IEC 61850 explained

IEC 61850 is an international standard defining communication protocols for intelligent electronic devices at electrical substations. It is a part of the International Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC) Technical Committee 57 reference architecture for electric power systems.^[1] The abstract data models defined in IEC 61850 can be mapped to a number of protocols. Current mappings in the standard are to Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS), Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) [see section 3, Terms and definitions, term 3.65 on page 14<ref>{{Cite web |title=IEC TS 61850-2:2019 |url=https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/59656 |access-date=10 November 2021 |website=WebStore.IEC.ch }}</ref>], SV (Sampled Values) or SMV (Sampled Measure Values),^[2] and so on to web services. In the previous version of the standard, GOOSE stood for "Generic Object Oriented Substation Event",^{[3] [4]} but this old definition is still very common in IEC 61850 documentation.^[5]

Features

IEC 61850 features include:

1. Data modelling – Primary process objects as well as protection and control functionality in the substation is modelled into different standard logical nodes which can be grouped under different logical devices. There are logical nodes for data/functions related to the logical device (LLN0) and physical device (LPHD).
2. Reporting schemes – There are various reporting schemes (BRCB & URCB) for reporting data from server through a server-client relationship which can be triggered based on pre-defined trigger conditions.
3. Fast transfer of events – Generic Substation Events (GSE) are defined for fast transfer of event data for a peer-to-peer communication mode. This is again subdivided into GOOSE & GSSE.
4. Setting groups – The setting group control Blocks (SGCB) are defined to handle the setting groups so that user can switch to any active group according to the requirement.
5. Sampled data transfer – Schemes are also defined to handle transfer of sampled values using Sampled Value Control blocks (SVCB)
6. Commands – Various command types are also supported by IEC 61850 which include direct & select before operate (SBO) commands with normal and enhanced securities.
7. Data storage – Substation Configuration Language (SCL) is defined for complete storage of configured data of the substation in a specific format.

External links

• Detailed Introduction to IEC 61850
• IEC 61850 Technical Issues website
• UCA International Users Group
• 61850 Users Group
• For R&D Labs and Testing of 61850 devices
• IEC61850: A Protocol with Powerful Potential
• Smart High Voltage Substation Based on IEC 61850 Process Bus and IEEE 1588 Time Synchronization
• Test and evaluation system for multi-protocol sampled value protection schemes by Dr. David M.E. Ingram

Notes and References

1. Web site: IEC 61850:2021 SER . 10 November 2021 . WebStore.IEC.ch .
2. Web site: IEC 61850-9-2:2011+AMD1:2020 CSV . 10 November 2021 . WebStore.IEC.ch .
3. Web site: IEC TS 61850-2:2003 . 10 November 2021 . WebStore.IEC.ch .
4. Web site: IEC 61850-8-1:2011 . 10 November 2021 . WebStore.IEC.ch .
5. Web site: IEC 61850-8-1:2011+AMD1:2020 CSV . 10 November 2021 . WebStore.IEC.ch .