Optimized Robust Adaptive Networks in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems

This thesis investigates the application of a Exponential Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) to be used as a memory buffer in conjunction with Special Protection Schemes (SPS) using the Electric Power and Communication Synchronizing Simulator (EPOCHS). It is proposed that using an SPS incorporating EWMA can compensate for the network layer lack of guarantee of packet delivery and provide for the stability and integrity of the power grid under a catastrophic event. The performance of the proposed SPS is evaluated using a discrete event computer simulation developed using the NS2 network simulator and the Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS/E) power system simulator. Performance and metrics evaluated in terms of the SPS’s ability to properly calculate disturbance size and to react to the disturbance before the system reaches the minimum frequency threshold of 58.8 HZ and before 0.5 second threshold. Experimental results indicate that the proposed SPS with EWMA can be successfully be applied to ensure power grid stability regardless of network background traffic. The results indicate that the proposed EWMA SPS ensures the protection of the grid. The EWMA SPS has a significant impact on performance when applied to a heavy background traffic network without router reservation enabling it to be stable without the additional hardware cost. Overall, in the tested configuration, the new SPS system successfully maintained steady state operation under all traffic intensities