Smart Grid Diagnostics using Power Line Communications

Power Line Communication uses the existing infrastructure of electrical power lines for high frequency data transmission. The availability of such power line communication modems across the grid, which are typically used for enabling smart-grid connectivity, also gives us the opportunity to extract insight into the nature of the grid. This includes investigating the health of the power cables and also detecting and locating possible line faults. In this research project, we adapt theoretical formulations of this concept to incorporate practical types of cable degradations and faults typically encountered in the distribution network. We use machine learning techniques to enable the power line modems with distributed intelligent grid sensing abilities to automatically diagnose the grid by identifying fault locations, assessing the severity of cable degradations, and estimating the remaining service age of power cables throughout the grid.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lutz Lampe

Student:

Partner:

Universität Duisburg-Essen

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Energy and Utilities; Information and Communications Technology; Technology

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: