Premium Power Quality Services
Peer-to-Peer intelligence utilizes intelligence distributed across Cooper Power Systems IEDs such as the Form 6 control. A proprietary peer-to-peer communications protocol called PeerComm is used to reconfigure feeders very quickly, within cycles when using fiber communications.
This solution can be deployed on overhead feeders as well as underground feeders. Peer-to-Peer automation schemes are designed to be used in smaller loops serving critical customer centers such as commercial and industrial parks to be served from multiple sources. High speed operation isolates the fault with minimal or no impact on customers. The reclosers utilized for the automation are arranged in a logical loop called the “Virtual Local Area Network” or VLAN.
The controls can be connected using serial or Ethernet communications to allow reconfiguration in cycles.
Features of the peer-to-peer solutions are:
- Designed to utilize Cooper Power Systems Idea relay controls. This ensures the speed of the solution.
- SCADA reporting/control. One option for reporting status of the switches to SCADA, is to configure all controls to use Ethernet communications and provide connectivity through a SMP automation processor and an Ethernet switch. It is possible to disable the automation scheme through SCADA using this configuration.
- Fail safe mode. If any of the controls drop out of normal state or if they lose communications or if SCADA disables PeerComm, the entire VLAN automation scheme becomes disabled and the reclosers return to their preset protection settings. Additionally, if any lineman enables the “Hot Line Tag” functionality in the field, all reclosers in the VLAN have the automation schemes disabled.
- Custom schemes. Decentralized automation is a custom application designed for specific system configurations. As a result many custom features can be added as required such as:
- Automation disable on under or over frequency
- Automation disable based on system loading conditions
Since very high speed communications are used, peer-to-peer intelligence based automation can be used to protect closed loop systems. As an overhead example, Cooper Power Systems has provided a closed loop protection system to WE Energies for a premium power park as well as an underground closed loop protection system to BC Hydro for a commercial location (shopping mall).
