Substation Brick I/O Architecture for Wiring Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power substation architectures require extensive copper wiring for interconnecting protection and control equipment with primary equipment, leading to high costs and complexity, and existing solutions like IEC 61850 fail to adequately address these issues.

Innovation Solution

A new power substation architecture that locates 'bricks' directly in the switchyard, connected to primary equipment via fiber-optic patch panels, eliminating the need for extra devices and external time synchronization, and enabling internal time synchronization and redundant field devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If conventional IEDs are separated from primary equipment in the switchyard, then protection and control functions can be centralized, but extensive copper wiring is required to interconnect them

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol wiring complexityVSAvoidcopper wire terminations

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the I/O interface functions from centralized control equipment and places them directly at the primary equipment locations as integrated circuit boards. This eliminates the need for extensive copper wiring by removing the intermediate connection infrastructure, while maintaining centralized control capabilities through digital communication networks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces fiber-optic communication networks as intermediaries between primary equipment and control systems, replacing direct copper wiring connections. This mediator enables data transmission without requiring physical electrical connections, thereby eliminating millions of copper wire terminations while maintaining system connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If extensive copper wiring is used to interconnect primary equipment with protection and control equipment, then reliable data transmission is achieved, but installation and maintenance costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical copper wiring system with an optical communication system. Fiber-optic cables and integrated circuit boards substitute for extensive copper wiring, maintaining reliable data transmission through optical signals while dramatically reducing installation complexity and maintenance costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If IEDs are located in a separate control house, then equipment can be protected from switchyard environmental conditions, but miles of copper wiring are needed for interconnection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental protectionVSAvoidcontrol wiring length

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the I/O interface functions from centralized control equipment and distributes them to individual primary equipment locations. Each primary equipment unit has its own integrated circuit board that performs local signal processing, eliminating the need for long copper wiring runs while maintaining environmental separation between switchyard equipment and control personnel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If conventional architecture with separate control equipment is used, then system redundancy can be implemented, but the cost and complexity of wiring increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem redundancyVSAvoidwiring complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates universal integrated circuit boards that can be implemented at multiple primary equipment locations with identical functionality. Each board serves multiple purposes: local signal processing, digital communication interface, and redundancy coordination. This multi-functionality enables system redundancy without requiring separate wiring infrastructure for each redundant component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7693607B2Protection and control system for electric power networks with signal and command interfaces at the primary equipment

Publication Date: 2010.04.06 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A system for protection, control, metering, and monitoring of the delivery of electrical power is disclosed. Embodiments of the system provide input/output devices called bricks to receive analog and binary field data from primary equipment located in a power substation switchyard. The bricks are linked via fiber-optic patch cables and patch panels with one or more intelligent electronic devices (“IEDs”). In operation, the bricks convert the received binary and/or analog field data into digital signals, and transmit the digital signals synchronously to their associated IEDs using clock signals provided by each IED to the individual bricks. The bricks may accept a computer software code download from each of its master IED(s). Multiple code implementations, each tailored to the requirements of its master IED(s) can therefore co-exist on a single brick.