1 Power Supply Isolation Unit
2 Cubicle Heater
3.4 Function of the RCU
The RCU acts as an interface between a switchgear installation on the power line and a utility
SCADA system. To do this the RCU uses its configuration to find and access installed and running
switchgear mounted on the power pole. It communicates with the switchgear using its built-in short
range radio.
Fusesavers: installed on each of the phases of the power line and are organised to work as
a set to control that line. One, two or three Fusesavers can be organised in this way for a
single phase, two phase or three phase line. An RCU provides access to the Fusesavers
on a single power line so that if there are multiple lines at a site, then a separate RCU is
required for each line.
CMRs: available either as optically ganged multiphase installations (two or three phases),
or as a set of independent poles (one, two or three phases). The RCU provides access to
the CMRs it has been paired with, so if there are multiple lines at a site, then a separate
RCU is required for each line.
On start up the RCU turns on its short range radio and scans for transmissions from the switchgear
matching its configuration. For Fusesaver installations, the RCU can connect promiscuously (i.e.,
connect to the first 3 Fusesavers it finds), connect to Fusesavers by line name or connect to
Fusesavers by Serial number. For CMR installations, the RCU must be paired to target CMR devices
by serial number [3] .
When it finds them it will acquire data from the switchgear and put it into its database ready for re-
transmission over a long range radio (or modem) back to the utility SCADA system master station.
The long range radio is mounted in the radio tray and is provided with power by the RCU electronic
system. A variety of data interfaces and power supplies are provided by the RCU (refer to page 29).
The exact radio, interface, power supply and protocol used to interface to the SCADA system may
be different for each user.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
