IEC 61850: sections and benefits of the standard

With the development of digital technologies, the producers of electrotechnical equipment did not remain on the sidelines. Despite the existence of the international ISO classification, Russia developed its own standard IEC 61850, which is responsible for substation systems and networks.

A bit of history

The development of computer technologies has not spared the system of electric grid management. The generally accepted IEC 61850 standard was originally introduced in 2003, although attempts to implement systems on this basis were still in the sixties of the last century.

The essence of it is reduced to the use of special protocols for the management of electrical networks. On their basis, now, and monitoring the functioning of all networks of this type.

If before, the main focus was exclusively on upgrading computer systems that control the electric power industry, then with the introduction of rules, standards, protocols in the form of IEC 61850, the situation changed. The main goal of this GOST was to provide monitoring in order to timely identify problems in the operation of the relevant equipment.

The IEC 61850 protocol and its analogues

The protocol itself was most actively used in the mid-1980s. Then, the versions of IEC 61850-1, IEC 60870-5 versions 101, 103 and 104, DNP3 and Modbus were used as the first tested versions, which turned out to be completely untenable.

And it was the initial development that formed the basis of the modern protocol UCA2, which in the mid-1990s was successfully applied in Western Europe.

How it works

Stopping on the issue of functioning, it is worth explaining what is the protocol of IEC 61850, for "dummies" (people who only comprehend the basics of work and understanding of the principles of communication with computer equipment).

The bottom line is that a microprocessor chip is installed at the substation or power station, allowing the transfer of data on the state of the entire system directly to the central terminal that performs the basic control.

Data transmission, which is provided by IEC 61850, is carried out via a high-speed connection. Roughly speaking, the chip is bound to the nearest LAN.

The DAS (Data Acquisition System) uses at least 64-bit transmission in conjunction with the appropriate data encryption algorithms .

But, as practice shows, these systems are also quite vulnerable. Watching American movies, when one episode turns off the power supply of the whole quarter? Here it is! The management of electrical networks based on IEC 61850 protocol can be coordinated from any external source (it will be further understood why). In the meantime, consider the main system requirements.

Standard P IEC 61850: requirements for communication systems

If it was previously implied that the signal should be transmitted using a telephone line, today the means of communication have stepped far ahead. Embedded chips are capable of transmitting at 64 Mbps, being absolutely independent of providers providing standard connection services.

If we consider IEC 61850 standard for "dummies", the explanation looks quite simple: the chip of the power unit uses its own data transfer protocol, and not the standard TCP / IP standard. But that's not all.

The standard itself is the protocol of IEC 61850 data transfer with a secure connection. In other words, the connection to the same Internet, wireless network, etc. is carried out in a very specific way. In the settings, as a rule, proxy server parameters are used, because those are the ones (even virtual ones) that are the most secure.

General area of application

It is clear that according to the requirements set by GOST IEC 61850, it will not be possible to install this type of equipment in a conventional transformer box (there is simply no place for a computer chip there).

At the same time, such a device will not work either. It needs at least an initial input / output system akin to the BIOS, as well as a corresponding communicative model of data transfer (wireless network, wired secure connection, etc.).

But in the control center of a public or local power grid, you can access virtually all the functions of power plants. As an example, though not the best, you can bring the film "The Earth Core" (The Core), when a hacker prevents the death of our planet by destabilizing an energetic source that feeds a "spare" version of the Earth's core spinup .

But this is pure fiction, more likely even virtual confirmation of the requirements of IEC 61850 (although this is not directly mentioned). Nevertheless, even the most primitive emulation of IEC 61850 looks exactly this way. But how many disasters could be avoided?

The same 4th power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, if it had been equipped with diagnostic tools that conformed to the standard, at least IEC 61850-1, might not have exploded. And since 1986, it remains only to reap the fruits of what happened.

Radiation - it is such that it acts secretly. In the early days, months or years, the signs of radiation sickness may not appear, let alone the half-lives of uranium and plutonium, to which few today pay attention. But integrating the same Geiger counters into a power plant could significantly reduce the risk of being in this zone. By the way, the protocol itself allows to transmit such data at the hardware-software level of the complex involved.

The method of modeling and transformation into real protocols

For the simplest understanding of how, for example, the IEC 61850-9-2 standard works, it is worthwhile to say that no iron wire can determine the direction of the transmitted data. That is, we need an appropriate repeater capable of transmitting data about the state of the system, and in an encrypted form.

It is quite simple to receive a signal, as it turns out. But here that it was read and decrypted by the receiving device, it is necessary to sweat. In fact, to decipher the incoming signal, for example, based on IEC 61850-2 at the initial level, you need to use visualization systems like SCADA and P3A.

But based on the fact that this system uses wired communication, the main protocols are GOOSE and MMS (not to be confused with mobile messages). This conversion standard IEC 61850-8 produces a consistent first use of MMS, followed by GOOSE, which ultimately allows the display of information on P3A technologies.

Basic types of substation configuration

Any substation that uses this protocol must have at least a minimal set of means for data transmission. First, it concerns the very physical device connected to the network. Secondly, each such aggregate must have one or more logical modules.

In this case, the device itself is able to perform the function of a hub, gateway or even a kind of intermediary for the transfer of information. The logical nodes themselves have a narrow focus and are divided into the following classes:

• "A" - automated control systems;
• "M" - measurement systems;
• "C" - telemetry control;
• "G" - modules of general functions and settings;
• "I" means the communication setup and the methods used to archive the data;
• "L" - logical modules and system nodes;
• "P" - protection;
• "R" - associated protective components;
• "S" - sensors;
• «T» - measuring transformers;
• "X" - block-contact switching equipment;
• "Y" - power type transformers;
• "Z" - everything else that is not included in the above categories.

It is believed that the IEC 61850-8-1 protocol, for example, is able to provide less use of wires or cables, which, of course, only positively affects the ease of hardware configuration. But the main problem, as it turns out, is that not all administrators are able to process received data even if there are corresponding software packages. I would like to hope that this is a temporary problem.

Application software

Nevertheless, even in the situation of misunderstanding of the physical principles of programs of this type, the IEC 61850 emulation can be performed in any operating system (even in mobile).

It is believed that the management personnel or integrators spend much less time processing data coming from the substations. The architecture of such applications is intuitive, the interface is simple, and all processing consists only in the introduction of localized data with subsequent automatic output of the result.

The disadvantages of such systems can be attributed only the overestimated cost of equipment P3A (microprocessor systems). Hence the impossibility of its mass application.

Practical use

Prior to this, all that was stated with respect to the IEC 61850 protocol concerned only theoretical information. How does this work in practice?

Suppose we have a power plant (substation) with three-phase power and two measuring inputs. When defining a standard logical node, the name MMXU is used. For the IEC 61850 standard there can be two: MMXU1 and MMXU2. Each such node can also contain an additional prefix to simplify the identification.

An example is the modeled XCBR-based node. It is identified with the application of some basic operators:

• Loc - definition of a local or remote location;
• OpCnt - the technique of counting performed (performed) operations;
• Pos - the operator responsible for the location and similar to the Loc parameters;
• BlkOpn - command to disable the interlock of the switch;
• BlkCls - enable the lock;
• CBOpCap - selects the operating mode of the switch.

Such a classification for describing CDC data classes is mainly used in Modification Systems 7-3. However, even in this case, the configuration is based on the use of several characteristics (FC - functional restrictions, SPS - state of a single control point, SV and ST - properties of substitution systems, DC and EX - description and extended parameter definition).

As for the definition and description of the SPS class, the logical chain includes the stVal properties, the quality is q, and the current time parameters are t.

In this way, data is transformed using Ethernet connection technologies and TCP / IP protocols directly into the MMS object variable, which is then identified with the assigned name, which leads to the true value of any currently involved indicator.

In addition, the IEC 61850 protocol itself is just a generalized and even abstract model. But on its basis, the structure of any element of the power system is described, which allows microprocessor chips to accurately identify each device involved in this area, including those that use energy-saving technologies.

Theoretically, the protocol format can be converted into any type of data, based on the MMS and ISO 9506 standards. But why was the IEC 61850 control standard chosen?

It is associated exclusively with the reliability of the received parameters and an easy process of working with assigning complex names or models of the service itself.

Such a process without the use of the MMS protocol proves to be very time-consuming, even when creating queries like "read-write-report". No, of course, you can perform this type of conversion even for the UCA architecture. But, as practice shows, it is the application of the IEC 61850 standard that allows you to do this without much effort and expense over time.

Data verification issues

However, this system is not limited only to receiving-transmission. In fact, embedded microprocessor systems allow data exchange not only at the substation level and central control systems. They can process the data with each other in the presence of appropriate equipment.

The example is simple: an electronic chip transmits data on the current or voltage in a critical area. Accordingly, any other subsystem based on the voltage drop can enable or disable the additional power system. All this is based on the standard laws of physics and electrical engineering, however, depends on the current. For example, we have a standard voltage of 220 V. In Europe - 230 V.

If you look at the criteria for deviations, in the former USSR this is +/- 15%, while in developed European countries it is no more than 5%. Not surprisingly, branded western technology simply fails because of voltage fluctuations in the power grid.

And probably, it is not necessary to say that many of us are observing in the courtyard a building in the form of a transformer booth, built in the times of the Soviet Union. Do you think you can install a computer chip there or connect special cables to get information about the state of the transformer? That's it, it's not!

New systems based on the IEC 61850 standard allow for full control over all parameters, but the obvious impossibility of its widespread implementation repels corresponding services like "Energosbytov" in terms of using protocols of this level.

There is nothing surprising in this. Companies that distribute electricity between consumers can simply lose profits or even privileges in the market.

Instead of the total

In general, the protocol, on the one hand, is simple, and on the other - very difficult. The problem is not even that there is no corresponding software for today, but that the whole system of control over the electric power industry, which we inherited from the USSR, is simply not prepared for this. And if you take into account the low qualification of the maintenance staff, there can be no question that someone is able to control or eliminate problems in a timely manner. At us after all as it is accepted? Problem? We are turning off the microdistrict. That's all.

But the application of this standard allows to avoid such situations, not to mention any fan outages.

Thus, it remains only to sum up a certain result. What does the end user use the IEC 61850 protocol for? In the simplest sense - this is an uninterrupted power supply with no voltage drops in the network. Note that if a computer terminal or laptop is not designed to use an uninterruptible power supply or a voltage regulator, a drop or jump can trigger an immediate shutdown of the system. Okay, if you need to restore at the program level. And if the memory slots burn or the hard drive fails, what should we do then?

This, of course, is a separate subject for research, but the standards themselves currently used in power plants with the appropriate "iron" and software diagnostics are able to control absolutely all parameters of the networks, preventing situations with the emergence of critical failures that can lead not only to the breakdown of household appliances , But also to the failure of all home wiring (it is known to be designed for no more than 2 kW at a standard voltage of 220 V). Therefore, including simultaneously a refrigerator, a washing machine or a boiler for heating water, think a hundred times how justified it is.

If these versions of the protocols are involved, the subsystem settings will be applied automatically. And to the greatest extent it concerns the operation of the same 16 amp fuses that 9-storey residents sometimes install themselves, bypassing the services responsible for this. But the price of the issue, as it turns out, is much higher, because it allows you to bypass some restrictions related to the above-mentioned standard and its accompanying rules.