A high-speed portable data acquisition system for distribution level monitoring

A high-speed data-gathering system for feeder level monitoring on the Athens Automation and Control Experiment was utilized to assist in determining the effect of automated electric power distribution system actions. Funding for this experiment was provided by the US Department of Energy Office of Energy Storage and Distribution, with management by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The system was used to measure phenomena of millisecond duration at the distribution system level. The system is portable and features an aggregate data scan rate of 250 to 10,000 samples/s over 10 channels of input signals, with a resolution of 14 bits. Data are gathered over time periods varying from several seconds to as long as 5.5 hours. A specialized cabling configuration allows quick installation and easy interface to distribution level equipment. The system supports graphical presentation of acquired data via a graphics terminal to permit interpretation of results in the field. Off-line data analysis is performed on mainframe computers after transfer of data from magnetic tapes generated by the high-speed system. This system allows examination and interpretation of events typical of control actions such as capacitor switching, voltage regulation, load transfer, and load control on an electrical distribution system in a mannermore » not possible with conventional substation or feeder level monitoring.« less