Virtual PLC Lab Enabled Physical Layer Improvement Proposals for PRIME and G3-PLC Standards

Abstract

Narrowband (NB) powerline communication (PLC) is extensively adopted by utilities for the communication in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems. PLC technology needs to overcome channel disturbances present in certain grid segments. This study analyzes improvement proposals of the physical layer of the main narrowband PLC technologies approved by international communication organizations that are currently deployed in Europe: Powerline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME) 1.3.6, PRIME 1.4, and G3-PLC, in order to improve PLC performance under channel disturbances. This thorough study is based on simulations carried out by an innovative ad hoc Virtual PLC Lab, developed by the authors, applied in replicable, fully-automated, and cost reduced test scenarios. The analysis is performed by applying standardized test methods and metrics, and by evaluating the influence of a set of representative channel disturbances defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and selected noises generated by distributed energy resources (DER) in normal operation. PLC performance improvements in terms of equalizer curve fitting, error correction codes, and noisy subcarrier suppression mechanisms are presented. The performance gain due to each physical improvement proposal is accurately measured and compared under the same conditions in a replicable and automated test environment in order to evaluate the use of the proposals in the evolution of future PLC technologies.As a result, sophisticated test methods are needed to evaluate, first, the effects of each type of disturbance on the different configurations of the communications technologies and, second, the efficiency of the strategies designed to overcome such disturbances. This paper proposes the use of a Virtual PLC Lab to evaluate the performance of several improvement proposals for several PLC technologies. The Virtual PLC Lab includes the whole communication system, composed not only of transmission and reception devices, but also on the characterization of the different effects of the propagation channel. As a result, it enables an efficient analysis of new coding or equalizing techniques that would require long and complex validation procedures, without the need of physically implementing these techniques in the hardware devices, reducing the time and the cost of these developments.Several articles study the NB PLC performance from 3 to 500 kHz in the presence of noise and harsh situations. This performance has been studied from multiple approaches. There are analytical studies based on generic PLC technologies [2]. Several studies are oriented to PRIME statistical performance in field setups [3,4]. Some specific studies focus on upper layer performance instead of being physical layer-oriented [5]. There are some comparisons of the performance of PLC technologies and physical layers, although these are not exactly under the same conditions [6]. Moreover, there is a lack of studies covering the PRIME standard in its recent 1.4 version and G3...

Web-Based Toolkit for Performance Simulation and Analysis of Power Line Communication Networks

“…Nevertheless, [36] addresses such an interesting application for DSOs as the remote and massive upgrade of firmware in PRIME networks. More recently, references [37,38] stand out as two innovative approaches for simulating the PHY layer of NB-PLC technologies. The authors of [37] propose a new methodology for network scale simulation based on directly implementing an OFDM modulator in EMTP-ATP (electromagnetic transients programme-alternative transients programme).…”

“…By configuring different OFDM parameters, both PRIME and G3-PLC are considered, observing that they are significantly affected in medium-voltage (MV) power line channels. Reference [38] presents an analysis that focuses on how the use of different error correction codes, mechanisms for suppressing noisy intercarriers, and adjusting the equalization curve affect the performance of PRIME and G3-PLC by using an innovative ad hoc virtual PLC lab, developed by the authors, which allows for replicable, fully automated, and cost-effective tests.…”