WIDE AREA MONITORING

SYSTEMS(WAMS) – I & II
DR PREMALATA JENA
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

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 Wide Area Monitoring (WAMS)
It’s a collective technology to monitor power system
dynamics in real time, identify system stability
related weakness and helps to design and implement
counter measures.(IEEE)
Wide Area Monitoring System uses a global
positioning system(GPS) satellite signal to time-
synchronize from phasor measurement units
(PMUs) at important nodes in the power system,
sends real-time phasor (angle and magnitude) data
to a Control Centre.

GPS satellite
The acquired phasor data provide dynamic
information on power systems, which help
operators to initiate corrective actions to enhance
the power system reliability.
PMU
PMU
PMU

PMU
Goal & Benefits
Real time monitoring
Post-disturbance analysis
Adaptive protection
Power system restoration

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 Goal
 To provide operators with real
time knowledge of system
conditions
 To reconstruct the sequence of
events after disturbance has
occurred
Benefits of using PMU
 Improve calculation for real
time path flow and optimal
dispatch
 Provide actual limits of the
system instead of the
conservative ones from
offline calculations
 Easier to understand sequence of
events when using synchronized data
from PMU
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 Goal Benefits of using PMU
 Adapt protection to be appropriate  Improved backup protection
with system condition  Adaptive protection setting
to avoid cascading outage

 System operator have more confidence during

restoration
 Assist system operator during
 Reduce chance of recurrence of system outage
restoration with data from
 Reduce time needed for a system restoration
PMU

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Wide Area Monitoring (WAMS) vs SCADA vs.
SCADA Comparison

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 Components of WAMS
•Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

• Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC)

• Global Positioning System (GPS for Time

Synchronization of the phasors)

•Communication channel (Preferably optical fiber cable)

•Visualization and analysis tools

•Wide area situational awareness system

•Wide area protection and control

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 WAMS Processes

• WAMS process includes three

different interconnected sub-
processes :
• data acquisition
• data transmitting
• data processing.

• Measurement systems and

communication systems together
with energy management systems
perform these sub-processes,
respectively. Fig.1 : WAMS Processes
 Data resources of WAMS
Data Resources

Operational Data Non-operational Data

• Continuous stream of data.
• measurements of voltages, currents,
phasors and breaker statuses measured
by intelligent devices.
• Ex: Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) and Synchronized
Phasor Measurement System (SPMS).
• Periodically polled at a specified time
interval.
• Consists of records of multiple events e.g.
series of faults, power fluctuations,
disturbances and lightning strikes.
• Ex: Digital Fault Recorder (DFR), Digital
Protective Relay (DPR) and Circuit Breaker
Monitor (CBM).

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 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System
• These systems have the ability of measuring currents and voltages, and calculating
the angle between them. This ability has been made possible by the availability of
Global Positioning System (GPS) and the sampled data processing techniques.

• In order to synchronize measured angles, SPMS uses time received from GPS as its
sampling clock. In addition to measuring angles of voltages and currents, these
systems can also measure local frequency and rates of frequency changes, and
may be customized to measure harmonics, negative and zero sequence quantities.

• A SPMS consists of three main parts:

o Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)
o Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC)
o Communication system.
 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System

Source: Synchronized Phasor Measurements and Their Applications ; A.G. Phadke, J.S. Thorp
 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System

Source: Daniel Karlsson, Morten Hemmingsson, and Sture Lindahl, “Wide area monitoring system and control”, IEEE power and magazine, September 2004.

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 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System
Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

• The Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) is a microprocessor based device

that uses the ability of digital signal processors in order to measure
50/60Hz AC waveforms (voltages and currents) at a typical rate of 48
samples per cycle (2400/2880 samples per second).

• PMU uses digital signal processing techniques to calculate the voltage and
current phasors.

• The measured phasors are tagged by GPS time stamps and are transmitted
to a PDC at the rates 30-60 samples per second.

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 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System
Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC)
• The main functions of a PDC are: to gather data from several PMUs, to
reject bad data, to align the time stamps, and to create a coherent record
of simultaneously recorded data.

• Communication links are bidirectional. Most of the data flow is upward in

the hierarchy, although there are some tasks which require communication
capability in the reverse direction.

• Usually these are commands for configuring the downstream components,

requesting data in a particular form, etc.
 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System

• The PMU can remotely communicate with several clients via TCP
(Transmission Control Protocol) /IP (Internet Protocol) and UDP (User
Datagram Protocol).

• To ensure that measurements are made and communicated in a

consistent manner, the IEEE Standard for Synchrophasors for Power
Systems (1344–1995) or PC37.118 is used.

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 Synchronized Phasor Measurement System
Communicate between PDC with PMU • The PDC sends a request for a Configuration
Frame to the PMU. When the PMU has received
the request from the PDC it will send
Configuration Frame to the PDC.
• The PDC checks the Configuration Frame then
sends the start command to the PMU. The PMU
then sends the Data Frame until it receives the
stop command from the PDC.

• Data Frame format

Time stamp, Frame Type, Phasor, Analogs, Digitals
• Configuration Frame format
Time stamp, Frame Type, Phasor Types and Names,
Analog Types and Names, Digital Types and Names

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 WAMS applications
• WAMS applications process the raw data measured by data resources and extract
usable information for system operator, consumers and customers.
WAMS
application

• service restoration
Generation Transmission Distribution • Bus voltage control
• line drop compensation
• automatic reclosing
• State estimation Substation
• Generator
operation • Load flow automation • automate feeder switching
status • optimal power flow • Feeder voltages control
monitoring • load forecast Feeder • Feeder active/reactive
• transient • economical dispatch automation powers control
angle • Advanced Metering
stability Consumer side
Infrastructure
automation • Automatic Meter Reading

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WAMS applications

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WAMS Application Example: Phase Angle Monitoring

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 WAMS Application Example: Voltage Stability Monitoring

Normal Operation
Early warning
Emergency alarm

Benefit:
Early warning against voltage collapses, Immediate
stop of cascading effects, and Protection against
uprising voltage instabilities.
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WAMS Application Example: Power Oscillation Monitoring

System Status:
Normal, Warning and Alarm

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 Digital Fault Recorder (DFR)
• The Digital Fault Recorder (DFR)
acts as the black box of a
substation. It records highly
accurate waveforms related to
faults.

• The recorded data are huge

amount of analog and status data
for pre-fault, fault and post-fault
conditions.

• The sample rate of the DFR is

normally very high and assumed to be
64 to 356 samples per cycle. Fig.2 : Digital Fault Recorder Analysis Software Modules

• The DFR data is normally formed in

COMTRADE format.
 Digital Fault Recorder (DFR)
Operation
• identifies the one with the most significant disturbance.

• DFRA performs signal processing to identify pre- and post fault analogue values,
statuses of the digital channels corresponding to relay trip, breaker auxiliary
contacts, relay communication signals, etc.

• The expert system determines fault type, faulted phases, and checks and
evaluates system protection performance. At the end, the analysis program
calculates the fault location.

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 Digital Protective Relay (DPR)
• designed to isolate the area of faults and reduce
the impacts of the faults from other parts of the
system.

• Digital protective relays are capable of measuring

and recording analog and status data, as well as
communicating with a centralized location.

• They collect current and voltage signals from

instrument transformers and digitize them.

• To speed up A/D conversion, lower sampling

rates are normally applied. This implies that data
obtained from DPRs are generally less accurate
than from the other data resources. Fig. 3: Digital Protective Relay Analysis Software Modules
 Circuit Breaker Monitor (CBM)
• The Circuit Breaker Monitor (CBM) is
an electronic device that monitors
circuit breakers.

• The CBM captures detailed information

about each CB operation in real time;
either the operation is initiated
manually by the operator or it is
initiated automatically by the
protection and control equipments.

• The CBM data is also formed in

COMTRADE format.

Fig.4: Circuit Breaker Monitor Analysis Software Modules

 Phasor measurement Unit
Phasor difference
1 2

V1 V2

2
2

1
1
0

0
-1

-1
-2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
-2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

2 1

1 0

0
-1

-1
-2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
-2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
PMU connection
 PMU scenario in INDIA [7]
• At the National level one central PDC is installed at National Load
Despatch Centre (NLDC), Delhi. This Central PDC is integrated with the
PDCs installed at five regional control centers.

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 PMU scenario in INDIA [7]
• There are Fifty seven PMUs
installed by RLDCs / NLDC under
different Pilot Projects, and three
more PMUs are installed by IPPs
(Independent Power Producers).

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PMU scenario in Eastern Region

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PMU scenario in North-East Region

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PMU scenario in Northern Region

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PMU scenario in Southern Region

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PMU scenario in Western Region

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 Synchronized Measurements

Location 2

Location 1

Phase angular difference between the two can be

determined if the two local clocks are synchronized.
Synchronizing pulses obtained from GPS satellites.

1 milli-sec in 50 Hz corresponds to 3600/20 =180

1micro-sec corresponds to =0.0180
Synchrophasor Angle
 Coordinated Universal Time
• Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), is the
primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks
and time. It is, within about 1 second, mean solar time at 0°
longitude
 Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver-clocks

24 satellites on six orbits, at a height of 10898 miles
Each satellite covers 42% of the globe
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 Sampling at 1ms
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

Current(A)0
-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1

Time(s)
 Sampling rate 0.02/8 s
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

Current(A)0
-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1

Time(s)
 Sampling rate 0.02/64 s
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

Current(A)0
-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035

Time(s)
 aliasing
1
Sampling
0.8
at 0.01 s
0.6

0.4

0.2

Current(A)0
-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

Time(s)
 aliasing 5th harmonic
1.5
Sampling
at 0.02/8 s
1

0.5

Current(A)0 High frequency

component can
-0.5 appear to belong
to fundamental
-1
frequency.
-1.5
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

Time(s)
 Anti Aliasing Filter (AAF)

AC voltage signal with 660 Hz frequency component

Samples of 660 Hz signal sampled at 600 Hz/ sec

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 Anti Aliasing Filter (AAF)
Aliasing Effect
• The sampling frequency is not chosen arbitrarily. It is selected based on
sampling theorem. According to this theorem, the sampling frequency
must be greater than twice the highest frequency to be sampled.

• If this rule is not followed then the unique digital representation of the
original continuous wave forms is lost and an effect called aliasing occurs.

• The effect of aliasing is that two different continuous wave forms, when
sampled, can appear as the same digital representation.

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 Anti Aliasing Filter (AAF)
Sampling theorem

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 Anti-aliasing filter
• Low pass filters-for a specific sampling rate
• RC-filters
gain

fc
frequency
Filter response
RC FILTER
 Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
• Converts a signal from analog (continuous) to digital (discrete) form.

• Digital form of datas are needed for microprocessor operation.

• Digital signals are less prone to be affected by external noise.

Analog Signal Digital Form

Sample and Quantization
Hold(S/H) and Encoding

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 Different A-D conversion
Alternative A/D Converter Designs

DESIGN SPEED RESOLUTION NOISE IMMUNITY COST

Successive approximation Medium 10-16 bits Poor Low

Integrating Slow 12-18 bits Good Low

Flash/parallel Fast 4-8 bits None High

 The GPS-satellite
 Signals from satellites are transmitted at two
frequencies 1227.6 and 1575.42 MHz.

 The GPS - atomic clock

 Messages from GPS satellites- contain-

location of satellite and time.

 These are arranged in six orbital planes

displaced from each other by 60° and having
an inclination of about 55° with respect to
the equatorial plane.
Representation of the GPS satellite disposition.
There are four satellites in each of the six orbits,
which orbit around the earth with a period of half a
day. [A.G.Phadke, J.S.Thorp]

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 The GPS-satellite

• The most common use of the GPS system is in determining the coordinates of the
receiver, although for the PMUs the signal which is most important is the one pulse
per- second.

• This pulse as received by any receiver on earth is coincident with all other received
pulses to within 1 microsecond.

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 Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)
• The sampling clock is phase-locked with the
GPS clock pulse.

• Sampling rates have been going up steadily

over the years – starting with a rate of 12
samples per cycle of the nominal power
frequency in the first PMUs to as high as 96
or 128 samples per cycle in more modern
devices, as faster analog-to-digital
converters and microprocessors have
become commonplace.

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 PMU provides?

• They provide positive sequence voltage and current

measurements synchronized to within a microsecond.

• Also measure local frequency and rate of change of frequency.

• May be customized to measure harmonics, negative and zero

sequence quantities, as well as individual phase voltages and
currents.
 Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

GPS Time Receiver

Time, sync
50 Hz
component

DFT Frequency
& Rate-of-
Symmetrical Change of
Frequency
DFT Component Algorithm
Voltage 
Frequency,
Transformation Positive dFreq/dt
Current Sequence
Phasors
Power DFT
Time synchronized sampling
Real Time
System of three phase waveform. Data Output
Trigger
Disturbance and flags
transient detectors,
data table storage

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 Technique behind PMU
Samples are used to calculate the fundamental frequency component – phasor
magnitude and phasor angle.

N
2
X 
N
 k
x
k 1
e  j 2 k / N

X = phasor, N = total number of samples, xk= waveform sample

1
The positive sequence phasor is then calculated as: X1  ( X a  aX b  a 2 X c )
3
j 2
Where, ae 3
 Synchrophasor Reporting rates

System 50 Hz 60 HZ
frequency
Reporting rate 10 25 50 10 12 15 20 30 60

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 File structure of ‘Synchrophasor’ standard
File Description
• COMTRADE data format.
Header File • Human readable.
• Information which the producer of data may
• Synchrophasor standard wish to share with the user.
defines four file types for
Configuration • Machine readable.
data transmission to and • Provides information about the
File
from PMUs. interpretation of the data contained in the
data files.
Data File • Machine readable.
• Measured datas such as phasors, frequency
etc.
Command • for communicating with the PMUs from a
File higher level of the hierarchy – such as a PDC.

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 File structure of ‘Synchrophasor’ standard
• first word of 2 bytes is for
synchronization of the data transfer.
• second word defines the size of the
total record.
• third word identifies the data
originator uniquely. Fig: Format for files transmitted from and to PMUs
• next two words provide the “second of century” (SOC) and the “fraction of a second”
(FRACSEC) at which the data is being reported.

• The last word is the check sum to help determine any errors in data transmission

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A PMU Kit

Price- $ 16000>

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Thank You

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