Distributed event-driven simulation environment for smart metering protocols evaluation

Abstract

The growing of the electricity distribution infrastructure caused by the increasing number of users and power sources has recently bring about some supply problems. Smart grid technology is a recent proposal that uses computerized systems to improve the availability and reliability of this distribution network. Among the different systems that compose the smart grid, the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is one of the most developed nowadays, as hundred of smart metering networks are being deployed in this moment all over the world. These smart meters use different communications protocols so a tool to compare their performance in real networks would be very useful at this moment. To solve this problem, in this paper it is presented a simulation framework that can be used to evaluate the performance of these protocols in real power line networks with only minor changes in the code version that is introduced in real meters. This simulator has been used to compare two of the smart metering protocols available at this moment (i.e. PRIME and ECSS).

A physical layer model for G3-PLC networks simulation

“…The employed architecture is based on the framework proposed in [7]. Each G3-PLC node (including the coordinator) is simulated by an independent process that implements the full stack, except most parts of the physical layer, and an event machine.…”

“…This paper proposes a PHY layer model for the G3-PLC network simulation framework presented in [7]. It allows simulating frequency selective channels with colored noise.…”

Real problems solving in PRIME networks by means of simulation

“…In addition, a graphical user interface (GUI) has been added to the simulator in order to show all the information needed to test the simulation behaviour (see Fig.3). This GUI is an evolution of that previously presented in [4], which has been modified to show information of different PLC protocols and include more information about the ongoing simulations (sniffer, current simulation time, etc).…”