PLCC Overview
Power Line Carrier Communication System LT
Power Line (50Hz)
CC
RF carrier (40-500kHz)
PAX
RTU PLCC
TERMINAL
(AB-ETL41)
Transmission line
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PLCC Technology
PLCC system uses the same High Voltage transmission line connecting two
sub-stations for telecommunication purpose too.
PLCC is used in all power utilities as a primary communication service to transmit speech, telemetry and protection tripping commands. This is economic and reliable for inter grid message transfer as well as low bit rate RTU signals.
The voice/data are mixed with radio frequency carrier (40-500kHz), amplified to a level of 10-80W RF power and injected in to high voltage power line using a suitable coupling capacitor. The power line as a rigid long conductor parallel to ground, guides the carrier waves to travel along the transmission line. Point to point communication takes place between two SSB transceivers at both ends.
Line diagram display
Sub-Station
bay-1
To other S/S
Line Isolator
Circuit Breaker
Bus Isolator 1
Bus Isolator 2
Bus Bar #1 Bus Bar #2
Single Line digm
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H.V Line
Line Trap
Coupling
Components
PLCC terminal LMU
Coaxial cable
capacitor
PLCC Terminal = Translates voice and data into High Frequency Carrier. Output Power =10 to 80W LMU = Line Matching Unit = For impedance matching between line and coaxial cable, includes high voltage protection devices like drainage coil(20mH), lightening arrestor(500V) and an earth switch. Coupling Capacitor = Couples high frequency carrier with Power Line ( 4000 to10000pF) Line Trap = Do not allow the transmitted HF carrier to enter inside the sub-station. (L = 0.5 to 2mH) With out Line trap HF carrier get by-passed to some other line on the same bus bar and may leak to ground ( a earth switch inside the yard provided for each bay is kept closed during maintenance)
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Coupling Scheme Behind
Line Trap
Front
To remote substation
Coupling Capacitor
Transformer(s) BusBar
Line Matching Unit
The PLC signal is routed to H.V Line
The PLC signal is not absorbed by the substation
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Coaxial
Local substation
PLC terminal
Line trap function
= PLC signal Blocking
HV Line
Power energy
PLC Signal
Substation
Line Trap = High Impedance for PLC signal Low Impedance for Power energy
Line Trap Components
Corona ring Lifting lug Terminal Main coil Tuning device Pedestal Protective device Tie rod
Line Trap is a parallel LC circuit
Inductance of main Coil
Lightning Arrester
Series resistance
Tuning Capacitor
Damped single
Line Trap
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Line Traps Mounting Options
Vertical Pedestal
Horizontal Pedestal
Suspension
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CVT : CAPACITIVE VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER
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LMU function
LMU = impedance matching Transformer
Line Trap
+ high voltage Protection
To prevent dangerous potential on the PLCC connection To match PLCC set & transmission Line
Coupling
Capacitor s/s LMU PLC
Coaxial
Matching
Protection
LMU
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Modular Coupling Device
ABB make MCD-80
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Elements of Coupling Device
Drain coil for draining of HV leakage currents to earth. Lightning arrester at the line terminals of coupling device for
transients protection
Transformer for impedance matching and galvanic isolation between
line and PLCC terminal.
Earth switch for grounding of line terminals during maintenance. High-pass or band-pass filter elements for efficient matching. connectivity to equipment room through coaxial cable.
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LMU functional blocks
Substation HV -line
Line trap
Coupling capacitor Tx
ABB MCD 80
or
Coax cable
Rx
PLC Cabinet
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HF Coupling modes
LT
LT
Cc
LT
Cc PLC
LMU
Cc
LT
LT
PLC
LMDU
LMU
Phase-to-Ground
PLC
Cc
Cc
LMDU
LMU
Inter circuit
Phase-to-Phase
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Function of PLCC terminal
IF
User Signal
(0 to 4 kHz)
H
AF IF
IF RF
PA
R.F Signal (40 to 500 kHz)
H
User Side
AF
A
RF
AF
IF IF
gain
Line Side
H= hybrid
RF
IF
Translation : User audio signals into radio Spectrum Amplification : To compensate the line attenuation
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PLCC Panel ( type: ABB ETL 41/42)
Cabinet
Modules
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Multiplexing speech & data in 4 kHz raster
Programmable speech bandwidth
Speech 3.4 kHz Speech 3.4 kHz
Speech 2.0 kHz
plus
0.3
3.6
4.0 kHz
tele protection (4 trip commands)
0.3 2.0 3.6 4.0 kHz
plus
Speed
Tele metering (FSK modem)
300 Bd Center frequency 120 Hz steps 1200 Bd 0.3 4.0 kHz
3.6
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ABB PLCC terminal
ETL- 41 System data -- complies to IEC 495
Operating mode : Single side band Suppressed carrier Frequency range: 40 to 500kHz (programmable in 4 kHz Steps) AF Bandwidth: 4 kHz (Speech band=300 3400 Hz) Transmitter RF output power : 40W ( +46 dBm) Spurious suppression > 60 dB
Pilot channel : 3780 + 30 Hz
Receiver RF sensitivity : - 24 dBm Receiver Selectivity : 70dB ( 300Hz from band limit) Receiver Image rejection > 80 dB Receiver IF rejection > 80 dB
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Typical PLCC Installation
LT cc C
LT cc
FA X
ETL
FAX
ETL
PR
PC
MS
PAX
FAX
PR
PC
RTU
FAX
MS = Master station PAX = Private automatic exchange PR = Protection relay PC = Computer M = Modem
PR= Protection relay FAX = Facsimile equipment M = Modem RTU = Remote terminal unit
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Effect of bad weather on PLCC communication
Losses increase for all inclement weather conditions
The worst offender is when heavy frost is formed on the line
Because of the skin effect, the carrier signal tries to propagate on the ice instead of the conductor. The attenuation can change as much as 4:1 depending on the frequency.
The contaminats (on the insulators) have a larger effect when it is raining than when the line is dry. The worst condition is a light rain with the presence of contaminants on the insulators
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RF Noise
RF noise in HV line two mains effects Impulsive Noise = Caused by atmospheric discharges, breakers and isolator close/open operation Corona effect = Due to sequences of pulse streams caused by arcs over conductors. It appears during positive-going half-cycle of the Line voltage (occurrance frequency for a 50Hz 3-phase system is 150 Hz)
The corona noise could be subject to considerable variations due to
differences in the design parameters of the overhead line.
Other variations are possible due to the construction, altitude and age of the
line
Weather effect can also be significant
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Corona Noise
Voltage (kV) 33 132 220 400 Correction (dB) - 14 -4 0 +4
Bad weather Noise
500
+5
Typical average Noise on a 220 kV line and for a 3 kHz Bandwidth
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PLCC test instrument: Selective Level Meter
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PLCC test instrument : Selective Level Oscillator
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THANK YOU ALL
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