Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach

The integration of Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, and storage without compromising the quality of the power delivery requires the deployment of a communications overlay that allows monitoring and controlling low voltage networks in almost real time. Power Line Communications are gaining...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gregorio López, José Ignacio Moreno, Eutimio Sánchez, Cristina Martínez, Fernando Martín
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-08-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/8/1238
_version_ 1817988939729862656
author Gregorio López
José Ignacio Moreno
Eutimio Sánchez
Cristina Martínez
Fernando Martín
author_facet Gregorio López
José Ignacio Moreno
Eutimio Sánchez
Cristina Martínez
Fernando Martín
author_sort Gregorio López
collection DOAJ
description The integration of Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, and storage without compromising the quality of the power delivery requires the deployment of a communications overlay that allows monitoring and controlling low voltage networks in almost real time. Power Line Communications are gaining momentum for this purpose since they present a great trade-off between economic and technical features. However, the power lines also represent a harsh communications medium which presents different problems such as noise, which is indeed affected by Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, and storage. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the types of noise that affects Narrowband Power Line Communications, including normative noises, noises coming from common electronic devices measured in actual operational power distribution networks, and noises coming from photovoltaic inverters and electric vehicle charging spots measured in a controlled environment. The paper also reviews several techniques to mitigate the effects of noise, paying special attention to passive filtering, as for being one of the most widely used solution to avoid this kind of problems in the field. In addition, the paper presents a set of tests carried out to evaluate the impact of some representative noises on Narrowband Power Line Communications network performance, as well as the effectiveness of different passive filter configurations to mitigate such an impact. In addition, the considered sources of noise can also bring value to further improve PLC communications in the new scenarios of the Smart Grid as an input to theoretical models or simulations.
first_indexed 2024-04-14T00:40:51Z
format Article
id doaj.art-cd9e83b7ead440acbf308e8eb5747ffa
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-14T00:40:51Z
publishDate 2017-08-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-cd9e83b7ead440acbf308e8eb5747ffa2022-12-22T02:22:12ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732017-08-01108123810.3390/en10081238en10081238Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical ApproachGregorio López0José Ignacio Moreno1Eutimio Sánchez2Cristina Martínez3Fernando Martín4Telematics Engineering Department, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avenida de la Universidad 30, 28911 Madrid, SpainTelematics Engineering Department, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avenida de la Universidad 30, 28911 Madrid, SpainSmart Grids Area, Energy & Environment Division, Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 700, 48160 Derio, SpainApplication Engineering Division, ZIV Metering Solutions, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 210, 48170 Zamudio, SpainSmart Grid Operation & Maintenance Division, Unión Fenosa Distribución, Antonio López 193, 28026 Madrid, SpainThe integration of Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, and storage without compromising the quality of the power delivery requires the deployment of a communications overlay that allows monitoring and controlling low voltage networks in almost real time. Power Line Communications are gaining momentum for this purpose since they present a great trade-off between economic and technical features. However, the power lines also represent a harsh communications medium which presents different problems such as noise, which is indeed affected by Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, and storage. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the types of noise that affects Narrowband Power Line Communications, including normative noises, noises coming from common electronic devices measured in actual operational power distribution networks, and noises coming from photovoltaic inverters and electric vehicle charging spots measured in a controlled environment. The paper also reviews several techniques to mitigate the effects of noise, paying special attention to passive filtering, as for being one of the most widely used solution to avoid this kind of problems in the field. In addition, the paper presents a set of tests carried out to evaluate the impact of some representative noises on Narrowband Power Line Communications network performance, as well as the effectiveness of different passive filter configurations to mitigate such an impact. In addition, the considered sources of noise can also bring value to further improve PLC communications in the new scenarios of the Smart Grid as an input to theoretical models or simulations.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/8/1238Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)Distributed Energy Resources (DER)Distributed Generation (DG)Electric Vehicle (EV)Narrowband Powerline Communications (NB-PLC)noisePoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME)Smart Gridssupraharmonics
spellingShingle Gregorio López
José Ignacio Moreno
Eutimio Sánchez
Cristina Martínez
Fernando Martín
Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
Energies
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
Distributed Generation (DG)
Electric Vehicle (EV)
Narrowband Powerline Communications (NB-PLC)
noise
PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME)
Smart Grids
supraharmonics
title Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
title_full Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
title_fullStr Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
title_full_unstemmed Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
title_short Noise Sources, Effects and Countermeasures in Narrowband Power-Line Communications Networks: A Practical Approach
title_sort noise sources effects and countermeasures in narrowband power line communications networks a practical approach
topic Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
Distributed Generation (DG)
Electric Vehicle (EV)
Narrowband Powerline Communications (NB-PLC)
noise
PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME)
Smart Grids
supraharmonics
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/8/1238
work_keys_str_mv AT gregoriolopez noisesourceseffectsandcountermeasuresinnarrowbandpowerlinecommunicationsnetworksapracticalapproach
AT joseignaciomoreno noisesourceseffectsandcountermeasuresinnarrowbandpowerlinecommunicationsnetworksapracticalapproach
AT eutimiosanchez noisesourceseffectsandcountermeasuresinnarrowbandpowerlinecommunicationsnetworksapracticalapproach
AT cristinamartinez noisesourceseffectsandcountermeasuresinnarrowbandpowerlinecommunicationsnetworksapracticalapproach
AT fernandomartin noisesourceseffectsandcountermeasuresinnarrowbandpowerlinecommunicationsnetworksapracticalapproach