An active phasor data concentrator suitable for control and protection applications

Synchrophasor technology is the backbone of the most advanced Wide Area Monitoring Systems. The two main components of such systems are the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), which is the sensing element of the measurement chain, and the Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC), whose primary goal is to collect and time-align the synchronized measurements provided by the PMUs installed in the grid. A hierarchical structure, composed of different levels of PDCs, can be also implemented in large power systems. Transmission System Operators are interested to better exploit the potentialities offered by the synchrophasor technology, moving in the direction of synchrophasor-based Wide Area Monitoring Protection And Control (WAMPAC) systems. In this perspective, by considering that the PDC is the first element of a synchrophasor measurement system with a standpoint on the overall state of the electrical grid, this device can be a perfect candidate to play an active role, by suitably handling the data coming from several PMUs or lower level PDCs. Following these criteria, this work explores the feasibility of an active PDC whose functionalities allow the definition of specific protection and control logics.