Design of a Quality of Service Framework for Micro Grid Communication Network based on IEC 61850 Standard

Abstract

The micro-grid is a conceptual solution proposed as a better way to harness the potential of renewable energy generation and integration by offering a plug-andplay interface for various types of renewable generation resources and loads. One of the major challenges associated with micro-grids is the design and implementation of a suitable control and communication architecture. With a large penetration of micro-grids in a power distribution system, a dedicated communication network infrastructure is needed to coordinate their control actions under various system operating conditions. The information flow in a micro grid communication network has different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements in terms of packet loss rate, throughput, and latency. The changing nature of the micro grid also makes it a requirement to have Quality of service framework to ensure that the protection, control and operations requirements of the micro-grid are met without compromising the power network functionality and integrity. An appropriate communication network framework will ensure that micro-grid operation by enabling timely and reliable delivery of control and protection data. The research maps the information for monitoring, control and protection of the micro-grid according to substation automation standard IEC 61850. Based on this, a multi agent micro-grid communication network is designed. The study further classifies various micro-grid QoS requirements into QoS classes from which a QoS framework is proposed. The QoS framework is evaluated through the use of OMNET object oriented simulator. The results show that latency can be reduced and reliability increased for the data flow with a higher priority by use of an appropriate QoS mechanism.