IED Communication Analysis for Process Control Overload Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large process control systems, especially Substation Automation systems with multiple Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), diagnosing communication overload issues and identifying the source of excessive message rates is challenging due to hardware faults or configuration inconsistencies, which can lead to network overload and processing failures, and existing diagnostic tools lack the ability to provide context to extracted data.
Innovation Solution
A protocol analyser tool intercepts messages in the communication network, maps them to a standardized configuration representation, and statistically analyses message rates to identify server IEDs sending excessive messages, allowing for immediate identification and remediation of configuration errors or hardware faults, thereby reducing commissioning and testing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a protocol analyser tool intercepts and captures messages in the communication network, then the ability to diagnose communication overload issues is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol analyser tool acts as an intermediary device connected to the communication network, intercepting and capturing messages between IEDs. It compares captured message rates against expected rates from the SCD file to identify discrepancies, thereby diagnosing communication overload issues without requiring direct modification of the IEDs themselves.
2Productivity
If the protocol analyser statistically analyses message rates to identify excessive sending rates, then the productivity of commissioning and testing is improved, but the loss of time for data collection and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing and storing message rate data during normal operation before commissioning or testing begins. The protocol analyser continuously monitors and records message rates from the communication network, so when commissioning or testing starts, the analysis is already based on pre-collected data, reducing the time required during critical phases.
3Reliability
If the protocol analyser compares present message rates against expected message rates from SCD file, then the reliability of identifying configuration errors is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol analyser implements feedback by continuously comparing the present message rates captured from the communication network against the expected message rates defined in the SCD file. When discrepancies are detected, the system provides feedback information about which IEDs are sending excessive messages, enabling reliable identification of configuration errors or hardware faults.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention is concerned with Process Control systems including a client IED and a plurality of server IEDs connected to an Ethernet communication network. A protocol analyser tool connected to the communication network captures messages directed to the client IED and assigns, from a standardized configuration representation of the PC system comprising the logical data flow definitions, a server or source IED to each captured message. A client IED independent way of diagnosing a cause of client overload problems is provided by analysing statistically the captured messages. Such statistical approach allows identifying any operating server or source IED sending, on average, more messages than during a preceding period or more messages than calculated.