IEC 61850


IEC 61850 is an international standard defining communication protocols for intelligent electronic devices at electrical substations. It is a part of the International Electrotechnical Commission's Technical Committee 57 reference architecture for electric power systems. The abstract data models defined in IEC 61850 can be mapped to a number of protocols. Current mappings in the standard are to MMS, GOOSE, SMV, and soon to Web Services. These protocols can run over TCP/IP networks or substation LANs using high speed switched Ethernet to obtain the necessary response times below four milliseconds for protective relaying.

History

Multiple protocols exist for substation automation, which include many proprietary protocols with custom communication links. Interoperation of devices from different vendors would be an advantage to users of substation automation devices. An IEC project group of about 60 members from different countries worked in three IEC working groups from 1995. They responded to all the concerns and objectives and created IEC 61850. The objectives set for the standard were:
  1. A single protocol for complete substation considering modelling of different data required for substation
  2. Definition of basic services required to transfer data so that the entire mapping to communication protocol can be made future proof
  3. Promotion of high inter-operability between systems from different vendors
  4. A common method/format for storing complete data
  5. Define complete testing required for the equipment which conforms to the standard

    Standard documents

IEC 61850 consists of the following parts detailed in separate IEC 61850
IEC 61850 features include:
  1. Data Modeling — Primary process objects as well as protection and control functionality in the substation is modelled into different standard logical nodes which can be grouped under different logical devices. There are logical nodes for data/functions related to the logical device and physical device.
  2. Reporting Schemes — There are various reporting schemes for reporting data from server through a server-client relationship which can be triggered based on pre-defined trigger conditions.
  3. Fast Transfer of events — Generic Substation Events are defined for fast transfer of event data for a peer-to-peer communication mode. This is again subdivided into GOOSE & GSSE.
  4. Setting Groups — The setting group control Blocks are defined to handle the setting groups so that user can switch to any active group according to the requirement.
  5. Sampled Data Transfer — Schemes are also defined to handle transfer of sampled values using Sampled Value Control blocks
  6. Commands — Various command types are also supported by IEC 61850 which include direct & select before operate commands with normal and enhanced securities.
  7. Data Storage — Substation Configuration Language is defined for complete storage of configured data of the substation in a specific format.

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