians have been actively seeking new applications
for PLCs in substations and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
systems. The manufacturers of PLCs have responded by developing new products
that meet the unique requirements of substation automation and SCADA
applications. PLCs are very cost competitive with traditional RTUs and have
many benefits in substation automation applications. PLCs have an important
place in substation automation and their use in substation applications will grow.
As the use of PLCs in substation automation applications increases, and the
demand for substation and distribution automation increases, utility engineers are
seeking ways to implement applications. With deregulation, utilities are
decreasing engineering staff levels. Utility engineers are required to field more
projects with fewer available resources. The services of outside control system
integrators, engineering firms or consultants are often called upon to meet the
needs of the utilities. Selection of an outside firm is an important task of the utility
engineer and the selection of the particular outside firm can determine the success
or failure of a project.

PLC (Programmable logic controller)

A Programmable controller is a solid state user programmable control system with
functions to control logic, sequencing, timing, arithmetic data manipulation and
counting capabilities. It can be viewed as an industrial computer that has a central
processor unit, memory, input output interface and a programming device. The
central processing unit provides the intelligence of the controller. It accepts data,
status information from various sensing devices like limit switches, proximity
switches, executes the user control program store in the memory and gives
appropriate output commands to devices like solenoid valves, switches etc.
Input output interface is the communication link between field devices and the
controllers; field devices are wired to the I/O interfaces. Through these interfaces
the processor can sense and measure physical quantities regarding a machine or
process, such as, proximity, position, motion, level, temperature, pressure, etc.
Based on status sensed, the CPU issues command to output devices such as valves,
motors, alarms, etc. Programmer unit provides the man machine interface. It is
used to enter the application program, which often uses a simple user-friendly
logic.

PLC (Power Line Carriers)

Power line carrier describes the entire process of communication using high-
voltage powerlines as the means for transmission. Powerlines provide a reliable
link because of their unusually rugged construction, and also offer freedom from
restrictions imposed by common-carrier regulations. PLC communications are
typically in the form of speech and/or tones for telegraph, telemetering, tele
control, higher speed data applications, and line protection. Line protection is often
the most important and critical application for the power line carrier system.

SCADA
SCADA is abbreviated as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. SCADA is
defined as the system that gathers data or information from different devices
located at, plant and then send this information to computer. SCADA is nothing
but the graphical representation of automation. It is large scale control system for
automated process. SCADA in the power system is defined as under:
 Data Acquisition: Acquisition of data means to collect or gathering the
information. The collected information is in type of measured values of
current or voltage and the status of various equipment’s. The gathered
information is being used locally or sent to another device for use by
operator for the future planners.
 Supervision: The operator or substation supervisor monitor and supervise
the condition and the status of various electrical or substation equipment
through this collected data. Substation supervisor engineers monitor the
information on computer screens.
 Control: Control means giving commands to various devices to perform
operation on them. Traditional SCADA systems depend on supervisor to
supervise the system and generate signals the devices in the substation can
be controlled by the field supervisor through push buttons or a laptop
computer.

DISTRIBUTION LINE CARRIER (DLC)

DLC uses existing electrical distribution network in the medium voltage (MV) —
i.e., 11 kV, Low Voltage (LV) as well as building voltages. It is very similar to the
powerline carrier. DLC uses narrowband powerline communication frequency
range of 9 to 500 kHz with data rate up to 576 kbit/s. DLC is suitable (even in very
large networks) for multiple real-time energy management applications. It can be
implemented under REMPLI System as well as SCADA, AMR and Power Quality
Monitoring System. DLC complies with the following standards: EN 50065
(CENELEC), IEC 61000-3 and FCC Part 15 Subpart B.
There are no interference issues with radio users or electromagnetic radiation. With
external inductive or capacitive coupling, a distance more than 15 km can be
achieved over a medium voltage network. On low voltage networks, a direct
connection can be made since the DLC has a built-in capacitive coupler. This
allows end-end communications from substation to the customer premises without
repeaters. [8]

AUTOMATION OF 11KV SUBSTATION USING PLC & SCADA

Substations form a very important node in the transmission and the distribution of
electrical power system. Substation is the most important part of the power system,
also needs automation. The main function of substation is to receive energy
transmitted at high voltage from the generating station to a value appropriate for
local distribution and provide facilities for switching. A substation is the
convenient place for setting up the synchronous condenser at the end of
transmission line for the purpose of power factor improvement. The combination
of all the equipment’s which are used to change the characteristics (e.g. voltage,
frequency, pf, etc.) of electrical supply is known as substation. Automation is the
process of automatically controlling the process parameters in the plant with the
help of automation devices. In the beginning, process at the plants was supervised
manually based on the instrument installed in fields. This requires the plant
supervisor to be placed in plant at all time. But the automation has helped to
overcome this problem. Now, in global economy automation plays increasingly
important role. Automation doesn’t necessarily imply computerization, it can be
pneumatic, mechanical, electronic or combination of all these. It is not only a part
of industry today. The process in the substation includes the data acquisition,
supervision of power system, and control of power system equipment’s. All these
processes work collectively in a coordinated automatic mode. The signals or the
message is produced automatically and then delivered in the same manner as the
field supervisor provided commands Automation at the substation is done by the
use of programmable logic controller (PLC) and supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) instead of electromechanical devices. As the technology
advances the human involvement become less and degree of automation will
correspondingly get greater. Now, in global economy automation employs an
increasing important role in our daily life.
Relating PLC’s / DCS to substation automation

The automation of any system reduces the human work and increase the efficiency. In the scope
of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization
provides human operators with machinery to assist them with muscular requirements of work,
automation greatly decreases the need for human sensory and mental requirement as well.
The concept of automation was largely “centralized” in late 90’s.The meaning of centralized here
is central cubical housing a PLC-system and associated I/O modules where located at a specific
location and all the equipment’s being controlled where hardwired to their central cubicle. Later
this model evolved into “decentralized “pattern. Wherein the basic control remained with a
centrally located PLC CPU system but remote PLC I/O stations were located close to the actual
point of control/application were present and these were connected to the central PLC system
through a deterministic communication link.
The substation automation is done by using either Distributed control system(DCS) or a
programmable logic controller(PLC) system. Today the demarcation between a PLC system and
a DCS system is getting reduced as both have same functionality. DCS/PLC is the master or
centralized controller for the process.

Applications for DCS/PLC in substation automation and Supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA)

Every device used in substation has a very important role in the substation for both proper
working and protection issues. These devices can be monitored and controlled automatically
using SCADA by using either PLC or DCS. The automation provides more efficiency in the
process and reduces human dependency. In the supervisory control room, the status of all d
equipment and its working will be displayed. In case of any faults, alarm will be generated in the
supervisory control room, depending upon the severity of the problem either manual or
automated (predefined) decisions will be taken place.

Typical examples of application of PLC/DCS in substation:

 Opening and closing of isolator.

  Opening and closing of circuit breaker.
 Changing the tap position of on load tap changer.
 Opening and closing of bus coupler.
 Data acquisition from almost all the equipment.
 Almost all the devices used can be monitored and controlled using PLC/DCS.

TIMERS
All PLC’s have timer instructions. Timers are output instructions that are internal to the
programmable logic controller. Timers provide timed control of the devices that they activate or
de-activate.

Basic functions of timer

 Timers are used to delay an action.

 Timers are used to run an operation for a predetermined period of time.
 Timers are also used to record the total accumulated time of continuous or intermediate
events.

Timer’s instructions

Timers consists of following parts: timer address, preset value, timer base, and accumulated
value, as shown in figure below.

fig(a)

In the above figure , term instruction name is, timer on delay ( TON ), timer base is 1.0 seconds,
timer address is T4:0, accumulated value of zero(0) and a preset value of 200.
Each timer instruction has three very useful status bits. These bits are timer enable (E N), timer
timing (TT), and timer done(DN).
There are 3 types of timers: On- delay timer, Off-delay timer, and retentive timer.
On delay timer

 Use this instruction to program a time delay after instructions become true.
 On – delay timers are used when an action is to begin a specified time after the input
becomes true. For example, a certain step in the manufacturing is to begin 45 seconds
after a signal is received from a limit switch. The 45- seconds delay is the on-delay timers
preset value.
Off- delay timer

 Off- delay timer instructions is used to program a time delay to begin after rung input
goes false.
 As an example, when an external cooling fan on a motor is provided, the fan has to run
all the time the motor is running and also for certain time (say 10min) after the motor is
turned off. This is a ten minute off- delay timer. The ten-minute timing period begins as
soon as the motor is turned off.

Retentive timer

 Retentive timer is a timer which retains the accumulated value in case of power loss,
change of processor mode or rung state going from true to false (rung state transition).
 Retentive timer can be used to track the running time of a motor for its maintenance
purpose. Each time the motor is turned off, the timer will remember the motor’s elapsed
running time. The next time the motor is turned on, the time will increase from there.
This timer can be reset by using a reset instruction.

Reset

 This instruction is used to reset the accumulated value of counter or timer.

 It is used to reset a retentive timer’s accumulated value to zero.

A typical timer element

A timer element is made up of three 16 bit words:

 Word 0 → 3 status bits (EN, TT, DN).

 Word 1 → Preset values.
 Word 2 → Accumulated value.

fig(b)

How do we address a timer?

Addressing a timer is as follows:

1. The address format in order to address the timer element is T4:3

Where, T = T identifies this as a timer file.
4 = represents the default timer file 4.
Note: SLC timer can be assigned any unused file from 9 to 255.
:3 = This is timer three in file 4. There are 256 timers available in each file. Timers 0
through 255 are available .
 2. Preset value of the timer can be addressed in the following way:T4:3.PRE
Where, T= identifies this as a timer file.
4= represents the default timer file 4.
:3= timer 3 in file 4.
. = this point is the word delimiter. It separates the timer number, called the structure,
from the subelements. Here the subelement is PRE, for preset value.

3. Accumulated value of the timer can be addressed as shown below:T4:3.ACC

Where, T= identifies this as a timer file.
4= represents the default timer file 4.
:3= timer 3 in file 4.
. = this point is the word delimiter. It separates the timer number, called the structure,
from the subelements. Here the subelement is ACC, for accumulated value.

⇒ The status bits of the timer can be addressed in the following way:

 Word zero, bit 13, is the done bit. It is identified as DN. This bit is set when the timer’s
accumulated value is equal to the timer’s preset value. It can be addressed as T4:3/DN.
 Word zero, bit 14, is the timer timing bit. It is identified as TT. TT is set when the timer
is timing. It is addressed as T4:3/TT.
 Word zero, bit 15, is the timer enable bit. It is identified as EN. EN bit is set whenever
the timer is enabled. It is addressed as T4:3/EN.

The on-delay timer instruction

fig(c)
The above figure is used to explain the on-delay timer instruction.
Here, T4:2 represents timer file 4, timer element 2, preset value is 50, accumulated value is 0 and
timer base is 1 second. Input module is in slot 1 and output module is in slot 2.

 As long as the instruction I:1/0 is true, the on-delay timer T4:2 will increment every one
second toward its preset value of 50 seconds. The accumulated value displays the current
number of seconds that passed. When the accumulated value is equal to the preset value,
the timer’s done bit will get energized or set. So when the timer’s done bit gets energized,
the rung 003, instruction T4:3/DN becomes true and logical continuity is passed and the
output O:2/2 gets energized.
 As long as the I:1/4 is true, the timer instruction is enabled. Hence, rung 000 becomes
true and logical continuity is passed and the output O:2/0 is energized.
Note: An on-delay timer is not retentive in nature.so any loss of continuity to the timer
instruction on rung 000 will cause the timer to reset itself to an accumulated value of 0.
 When the timer is timing i.e rung 000 is true and accumulated value is less than preset
value, timer timing bit(TT) is true. So the rung 002 becomes true i.e instruction T4:2/TT
is true and output instruction O:2/1 is energized.
Note: As long as the rung 000 is true i.e instruction I:1/0 is true, the timer instruction is
considered enabled. The enable bit will be true when the timer timing bit is true. Timer
enable bit will be set through the transition from the timer-timing bit to the timer-done
bit. Timer enable bit is set as long as there is logical continuity through all input
instructions to the timer instruction, no matter the relationship between the preset value
and accumulated value. When the rung goes false, the enable bit is reset.

The off-delay timer instruction

 fig(d)

The above figure is used to explain the off-delay timer instruction. Here, T4:2 represents timer
file 4, timer element 2, preset value is 200, accumulated value is 0 and timer base is 1 second.
Input module is in slot 1 and output module is in slot 2.

 As an example, consider an external cooling fan on a motor which has to run all the time
when the motor is running and also for 200 seconds after the motor is turned off. For this
purpose, we use 200- second off-delay timer. The 200-second timing cycle begins when
the motor is turned off.
 When the instruction I:1/0 is true, the motor is turned on i.e instruction O:2/0 becomes
true. In other words, rung 000 becomes true. When the instruction I:1/0 is true, rung 001
becomes true, which will make the off-delay timer T4:2 enable. So as long as the
instruction I:1/0 is true, the timer enable bit, EN, is true and hence, rung 002 become true,
which inturn makes the output instruction O:2/1 true. The done bit is set as long as the
rung 001 is true i.e the done bit is set when the enable bit is set. So the rung 004 is true.
Hence, the external cooling fan is energized i.e instruction O:2/3 is true. So at this point,
both motor and external cooling fan are energized.
 When the motor is turned off, i.e the instruction I:1/0 becomes false, the output
instruction O:2/0( motor) becomes false and motor is turned off. When rung 001
transitions from true to false, the TOF( off-delay timer) instruction begins timing. The
done bit and the external cooling fan( O:2/3) will still remains on, or true, for the preset
value of 200 seconds. The time period between the point when the rung becomes false
and the point when the 200 seconds preset time expires for T4:2 is called delay after the
input goes false, or the off-delay. The timers done bit and its associated output stay true
 until the off-delay of 200- seconds expires. The time expires when the accumulated value
reaches the preset value. When the input instruction I:1/0 goes from true to false, the
timer enable bit (EN) is reset and timer timing bit(TT) is set. The timer will start timing at
this point. The timer timing bit(EN) becomes true whenever the rung transitions from true
to false and the accumulated value is less than the preset value.
Note: The timer done bit, bit 13, is set when the rung 000 becomes true. It will remain set
through the true to false transition and until the accumulated value is equal to the preset
value. This bit is commonly used to control the other logic when an output needs to be
turned-on or turned-off after its rung has been off for the preset time interval.

The retentive timer instruction

Retentive timer instruction is used when we want to retain the accumulated value through power
loss, processor mode change, or change in the rung state from true to false. The retentive timer
instruction will measure the cumulative time period for which its rung is true. One of the
example of retentive timer is that, it can be used to track the running time of a motor for
maintenance purpose. The retentive timer is used to track the accumulated time the motor has
run. In our example , our motor needs maintenance after 3600 seconds or, one hour of running
time. Each time the motor is turned off, the timer needs to remember the motors total elapsed
running time. The next time the motor is turned on, the timer will increase the accumulated
running time from where it is left off. When the total accumulated motor running time has been
reached, a maintenance remainder pilot light will be lit. A retentive timer is used in this
application.

fig(e)
Here, T4:2 represents timer file 4, timer element 2, preset value is 3600, accumulated value is 0
and timer base is 1 second. Input module is in slot 1 and output module is in slot 2.
The retentive timer on, RTO instruction, behaves similar to the timer-on delay instruction, with
exception that when the RTO instruction goes false, it will retain its accumulated value.
The retentive timer will retain its accumulated value during the following conditions:

 When its rung goes false.

 When processor losses power. But, the battery for memory back up must be in good
condition.
 When the processor faults.
 When the processor operating mode is changed from remote run or remote test to remote
program mode.

Associated status bit

The timer done bit, bit 13, is set when the accumulated value is equal to the preset value. For our
application, the done bit and output O:2/0 could control the maintenance reminder pilot light.
Timer timing bit(TT), bit 14, is on rung 002. This bit is set anytime the rung conditions are true
and the timer times. The timer times whenever the rung is true and the accumulated value is less
than the preset value. When the done bit is set, the timer timing bit resets. So in our example, the
timer timing bit will be set or true, whenever input I:1/0 is true and as long as the accumulated
value is less than the preset value of 3600 seconds. Output O:2/1 will be on or true when the
timer is timing between 0 second and 300 seconds. As the done bit is set and O:2/0 turns on, the
timer timing bit goes false and O:2/1 turns off.
The timer enable bit, 15, is set or true , anytime the timer instruction rung 000 is true. As long as
the instruction I:1/0 is true, the timer instruction is considered enabled. The enable bit is true
when the timer-timing bit is true and it will stay set through the transition from the timer-timing
bit to the timer done bit.

The reset instruction

In order to reset the accumulated value of retentive timer, a reset instruction is used. The address
of the reset instruction must match the address of the timer that is to be reset. Only one address is
allowed per reset instruction. In rung 004, I:1/1 instruction is used to reset the timer T4:2. This
signal comes from a momentary normally open push button field device, connected to input
screw terminal 1. Pressing this push button will reset the RTO’s accumulated value back to 0.

NOTE: Retentive timer off instruction behaves similar to the timer-off delay with the exception
that when the instruction goes from false to true, it will retain , or remember, its accumulated
value.