Use HSR or PRP for zero-recovery-time redundancy
Substation protection systems cannot tolerate packet loss. HSR and PRP send every frame twice, providing zero-recovery-time redundancy.
21.2 Substation Automation Networks
Railway networks operate in moving vehicles. Substation automation networks operate in high-voltage environments where a network failure can cause a power outage affecting thousands of customers. This section covers the standards, timing requirements, and Hirschmann products for substation applications.
Substation Standards
Section titled “Substation Standards”| Standard | Scope |
|---|---|
| IEC 61850-3 | Communication networks for power utility automation — environmental requirements |
| IEEE 1613 | Environmental requirements for communication networking devices in electric power substations |
| IEC 61850-8-1 | GOOSE and MMS communication (see Chapter 9.3) |
| IEEE 1588v2 | Precision Time Protocol — sub-microsecond synchronization |
Key terms:
- IEC 61850-3 — defines the environmental requirements (temperature, humidity, EMC, vibration) for equipment installed in substations
- IEEE 1613 — North American equivalent of IEC 61850-3 for substation communication equipment
- Process bus — the network connecting merging units and protection relays (IEC 61850-9-2 Sampled Values, GOOSE)
- Station bus — the network connecting IEDs, RTUs, and the control system (MMS, GOOSE)
Substation Network Architecture
Section titled “Substation Network Architecture”The process bus carries time-critical GOOSE messages (< 4 ms) and Sampled Values (< 1 ms). The station bus carries MMS for configuration and monitoring (non-real-time).
Zero-Recovery-Time Redundancy
Section titled “Zero-Recovery-Time Redundancy”Substation protection systems cannot tolerate any packet loss during a network failure. A missed GOOSE message could fail to trip a circuit breaker, causing equipment damage or injury.
HSR and PRP provide zero-recovery-time redundancy (see Chapter 10.3). The RSPE35 and GREYHOUND 100 support both HSR and PRP with hardware IEEE 1588 PTP timestamping.
IEEE 1588 PTP Hardware Timestamping
Section titled “IEEE 1588 PTP Hardware Timestamping”Substation Sampled Values require time synchronization to ± 1 µs. Software-based PTP cannot achieve this accuracy because software processing introduces variable delays.
Hardware timestamping captures the exact time a frame arrives at the NIC, before any software processing. The RSPE35 and GREYHOUND 100 provide hardware IEEE 1588v2 PTP timestamping, achieving sub-microsecond accuracy.
Hirschmann Products for Substations
Section titled “Hirschmann Products for Substations”| Product | Certifications | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| RSPE35 | IEC 61850-3, IEEE 1613 | HSR/PRP, hardware PTP, DIN rail |
| GREYHOUND 100 | IEC 61850-3, IEEE 1613 | HSR/PRP, hardware PTP, 60 ports, rack |
| DRAGON MACH4x00 | IEC 61850 protocol support | 88 ports, IEC 61850 MMS server |
| MACH1000 | IEC 61850-3, IEEE 1613 | HSR/PRP, 28 ports, rack |
| EAGLE One | IEC 61850-3, IEEE 1613 | Firewall for substation IT/OT boundary |
| EAGLE40 | IEC 61850-3, IEEE 1613 | NGFW with Substation Protection Suite |
Key Takeaways
Section titled “Key Takeaways”Hardware PTP for sub-microsecond synchronization
Sampled Values require ± 1 µs synchronization. Use switches with hardware IEEE 1588v2 PTP timestamping (RSPE35, GREYHOUND 100).
What Comes Next
Section titled “What Comes Next”Substations operate in controlled environments. Hazardous locations — oil refineries, chemical plants, mines — add explosive atmosphere requirements. The next section covers ATEX, IECEx, and ISA12.12 certifications for hazardous location networks.
References
Section titled “References”- IEC 61850-3:2013 — Communication networks and systems for power utility automation — General requirements
- IEEE 1613-2009 — Environmental and Testing Requirements for Communications Networking Devices Installed in Electric Power Substations
- Hirschmann. (2024). Belden/Hirschmann Essentials 2024. Belden.