UTINNOVATION

IED Selection

Knowledge . Empowering . You

4 Day IEC 61850 Training Course

on System Integration

Considerations for IED selection

•  Specifying more than functional requirements limits the
system but improves interoperability

•  How well does any one IED fit the specific requirements?

•  Functional integration allowed / required based on RAM

requirements?

•  IED selection allows for period contracts and possible

improved commercial conditions

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 1
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Approach
1.  Create formal specification based on SCL (SSD)
2.  In the specification create virtual IEDs that contain the
functionality required, taking into account RAM and
application / substation specific requirements
3.  Create ICD files of the virtual IEDs
4.  Request ICD files from manufacturers based on the
SSD and the ICD of the virtual IEDs
5.  Overlay the ICD of the virtual IEDs on the ICD of the real
IEDs
6.  Select the real IEDs
7.  Verify that the real IEDs meet all the requirements
8.  Integrate the selected IEDs in the SSD

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SSD File

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 2
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IED’s, Logical Devices and Logical Nodes

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Virtual IEDs based on SSD

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 3
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Adding LD’s and LN’s to the virtual IED’s

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Adding LD’s and LN’s to the virtual IED’s

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 4
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Adding LD’s and LN’s to the virtual IED’s

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Virtual IEDs – DO

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 5
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Virtual IEDs – DA

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Virtual IEDs – Basic Types

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 6
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Virtual IEDs – Enums

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IED selection in practice

•  IED selection is a trade off between the wanted (ideal)
functionality and the functionality actually available in the
IED

•  Unless the virtual IED definition is based on a real ICD a

match is difficult to obtain

•  Functionality is not the only driver for the selection of a

product

•  However, if you do not specify what you want you will

most likely not get what you want

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 7
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Conclusions
•  Creation of virtual IEDs helps to identify the requirements
for functional integration and RAM

•  Ideal world does not exist so IED selection is always a

trade off

•  When selecting IEDs integrate their corresponding ICDs

into the SSD

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Questions

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IED Selection
IEC 61850 System Integration 8