Distributed Automation System Based Remote Monitoring of Power Quality Disturbance on LV Network

Electrical distribution networks are prone to power quality disturbances originating from the complexity of the distribution network, mode of distribution (overhead or underground) and types of loads used by customers. Data on the types of disturbances present and frequency of occurrence is needed for economic evaluation and hence finding solution to the problem. Utility companies have resorted to using secondary power quality devices such as smart meters to help gather the required data. Even though this approach is easier to adopt, data gathered from these devices may not serve the required purpose, since the installation of these devices in the electrical network usually does not conform to available PQM placement methods. This paper presents a design of a PQM that is capable of integrating into an existing DAS infrastructure to take advantage of available placement methodologies. The monitoring component of the design is implemented and installed to monitor an existing LV network. Data from the monitor is analyzed and presented. A portion of the LV network of the Electricity Company of Ghana is modeled in MATLAB-Simulink and analyzed under various earth fault conditions. The results presented show the ability of the PQM to detect and analyze PQ disturbance such as voltage sag and overvoltage. By adopting a placement methodology and installing these nodes, utilities are assured of accurate and reliable information with respect to the quality of power delivered to consumers

Radio Coverage Analysis of Anchor Nodes for the Localization and Monitoring of Smart Energy Meters (SEM)

This paper evaluates the radio coverage of anchor nodes and reliability in an anchor-based wireless sensor network platform used in locating and monitoring smart energy meters. Knowledge of the location of smart energy meters is critical for network functionalities such as monitoring, billing and energy budget planning. One efficient technique of determining the location of field monitoring and measuring devices such as smart energy meters is the anchor-based localization. Anchor-based localization is a technique in which the unknown node’s location is determined with reference to a location aware node. Anchor-based localization techniques require anchor nodes having good radio coverage to the unknown nodes. The error associated with localization is high when anchor nodes are not optimally accessed by unknown nodes in the network. This paper performed a radio coverage analysis and evaluated the reliability of anchor nodes within a network perimeter for the localization and monitoring of smart energy meters. An outage probability was used to verify reliability of the network for the localization and monitoring of the smart energy meters. Our result show that for a 100by100 meter perimeter, four anchor nodes will provide good reliability of radio coverage for the localization and monitoring of smart energy meters