Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations

Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) is considered a promising communication technology in the concept of Smart Grids. This paper evaluates networks based on BPL, with a focus on the impact of repeaters in the linear topology of distribution substations. In large-scale Smart Grids network planning, posi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Petr Musil, Petr Mlynek, Jan Slacik, Jiri Pokorny
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6879
_version_ 1797552053523841024
author Petr Musil
Petr Mlynek
Jan Slacik
Jiri Pokorny
author_facet Petr Musil
Petr Mlynek
Jan Slacik
Jiri Pokorny
author_sort Petr Musil
collection DOAJ
description Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) is considered a promising communication technology in the concept of Smart Grids. This paper evaluates networks based on BPL, with a focus on the impact of repeaters in the linear topology of distribution substations. In large-scale Smart Grids network planning, positions of repeaters have to be carefully chosen. This article should help to determine such positions and limitations of BPL linear topology networks. Laboratory and on-field measurements and their results are presented in this article. Results show the impact of repeater’s deployment for different testing methodologies also with regard to other already presented studies. Measured values and the determined impacts of repeaters are later used as input data for simulation of the linear BPL topology in terms of network throughput with multiple streams and bottlenecks. These occur especially on lines shared by multiple communicating nodes. Furthermore, the simulation investigates the balancing time of multiple data streams throughput. The simulation shows that the throughput balancing can occupy a significant time slot, up to tens of seconds before the throughput of different streams balances. Also, the more data is generated, the more time the balancing time takes. Additionally, the throughput drop caused by a repeater is determined into the range of 35–60%. Based on the measurement and simulation results, lessons learned are presented, and possible performance improvements are discussed.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T15:54:39Z
format Article
id doaj.art-23143b9723a9483b8322df34ebb2e071
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2076-3417
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T15:54:39Z
publishDate 2020-10-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj.art-23143b9723a9483b8322df34ebb2e0712023-11-20T15:43:44ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-10-011019687910.3390/app10196879Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution SubstationsPetr Musil0Petr Mlynek1Jan Slacik2Jiri Pokorny3Department of Telecommunications, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Telecommunications, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Telecommunications, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Telecommunications, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech RepublicBroadband over Power Lines (BPL) is considered a promising communication technology in the concept of Smart Grids. This paper evaluates networks based on BPL, with a focus on the impact of repeaters in the linear topology of distribution substations. In large-scale Smart Grids network planning, positions of repeaters have to be carefully chosen. This article should help to determine such positions and limitations of BPL linear topology networks. Laboratory and on-field measurements and their results are presented in this article. Results show the impact of repeater’s deployment for different testing methodologies also with regard to other already presented studies. Measured values and the determined impacts of repeaters are later used as input data for simulation of the linear BPL topology in terms of network throughput with multiple streams and bottlenecks. These occur especially on lines shared by multiple communicating nodes. Furthermore, the simulation investigates the balancing time of multiple data streams throughput. The simulation shows that the throughput balancing can occupy a significant time slot, up to tens of seconds before the throughput of different streams balances. Also, the more data is generated, the more time the balancing time takes. Additionally, the throughput drop caused by a repeater is determined into the range of 35–60%. Based on the measurement and simulation results, lessons learned are presented, and possible performance improvements are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6879power line communicationsmart griddistribution substationrepeaterbroadband over powerlinesimulation
spellingShingle Petr Musil
Petr Mlynek
Jan Slacik
Jiri Pokorny
Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
Applied Sciences
power line communication
smart grid
distribution substation
repeater
broadband over powerline
simulation
title Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
title_full Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
title_fullStr Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
title_full_unstemmed Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
title_short Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
title_sort simulation based evaluation of the performance of broadband over power lines with multiple repeaters in linear topology of distribution substations
topic power line communication
smart grid
distribution substation
repeater
broadband over powerline
simulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6879
work_keys_str_mv AT petrmusil simulationbasedevaluationoftheperformanceofbroadbandoverpowerlineswithmultiplerepeatersinlineartopologyofdistributionsubstations
AT petrmlynek simulationbasedevaluationoftheperformanceofbroadbandoverpowerlineswithmultiplerepeatersinlineartopologyofdistributionsubstations
AT janslacik simulationbasedevaluationoftheperformanceofbroadbandoverpowerlineswithmultiplerepeatersinlineartopologyofdistributionsubstations
AT jiripokorny simulationbasedevaluationoftheperformanceofbroadbandoverpowerlineswithmultiplerepeatersinlineartopologyofdistributionsubstations