Smart Grid: Communication-Enabled Intelligence for the Electric Power Grid

13

Synchrophasor Applications

Those who say it cannot be done should not interfere with those of us who are doing it.

— S. Hickman

13.1 Introduction

This is the third chapter of Part Three on embedded and distributed intelligence for a smarter grid. In this chapter, the focus is on synchrophasors, their potential application within the power grid, and their interaction with communication. While phasors were introduced earlier, we begin by explaining precisely what synchrophasors are and how they can be used with an emphasis on communication. This includes a discussion of compression of synchrophasors. There is much anticipation in some quarters about the impending widespread use of synchrophasors, including new applications that may require their use in, or near, real time. For such applications, fast and efficient transport is a sine quo non. Phasor measurement units are where initial measurements are taken and synchrophasors are constructed, so there is a brief explanation of these devices. Once constructed, synchrophasors must be transmitted to the applications that will utilize them. Synchrophasor applications are numerous, and distance, frequency, delay tolerance, and number and rate of synchrophasors required may vary considerably from one application to another. This section reviews such communication networking considerations. In order for there to be widespread use of synchrophasor applications, synchrophasors must be transported in a standard manner. Thus, synchrophasor ...