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Introduction
Use of PLCC in modern electrical power system is mainly for telemetry and telecontrol. Tele
means remote. Telemetry refers to science of measurement from remote location.
Different types of data transmission system can be used depending upon the network requirement
and conditions.
Main data transmission system for telemetry and telecontrol are:
1. Use of telephone lines
2. Use of separate cables
3. Power Line carrier communication
4. Radio wave micro wave channel
For large power system power line carrier communication is used for data transmission as well as
protection of transmission lines. Carrier current has a frequency range of 30 to 200 kHz in
USA and 80 to 500 kHz in UK.
Each end of transmission line is provided with identical PLCC equipment consisting of
equipment:
PLCC scheme
The output of PLCC goes to coupling capacitor and then to transmission line and travels to
another end where it is received through coupling capacitor and inputted to relay and control panel
at that end.
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2. To trip the line circuit breaker nearest to the fault, this is done by:
a) Distance protection relay (V/I characteristics)
b) Differential comparison method
c) Phase comparison method
2. Station to station communication between operating personnel
3. Carrier telemetring, electrical quantities that are telemetered are kW, kVA, kVAR,
Voltage and Power factor etc.
Following methods are used for telemetring as well as telecontrol:
0. Simplex
1. Duplex
2. Multiplex
3. Time division Multiplex
Many factors will affect the reliability of a power line carrier (PLC) channel.
The goal is to get a signal level to the remote terminal that is above the sensitivity of the receiver,
and with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) well above the minimum, so that the receiver can make a
correct decision based on the information transmitted.
If both of these requirements are met then the PLC channel will be reliable.
The factors affecting reliability are:
1. The amount of power out of the transmitter.
2. The type and number of hybrids required to parallel transmitters and receivers.
3. The type of line tuner applied.
4. The size of the coupling capacitor in terms of capacitance.
5. The type and size, in terms of inductance, of the line trap used.
6. The power line voltage and the physical configuration of the power line.
7. The phase(s) to which the PLC signal is coupled.
8. The length of the circuit and transpositions in the circuit.
9. The decoupling equipment at the receiving terminal (usually the same as the transmitting
end).
10. The type of modulation used to transmit the information, and the type of demodulation
circuits in the receiver.
11. The received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
The above list may not be all inclusive, but these are the major factors involved in the success or
failure of a PLC channel.
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1. Coupling Capacitor
Coupling capacitor connects the carrier equipment to the transmission line. The coupling
capacitors capacitance is of such a value that it offers low impedance to carrier
frequency (1/C) but high impedance to power frequency (50 Hz).
For example 2000pF capacitor offers 1.5M to 50Hz but 150 to 500kHz.
Thus coupling capacitor allows carrier frequency signal to enter the carrier equipment.
To decrease the impedance further and make the circuit purely resistive so that there is no
reactive power in the circuit, low impedance is connected in series with coupling capacitor to form
resonance at carrier frequency.
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Hence a line trap unit/Wave trap is inserted between busbar and connection of coupling capacitor
to the line. It is a parallel tuned circuit comprising of inductance (L) and capacitance (C). It has low
impedance (less than 0.1?) for power frequency (50 Hz) and high impedance to carrier frequency.
This unit prevents the high frequency carrier signal from entering the neighboring line.
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The coaxial cable provides shielding so that noise cannot get into the cable and cause
interference. The coaxial cable is connected to the line tuner which must be mounted at the base
of the coupling capacitor.
If there is more than one transmitter involved per terminal the signal must go through isolation
circuits, typically hybrids, before connection to the line tuner.
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The purpose of the hybrid circuits is to enable the connection of two or more transmitters together
on one coaxial cable without causing intermodulation distortion due to the signal from one
transmitter affecting the output stages of the other transmitter. Hybrids may also be required
between transmitters and receivers, depending on the application.
The hybrid circuits can, of course, cause large losses in the carrier path and must be used
appropriately. High/low-pass and band-pass networks may also be used, in some applications, to
isolate carrier equipment from each other.
5. Line Tuners
The purpose of the line tuner in conjunction with the coupling capacitor is to provide low
impedance path for the carrier energy to the transmission line and a high impedance path to the
power frequency energy.
The line tuner/coupling capacitor combination provides a low impedance path to the power line by
forming a series resonant circuit tuned to the carrier frequency.
On the other hand, the capacitance of the coupling capacitor is high impedance to the power
frequency energy. Even though the coupling capacitor has high impedance at power frequencies,
there must be a path to ground in order that the capacitor may do its job. This function is provided
by the drain coil, which is in the base of the coupling capacitor. The drain coil is designed to be low
impedance at the power frequency and because of its inductance it will have high impedance to
the carrier frequency.
Thus the combination of the line tuner, coupling capacitor, and the drain coil provide the necessary
tools for coupling the carrier energy to the transmission line and blocking the power frequency
energy. One last function of the line tuner is to provide matching of impedance between the carrier
coaxial cable, usually 50 to 75 ohms, and the power line which will have an impedance of 150 to
500 ohms.
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The output of oscillator is fed to amplifier so that loses in transmission can be compensated.
Losses occurring in carrier current is termed as attenuation of carrier signal.
They are mainly: Losses in coupling equipment which are constant losses for a given carrier
frequency bandwidth.
Line losses vary with length line, size of line, weather condition etcThese losses for
underground line is more than overhead line.
Frequency spacing is a process using different carrier frequency in two adjacent transmission
lines. Wave trap/Line trap help in accomplishing this.
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Coupling unit and PLCC equipment are earthed through a separate and dedicated system, so
that ground potential rise of station earthing system does not affect the reference voltage
level/Power supply common ground of the PLCC equipment.
In this regard that is earthing of PLCC and other communication/Instrumentation/Electronic
equipment please refer to NEC Article 645 for data centers (IT equipment.)
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Transposition may introduce additional attenuation which can generally not be predicted with
simple rules. Most transposition schemes result in high attenuation poles at certain frequencies
such frequencies cannot be used for PLC communications.
Forbidden Frequency Ranges may be determined as explained in CIGRE Paper 35-02, Senn/Morf
Optimum PLC Arrangement on Transposed Single Circuit power Lines (August, 1984)
In critical cases, however, computer calculation may be necessary, for which the following
data is required:
1. Height of each conductor above ground (at the towers)
2. Sag of conductors (between towers)
3. Horizontal distance (between conductors)
4. Number of conductors per phase (single or if bundle spacing)
5. Outer diameter of conductors, material of conductors
6. Number of strands at the circumference (outer strands)
7. Diameter of strands
8. Same information (a) to (g) for ground wires
9. Total length of transmission line
10. Sketch of phasing arrangement showing type and number of transpositions and distance
between transpositions (if double system, each scheme required separately)
11. Earth resistivity in Ohm meters, if not known, state whether around 300 or 1000 or 3000
communication separately.
12. Coupling arrangement (phase to ground of phase to phase)
13. Available carrier frequency range
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aadd = additional loss caused by discontinuities e.g. coupling circuits, transposition etc. in dB
a1 is a constant which depends upon
f = frequency in KHz
d = conductor diameter in mm
n = No. of bundles
Line configuration = No of transposition at equal intervals
Upon substituting corresponding values with certain approximation we get a1:
a1 = 0.029 dB/Km
Line attenuation, aL = 0.029 x 295 + 2 x 0 + 10 = 8.55 + 10 = 18.55 dB
Coupling Loss = Loss in Coupling equipment + tapping loss + paralleling loss + by pass
losses in case of bypasses + cable loss.
= 2 + 2.6 + 1 + 0 + 0.5
= 6.1 dB
Overall loss = Line attenuation + Coupling loss = 18.55 + 6.1 = 24.65 dB
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