AMI,PMU,IED
PMU
• A Phasor Measurement Unit, also called a PMU or a
synchrophasor
• A Tool used on electric systems to improve operators’ visibility
into what is happening throughout the vast grid network.
• A PMU is a device that measures a quantity called a phasor. A
phasor tells the magnitude and phase angle for the AC voltage
or current at a specific location on a power line. This information
can also be used to determine frequency and is useful for
identifying and analyzing system conditions
• PMUs provide up to 60 measurements per second, which is much more
than the typical one measurement every 2 to 4 seconds provided by
conventional SCADA systems.
• PMUs have a big advantage over traditional means of collecting data
because all PMU data is time-stamped using Global Positioning System
(GPS) data. This means that data collected across a grid is all synchronized
by using the same exact method of associating time with data.
• For this reason, PMUs are sometimes called synchrophasors .
The following illustrates information provided by two PMUs on opposite sides of a transmission line:
• PMUs provide a detailed and accurate view of power quality across a wide
geographic grid.
• The data collected tells the system operator if the voltage, current, and
frequency is staying within specified tolerances. The capability is used in
multiple ways:
• To improve the accuracy of modeling system conditions
• To predict and detect stress and instability on the grid
• To provide information for event analysis after a disturbance has occurred
• To identify inefficiencies
• To predict and manage line congestion
PMU -Advantages
In recent years, tens of thousands of PMUs have been installed in transmission grids
throughout the world. In some cases they are also used in distribution grids. Coupled
with smart controllers, PMU offer the opportunity to replace typical hands-on
adjustments required by SCADA systems with a system that makes decisions and
sends control signals autonomously.
Such capabilities promise to allow for more robust and efficient integration of
renewables, distributed energy resources (DERs), and microgrids. PMUs are
becoming a key tool in making our grid more reliable, resilient, and ultimate cleaner
In IED — Intelligent Electronic Device
IED — Intelligent Electronic Device
• In the power sector, intelligent electronic devices (IED)
are microprocessor-based power system equipment,
such as circuit breakers, transformers and capacitor
banks, providing control and automation functions.
• IEDs receive and process data from sensors and
other equipment to issue control commands or adjust
tap poisitions in order to prevent failures and maintain
the desired voltage level.
In IED — Intelligent Electronic Device
IED — Intelligent Electronic Device
Common types of IEDs include protective relays, circuit breaker, capacitor bank switches,
recloser controllers and voltage regulators.
• Most IEDs carry communication ports and standard communication protocol technology
(e.g. DNP3, IEC 104 or IEC 61850) to communicate directly with SCADA systems or RTUs.
• The term is often also used as a synonym for modern protection relays, which use a
microprocessor to perform several protective, control and related functions.
• Modern IEDs are also designed to support the IEC 61850 standard for substation
automation, which provides full interoperability and enables advanced protection and
communication functions.
• With increasing intelligence, IEDs are used as a new alternative to, or a complement
to traditionally used remote terminal units (RTUs).
