Industrial Automation System on Device (IndASoD) -A device modeling industrial automation scenarios

Power System Automation which includes automation of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity are undergoing evolution or modernization. Electric Utilities have a long tradition of owning and controlling the communication networks for mission critical applications because of the concerns about reliability, safety, security and cost. The convergence of these communication networks with the internet and open communication standards leads to new challenges like the finding of faults in these systems requires new skills and capabilities. This evolution necessitates system/tools for early diagnostics and analysis of communication subsystem. The paper discusses the automation system perspectives of Quality of Control (QoC) and Loss of Visibility to arrive at a relationship between scenarios and communication traffic flows. This relationship serves as the basis of building a device which has Industrial Automation Scenarios inbuilt, termed - Industrial Automation System on Device (IndASoD). The architecture of the device includes combining innovative models and simulators in mainstream communication research and leveraging emerging technology platforms like Software Defined Networks (SDN). The paper also discusses the feasibility of such a device in the context of modernization scenarios like upgrade and technology evaluations.

I. Introduction

Energy plays a major role in global economic landscape. Electric Power systems are considered part of critical infrastructure due to significant role these play in human lives by generating, transmitting and distributing energy to meet home and industrial needs. The fact that power systems involve human lives and expensive infrastructure such as turbines, generators and transformers etc. makes their automation mission critical in nature. The major elements of Industrial Automation Systems in context of Power Systems include Power Generation Automation, Substation Automation and Distribution Automation. In order to gain insight into automation it is essential to have a closer look at the processes that need to be automated. Hence we begin with a closer look at generation plants or power plants, then delving into substations. The primary equipment in the generation plant constitutes turbines, generators, loads e.g., motor, actuators e.g., solenoids, pneumatic valves and pumps etc. The pa-rameters which are monitored and controlled in the plants, pressure, temperature, flow etc. These parameters represent process values are monitored using sensors and controlled by help of actuators. In a typical conventional power plant, the total time taken to react to erroneous situations is in fraction of seconds and operate using closed loop control scheme.