Fieldbus & Industrial Networking


Ethernet resolves substation dilemmas

March 2008 Fieldbus & Industrial Networking

Moxa has introduced a range of industrial device networking products to enable seamless integrated communications for power substation automation. To stand up to the tough and high-voltage substation environments, Moxa's utility-specific solutions adhere to three design requirements: interoperability, EMI immunity, and high network reliability. These include IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 compliant Ethernet switches, IEC 61850 protocol conversion gateways, and secure terminal servers for connecting any device to the network.

Ethernet switches

Utilities are beginning to replace many legacy and expensive proprietary technologies with the flexibility and cost effectiveness of Ethernet for mission-critical substation LANs. Since substation environments tend to be extremely varied, making Ethernet networks reliable and rugged is essential to achieve higher reliability, availability, and uptime of substation communications. The PowerTrans series of IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 compliant Ethernet switches provide the highest levels of reliability and availability for substation communications, offering superior EMI/RFI shielding, -40° to 85°C operating range, long-haul fibre-optic support, and redundant media and power for tough substation conditions. Maximum flexibility is achieved by a rugged, modular rack mount design supporting high fibre-optic and gigabit port densities, suitable for retrofitting or building new substation networks.

Embedded computers

Moxa's embedded computers have a fan-less cooling design, a wide operating temperature range, and rugged, industrial features to satisfy the harsh requirements of the power utility market. Moxa's Protocol Converter (MPC) software is available to help manage complex protocol communications, greatly simplifying software development and system integration. The DA-662, an IEC 61850 protocol gateway, can help establish a platform that standardises all aspects of communication protocols in a substation.

Serial to Ethernet communications

Many devices in power substations use a serial interface to communicate with remote scada systems. There is a huge investment involved with substation communication systems and migrating from serial to Ethernet is a real problem for power utilities. Moxa's terminal servers help connect serial devices directly to Ethernet, making them an excellent answer to current trends and evolving requirements. The NPort 6000 series supports redundant fibre-optic LAN connections, for a high degree of network reliability and superior shielding effectiveness.

For more information contact RJ Programmable Techniques, +27 (0)11 781 0777, [email protected], www.rjprogtech.co.za



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