Expanding Commitment to Ensure Reliability and Performance of Electric Transmission and Distribution Systems

LIOS Technology has a rich experience in applying its distributed temperature sensing systems to various industrial applications. Power cable monitoring projects at transmission and distribution levels are an essential part of our business. With more than 10 years of experience and more than 2500 DTS systems in permanent operation world wide LIOS Technology is in a unique position.
EN.SURE is LIOS’ continuous and cost-effective monitoring solution of the electric power transmission and distribution grid and is the key factor for a successful Smart Grid implementation.
Following a global trend also our customers in the USA are expanding their commitment to ensuring the reliability and performance of the transmission and distribution systems they operate. LIOS EN.SURE supports that commitment and is the flexible solution for underground high voltage cables, overhead transmission lines and submarine cables as well as for array cables within on and offshore wind farm installations.
Please find below some examples of recent EN.SURE installations in North America.
 
Utility in the Northwest of the USA, 115kV U/G transmission line

• 1 circuit of 115kV 2,500kcmil (i.e. 1,250mm²) Cu insulated (XLPE) cable of approximately 4km long
• 1  DTS monitoring system (4km, 1 channel, multimode 50/125µm) to monitor <1km at="" cable="" li="" of="" this="" time="">
• Fibre optic sensor cable ( metal free FRNC, 4 multimode fibres ) installed in a separate duct
• Direct DTS data interface with Virtual Machine for temperature data reading
• DTS commissioning in June 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




PowerSouth in Andalusia, AL, USA

• 115kV Wolf Bay Crossing U/G transmission line
• 1 circuit of 115kV 2,500mm² enamelled Cu insulated (XLPE) cable of approximately 2km long
• 1 DTS monitoring system (2km, 6 channel, multimode 50/125µm) to monitor HDD cable route
• Fibre optic sensor cable ( FIMT, stainless steel tube, 2 multimode fibres ) embedded in the power cable sheath  (copper wire shielding, corrugated stainless steel sheath)
• Direct DTS data interface with PowerSouth Virtual Machine for temperature data reading
• DTS commissioning in June 2013

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
Utility in the Northeast of the USA, 230kV U/G transmission line

• 2 circuits of 230kV 3,000kcmil (i.e. 1,500mm²) Cu pipe-type (HPFF) route length approximately 10km long.
• 1 DTS monitoring system (10km, 8 channel, multimode 50/125µm) to monitor ~10km of cable
• Fibre optic sensor cable (HDPE underground, 2 multimode fibres) installed in separate duct with temperature trees (at each end) for ambient temperature readings
• Direct DTS data interface with enhanced visualization and  Real Time Thermal Rating (RTTR) with Energy Management System (EMS) via DNP3 protocol
• DTS/RTTR commissioning in May 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giải pháp công nghiệp về giám trắc nhiệt độ kiểu phân tán - Sản xuất tại Đức

Côngty TNHH Công nghệ LIOS, có trụ sở chính đặt tại Cologne - Đức, dẫn đầu toàn cầu trong lĩnh vực nghiên cứu, phát triển và sản xuất hệ cảm biến nhiệt kiểu phân tán miền quang tần tiên tiến nhất hiện nay. Ngoài việc đầu tư sáng tạo nghiên cứu về công nghiệp cảm biến sợi quang tuyến tính, chúng tôi còn cung cấp các giải pháp quản lý tài sản và phương án giám trắc điều kiện toàn bộ hiện đại theo yêu cầu của các khách hàng doanh nghiệp.


Hệthống cảm biến nhiệt kiểu phân tán (DTS) của Công ty TNHH Công nghệ LIOS, sử dụng sợi quang làm nguyên kiện cảm biến tuyến tính để đo nhiệt độ. Cảm biến nhiệt độ dọc tuyến cáp quang không chỉ bằng cách lấy mỗi điểm số liệu đơn lẻ, mà là ghi chép lại theo kiểu phân tán liên tục.

Distributed Temperature Sensing: Optimum Utilization of Energy Transmission Backbone in Eastern Europe

LIOS Technology successfully provided an integrated thermal monitoring solution for a strategically important interconnection aerial line in Eastern Europe.

The LIOS DTS system was supplied to provide distributed temperature measurement by means of a fibre integrated into a replaced optical phase conductor (OPPC). The picture above shows a straight joint of the OPPC.
The DTS covers the entire 17 km range of the three-core bundle 400kV transmission line. The applied Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) principle ensures a temperature survey even over long distances at the decisive spatial resolution of 1 m.
It provides an invariant spatial resolution along the entire sensor length and a satisfactory temperature resolution of less than 1°C, which ensures early identification and clearly measurement of atypical hotspots (e.g. tower shadows). In addition to the phase conductor temperature, the electrical and metrological data are integral parameters for the established dynamic rating system (RTTR). All data are made online available through the SCADA system of the utility.
The integrated monitoring solution generates:

• Safety - Avoid and respond appropriately to critical load situations
• Optimization  - Utilize the existing grid capacity to an optimum
• Dynamic and Flexibility - With dynamic rating to a flexible energy backbone

Integrated Condition Monitoring for High Voltage Cables: Direct link to SCADA / substation automation

The intrinsic temperature measuring system DTS based on LIOS Technology’s design, with fibre optic sensors either installed within the power cable’s cross section (FIMT - Fibre in metal tube ) or attached to the exterior of the cable, makes it possible to record the temperature profile along an entire cable route continuously, and to pinpoint the exact location of hot spots within a metre.

Most commonly the measured temperature profile data is transmitted via standard interfaces from systems of the DTS as required, and be either displayed or further processed by PC, PLC or SCADA systems. As a result of the increasing demands placed on the ability to network and integrate measuring systems into management systems, LIOS offers network components that summarise DTS data from several DTS units and transport or convert it to the required network standards and protocols like Modbus, DNP3, IEC60870-5 or XML based data interfaces (e.g. POSC).

Equipped with the Embedded Communication Module (ECM) the Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) evaluation unit is accessible by Ethernet/ LAN, holds its own IP address and is compatible with DHCP.
The on-board storage facility of measurement data provides automatic buffering of network break downs. It can handle multiple protocols, so the DTS can be directly linked to PLC or SCADA systems and communicates in various industrial protocol standards providing measured data and customised alarm information.
Hereby, the evaluation unit communicates as a TCP /IP server with several clients.

Features of the embedded communication module of the LIOS DTS controller:

• Configuration and operation of the DTS via two independent channels:
  
  
  • RS232
  • Ethernet TCP/IP
  
  
• Onboard storage of measurement data
  
  
  • Buffers up to 72 hours of measurement data and initiates data transfer automatically after communication link was re-established
  • Individual file access to measurement data through CHARON_02 (onboard data storage 1 GB)
  
  
• Allows to operate individual Plug-In-Interfaces for customer specific protocol solutions
  
  
  • The DTS can communicate in parallel with its proprietary protocol and one or more customer specific protocols like DNP3, IEC60870-5-104, IEC61850, POSC WITSML, Modbus (Master/Slave) etc.
  • Individual assignments for protocols and client addresses (IP) possible
  
  
• Ethernet communication to and from clients with high bandwidth
• Module comes with built-in user configurable Firewall and enables reliable operation even in WAN’s
• Secure data transmission and individual authorisation according TLS- Standard (RFC 2246)

The most common industrial protocols used in electrical systems worldwide are introduced in the following section. However, also other protocol standards are available or can be implemented for the ECM. Please contact us in case of questions.

MODBUS
The MODBUS protocol was published by Modicon in 1979. It is a quite simple single master – multiple slave protocol widely used in general purpose SCADA applications. It provides binary (bit) and 16-bit integer data, but no floating point values, polled by the master, i.e. the slave cannot send data spontaneously. The protocol specification is openly published and royalty-free. In the DTS ECM, TCP/IP is used as transport layer.

IEC 60870-5
IEC 60870-5 provides a communication profile for sending basic Telecontrol messages between systems. It was developed by the IEC Technical Committee 57 (Working Group 03) as a protocol standard for Telecontrol, Teleprotection, and associated telecommunications for electric power systems. The result of this work is IEC 60870-5. The protocol provides inter alia bit, integer and floating point data with or without time stamps. Data is transmitted from controlled stations (slaves) either by polling or spontaneously. In the ECM the IEC 60870-5-104 companion standard, defining standard TCP/IP connections as transport layer, is used.

DNP3
DNP3 (Distributed Networking Protocol) is an open standard managed by the DNP User Group. Initially; the DNP3 protocol was developed by Westronic (now GE-Harris) in 1993. It is widely used in electrical systems worldwide, including North and South America, the UK, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. It has gained wider use beyond electrical utilities, e.g. for water supply as well. The DNP3 protocol is also referenced in IEEE Std. 1379-2000, which recommends a set of best practices for implementing modern SCADA Master-RTU/IED communication links.
The protocol provides bit, integer and floating point data and time stamps. Data is transmitted from the outstation (slave) either by polling or spontaneously. The ECM uses TCP/IP as transport layer, but even in this mode the DNP3 protocol additionally uses its own protocol stack for synchronisation and error checking. This provides extra security.

The ideal sensor embedded in power cables: Fibre In Metal Tube (FIMT)

The optical fibre serves as the distributed temperature sensor for LIOS DTS systems and is typically surrounded by a protective layer. It is preferably encased in a stainless steel tube which significantly increases the mechanical stability of the sensor. Fibre encapsulated in stainless steel tube or short “Fibre In Metal Tube (FIMT)” is a hermetically sealed rugged construction for very long lengths of optical fibres. Furthermore, it is particularly effective in protecting against the hydrostatic pressures, high temperature effects and corrosive environments.
The inside of the FIMT metallic tube may lined with gel to ensure that the sensor cable remains permanently water-proof. This viscous gel protects the fibres from many environmental concerns, prevents damage from microbending conditions and helps to minimize the forces applied during spooling and deployment.
An important parameter to consider with FIMT is the Excess Fibre Length. It is defined by the percentage of excess fibre loaded into the metal tube during processing to relieve induced stresses directly related to the differing thermal coefficient of expansions of each material contained in the construction. FIMT is exposed to drastic and often rapid changes in temperature and pressure, so the Excess Fibre Length must be considered to ensure continuous, robust performance across all operational conditions.
FIMT constructions contain individual or multiple fibres (single mode or multi mode) and are available in sizes ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm outer diameter, variations in effective wall thickness are possible as well. FIMT serves as the core for various fibre optic sensor cable constructions or may be integrated into high voltage cable designs directly.
The FIMT is manufactured from a special stainless steel strip. During the manufacturing process this strip is formed to a tube and welded along its length. The stainless steel tubes must be hermetically sealed for all applications. For this reason the complete weld seam is subjected to a leak proof test by means of eddy current. By means of a drawing process the desired final diameter is attained on the one hand and an increase in strength through cold conversion on the other. During the manufacturing process the optical fibres are inserted into the tube. They are clearly differentiated by means of a specific colour code. At the end of the production process the tubes are subjected to a complete optical attenuation measurement and then documented for back-tracing. Additionally, each length produced is subjected to a weld penetration test, each weld seam undergoes a leak test, and the Excess Fibre Length is checked.
LIOS offers a variety of FIMT constructions perfectly suitable for distributed temperature sensing applications along power cable transmission systems.