ABB and Trilliant Inc. have announced successful interoperability of Trilliant's SecureMesh communications network with ABB's Station Automation and Protection products, enabling utilities to choose best-of-breed technologies for their Smart Grid rollouts.
"The Smart Grid is moving into a phase where distribution automation is becoming critical, and this capability is largely dependent on the reliability of high-bandwidth, low-latency solutions," said Gary Rackliffe, ABB Vice President, Smart Grids.
The demonstration is another indicator of the increasing capability within the Smart Grid market and the power of standards-based technology solutions available to today's forward-thinking utilities. Trilliant's SecureMesh communications network is based on open standards to ensure out-of-the-box interoperability with the leading distribution automation equipment. The network infrastructure supports applications ranging from electric meter data collection to low-latency monitoring and control of distribution automation devices, including a wide variety of Station Automation and Protection products from ABB.
Interoperability of distribution protection, control and automation devices was conducted using Trilliant’s SecureMesh Gateway and Connector WAN products. A series of peer-to-peer and data protocol packet delivery speed tests were conducted using DNP 3.0, IEC61850, and Modbus protocols simultaneously within Trilliant's SecureMesh communications network. The outcome was extremely fast switching and restoration scheme coordination between multiple devices using multiple protocols. Performance tests were completed using ABB's Station Automation COM 600, and REF 615 and REF 550 advanced feeder protection and control devices.
