Building Ethernet in power facilities

Diagnosis of the problem:

Solutions used to date in the Customer’s Ethernet had not been satisfactory. The equipment used was not dedicated to work in difficult and demanding conditions encountered in power substations, as a result of which the architecture of the existing networks was not optimal. For the planned expansion, it seemed necessary to carry out time-consuming and costly adaptation of the premises and installation of additional telecommunication cabinets to house additional equipment.

Defined objective:

The Network Department Director was searching for a solution to build switched networks that work optimally in the power facility environment. He also expected a solution that would use the existing passive IT infrastructure.

Solution proposed by FCA experts:

Deployment of a system of industrial switches made it possible to create an optimal network connecting all power switchgear and substations scattered around the region. The switch modules were tested for compliance with the IEC 61850-3 norm and met the recommendations regarding electromagnetic compatibility, electromagnetic interference, anti-vibration and anti-shock requirements, and work in the temperature range from –40°C to +75°C. Furthermore, the equipment was adapted for installation on DIN rails. The architecture was based on optical rings that ensure connection redundancy. Client equipment was connected via PoE ports, thanks to which no dedicated electrical power installation was required.

Achieved results:

Deployment of a system of industrial switches ensured an increase in the number of supported object by 32%. Space savings in the existing facilities with respect to the solutions used to date reached 46%.