Phasor Measurement Unit

VCL Products > VCL-PMU-30, Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)
Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

What is a “Synchrophasor”?
A phasor is a complex numerical waveform representing a sinusoidal function whose amplitude, frequency, and phase are time invariant (time-dependent system function), and these phasor measurements, when accurately time-stamped using GPS universal time, are called “synchrophasors”.

VCL-PMU-30, Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)
IEEE C37.118 Synchrophasor

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VCL-PMU-30 is a modular Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) that is designed to provide measured synchrophasor values in accordance with the IEEE C37.118.1-2011, IEEE C37.118.2-2011, C37.118.1a-2014 & IEC/IEEE 60255-118-1:2018 synchrophasor standards. With ever-increasing power demand, the power grid requires efficient and reliable technologies to monitor voltage, frequency, phase angle, and shifts in the power transmission network in real time to detect grid imbalances, which can result in catastrophic grid failure and blackouts. The VCL-PMU-30, which uses synchrophasor technology, may be used to provide precise data in real-time for steady-state and dynamic-state conditions for both M class and P class at the desired frame rates. VCL-PMU-30 monitors voltage, frequency, phase angle, and shifts in the power transmission network in real time to detect grid imbalances, excessive load zones, and trouble spots, which, if undetected, can result in a grid failure and power blackout. The PMU applications also include its use as a core element in a grid islanding scheme.

Features and Compliance:

  • High precision, 16-bit accuracy on current and voltage inputs
  • Integrated GPS Receiver for Time Synchronization — GPS and GNSS (GPS + GLONASS) options
  • Optional External GPS Receiver for Time Synchronization
  • High-precision clock base <50 ns with internal GPS
  • Best in Class Holdover Accuracy: Better than 9μs / 24-hour accuracy in a 24-hour holdover clock mode in the absence of the loss or unavailability of the GPS signal.
  • Uses EKF (Extended Kalman Filtering) for improved accuracy
  • User-configurable C37.118 message rate—25 frames per second and 50 frames per second, 50 Hz, 60 Hz
  • Time-Stamped Syslog and Event Logging
  • Provides a standardized synchrophasor data format for easy integration with third-party grid management tools.
  • Best-in-class frequency measurement accuracy of 0.001Hz (when locked to internal GPS / GNSS receiver)
  • Total Vector Error (TVE): Less than 0.50% in steady conditions.
  • HMI (Human Machine Interface) / External Laptop provided
  • User-configurable options: station name, phasor name, analog name, and digital name
  • In compliance with IEEE C37.118.1-2011, IEEE C37.118.2-2011, C37.118.1a-2014 & IEC/IEEE 60255-118-1:2018 standards
  • In compliance with both P and M class requirements of IEEE C37.118.1 standard
  • In compliance with Steady State and Dynamic State as per IEEE C37.118 standard
  • Configuration of Frame-2 and Frame-3 supported
  • 3-Phase active and reactive power measurement supported

Benefits:

  • A comprehensive and compact PMU solution that is designed to build an intelligent and effective real-time control system for implementing advanced remedial action and protection schemes.
  • The event recorder provides advanced system knowledge with correlated event reporting and real-time system visualization of the power grid.
  • Provides self-monitoring, diagnostic features, and alarms to PDC Configure multiple data streams independently (contents, sampling rate, TCP/UDP, different destinations with separate IDCODE).
  • Designed for implementing an intelligent grid-monitoring and analytical solution. Provides predictive and proactive configuration tools to monitor the power grid for power angle voltage frequency, power factor, and harmonics to improve the grid's dynamic stability.
  • Adjustable reporting / sampling rates: 25 frames per second and 50 frames per second.
  • Resilient by design. Designed to provide excellent performance in stressed and distributed power systems.

Inputs:

  • Voltage: VA, VB, VC (2 Inputs), 50 Hz, 60 Hz
  • Current: IA, IB, IC (2 Inputs)
  • 6 x Analog Inputs
  • 16 x Digital Inputs. 8 (DPS) / 16 (SPS) Digital Inputs for Breaker Status Monitoring

Communication Interfaces and Communication Protocols:

  • C37.118 Network Communication Ports:
    • Number of ports: 2
    • 1 x Ethernet (electrical) port of 10/100BaseT
    • 1 x Ethernet (Optical) 100Base-FX (SFP)
  • Communication Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP, Multicast, and Unicast.

Measurements:

  • 3-Phase Voltage Phasors
  • 3-Phase Current Phasors
  • Positive sequence voltage
  • Positive sequence current
  • Breaker Status
  • Frequency (attains a 0.001 Hz frequency reading accuracy when VCL-PMU-30 is synchronized with GPS / GNSS) Frequency
  • Rate of Change of Frequency (ROCOF) - df/dt
  • Power Quality Measurements:
    • “Sags” and “Swells”
    • Power Factor
    • Harmonic Measurement - THD and K-factor

Management Interfaces:

  • One x 10/100BaseT Fast Ethernet (RJ45) port for management (OAM) Port monitoring the system performance and alarms.
  • One RS232 serial port and one USB port for local operator access.

Time Synchronization Interfaces:

  • Synchronization Accuracy <50ns (nanoseconds) [i.e. <0.05 microsecond]
  • Stability in the absence of synchronization: better than 1.0 microseconds in 2000 seconds
  • Integrated, high-performance GPS / GNSS (GPS + GLONASS) receiver. GPS / GNSS Antenna
  • External IRIG-B006 (unmodulated) + 1PPS Input
  • External 1 PPS + NMEA Input
  • Synchronization Interfaces: One GPS antenna port, One IRIG-B port, and 1 PPS port. Any one synchronization interface option may be used.
  • Time stability of internal time base: 9 ppb (i.e., <0.009 ppm)

Remote Management, Monitoring, and Security:

  • Password-controlled access with password strength monitor.
  • Telnet / CLI
  • SSH - Secured remote access using “Secure Shell Protocol” over IP links
  • RADIUS, SNMPv2

Power Supply options:

  • 24V DC, 48V DC
  • 110V DC / 125V DC
  • 220V DC / 250V DC

Power Consumption:

  • <30 Watts.

Accuracy Test:

  • As per IEEE C37.118.1-2011, IEEE C37.118.2-2011, C37.118.1a-2014 & IEC/IEEE 60255-118-1:2018 standards

Testing, Regulatory, EMI, EMC Surge, Immunity, and Insulation Test compliances:

  • Electrostatic Discharge test (61000-4-2) Level 3
  • Radiated Electromagnetic Field Test Level 3
  • Damped Oscillatory Magnetic Field Test (61000-4-10) Level 3
  • Power frequency magnetic field (61000-4-8) Level 3
  • DC Voltage Dips & Interruptions I Variation as per IEC 61000-4-29
  • Power frequency voltage withstand test as per IEC 60255-22-5
  • 1.2/50 µs impulse voltage withstand test as per IEC 60255-22-5
  • Insulation Resistance Test as per IEC 60255-22-5
  • Conducted Emission Class A, CISPR 32 / EN55022
  • Radiated Emission (In Chamber) >1 GHz 6 GHz, Class A, CISPR 32 / EN55022
  • Surge Immunity Test Level 3
  • Electrical Fast Transient Burst Test Level 3

Environmental Tests and compliances:

  • Dry heat operation Test - Continuous operation at 55⁰C for 16 hours as per IEC 60068-2-2
  • Dry heat storage Test - at 65⁰C for 16 hours as per IEC 60068-2-2
  • Damp heat Test - at 95% RH and 400°C for 16 hours as per IEC 60068-2-78
  • Cold operation Test - Continuous operation at 0°C for 96 hours as per IEC 60068-2-1
  • Cold storage Test - at -20°C for 24 hours as per IEC 60068-2-1
  • Temperature Variation Test - at 450°C, 10°C/ minute, 5 cycles as per IEC 60068-2-14
  • Vibration Test - Freq. 1-55Hz, Disp. 0.35mm as per IEC 60255-21-1

CE compliance:

  • Immunity as per EN 60255-26
  • Low voltage directive as per EN 60255-27
EN 50081-2 EN 50082-2
CISPR 32 / EN55022 Class A Conducted Emission
CISPR 32 / EN55022 Class A Radiated Emission)
IEC 61000-4-5 / IEC 60255-22-5 IEC 61000-4-4 / IEC 60255-22-4
IEC 61000-4-3 / IEC 60255-22-3 IEC 61000-4-18 / IEC 60255-22-1
IEC 61000-4-2 / IEC 60255-22-2 IEC 61000-4-10
IEC 61000-4-8 IEC 60068-2-3
IEC 60068-2-14

Other Regulatory Compliances:

  • RoHS
  • CE
  • Complies with FCC Part 68 and EMC FCC Part 15