Development of a plc channel characterization tool in an embedded measurement platform,

One fundamental aspect for the evolution of Smart Grid framework is the implementation of an always-on communication infrastructure also at distribution network level. In this perspective, the use of power line communication (PLC) technology can be a viable solution, because of its capillarity, simplicity of installation and reduced costs, thanks to the use of existing distribution network as a communication infrastructure. PLC technology is already widely used for automatic meter reading but in recent years it has been also proposed for further applications, such as secondary substation automation, remote control of distributed generators and other smart grid solutions. However, the electrical network topology and the loads connected thereto generate disturbances that can affect significantly the PLC's performance in terms of capacity, coverage, robustness and data transmission rate [1]. For this reason, there is an increasing interest in electrical network characterization. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) or Link Quality Index (LQI) are parameters frequently used for PLC channel characterization. Another important method used for PLC channel characterization is the impedance measurement in the PLC frequency range. Electrical network impedance depends on network topology, cable type and type of connected loads. Several experiments are presented in literature, which report the impedance measurement vs. frequency in different cases of electrical network. In this framework, the authors propose a different approach for evaluating the PLC channel performances, suggesting the use of already installed devices, i.e. the PLC modem of smart meters, to measure PLC signal and noise levels. To this aim, a new software tool was developed. As case study, it is implemented on a G3 PLC transceiver, the EVALKITST8500-1, widely used for smart metering purposes. Finally, by simply updating the firmware of already installed smart meter, it is possible to perform a PLC channel characterization without connecting external instruments. The software tool allows having a better understanding of signal attenuation influence on communication channel performances. Moreover, it can allow finding possible solutions to avoid disturbed frequency bands or regulating some transmission/reception parameters in order to improve the communication.