With the large scale computing systems arrival, associated to data networks, the corporations identified the possibility to systematize the various administrative and financial systems on integrated computing systems, the so called ERP's (Entreprise, Research, Production) which express, by means of several software modules, the way to operate a business from is administrative and financial point of view.

Ecil Informática has developed its eSIP – Process Integrated System , under this same optical, but focusing on the process of generating and transmitting electric power.

The eSIP system was developed to integrate the several sub-systems of the process, either the supervisor, analysis, maintenance, safety software, or any other one having direct application on the process, gathering data furnished by all the equipments making part of the system, such as protective relays, digital recorders, remote, cameras, video cameras and equipment to maneuver.  

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This integration shall enable a standardized management of power generation and transmission, resulting in a sinergy among the diversified sub-systems, with a consequent result over the improvement of the quality with the consequent result in the improvement of the indices of quality of energy supplied, in addition to significant reductions in costs of operation and maintenance of electrical plant.  

The eSIP system operates under a process network, with the purpose of integrating the several equipment which makes part of an electric plant, providing to each device, management mechanisms adequate to the information passed through as well as access control systems to the various equipment and sub-systems of the process.

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The eSIP functional structure is based on the generation of a data base of consistent process and duly synchronized, of all the equipments of the system. From this basis, the several sub-systems shall be stored with the process information pertinent to each specific functionality. So, a maintenance system may automatically receive information with regard to the maneuver equipment operations, as well as CFTV systems may be integrated to supervisor software for the equipment yard's control and view.

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One of the critical problems in the process equipments integration stays at the great heterogeneity deriving from the acquisition processes accomplished by the Concessionaires and the lack of standardization offered by the manufacturers, bringing a lot of integration difficulties among the products from diversified manufacturers who have distinct protocols and ways of access. In addition, the Protection and Registry Devices who own open protocols do not support on these protocols the whole necessary functionalities to meet the needs of the eSIP System, such as, access to reading and writing the parameterization files, gathering of events and oscillography.

The eSIP System's main function is to provide the integration, under a WAN/LAN network platform, of the whole Process devices from several manufacturers and standards, making their access standardized for the system's operators.

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All computing platform was developed under WEB tools, enabling the access to the application of any computing station connected to the Intranet network, or even to the Internet by means of a browser.

The integration of the supervising systems to the SCADA platform, such as SAGE, is an integrant part of the solution and shall enable the automatic transmission of the circuit breakers opening and closure information, which shall enable the eSIP system to automatically discharge the oscillography and events data collection of any protection and registry device integrated to the system.

This shall allow a standardized data base creation, which shall be used for the performance analysis of the protection and registry systems under operation, as well as a management of all the information on schedule and parameterization of the equipment installed, making it possible to fully control the installed process assets.

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The main functionalities of the eSIP system are described below.

Oscillographic files automatic collection on one occurrence of error, and transmission to a data base centralized on the CAP (Central Review of Protection) platform on a standardized manner (COMTRADE or other to be determined).

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Oscillographic Files Collection Screen

Parameterizations management of all relays and RDP's integrated to the system automatically, allowing the periodical audit functionalities, in which the parameters configured in front of a parameterization standardized and protection adjustment basis consistency shall be checked.

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Audit Report

Remote and automatic loading of protection adjustment files, avoiding the dislodgment of teams for long circuits and accomplishing the loading of new adjustments on a safe and standardized way. This functionality, as well as all those previewed on the system shall be performed by advanced scheduled functional scripts for each device integrated to the system.

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 Protection relays scripts screen

Pre-analysis is the analysis of oscillographic disturbs, by means of the CAL (COMTRADE Analysis Language) language, associated to computing tools which accomplish the electric system's shaping due to the private knowledge of each installation, from their users and experts, originating pre-analysis reports to be sent directly to the group in charge of the system's operations.

CAL screen and pre-analysis Report

Documentation centralized management, originating one sole repository for storing all the information regarding the assets of protection and registry, such as, unifilar. Process documents, technical manual, firmwares or other information pertinent to the equipments'control and management.

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  Environmental module screen

Management of environmental conditions, on which, the protection assets are installed, allowing the monitoring in real time, over the installation conditions, such as, temperature, humidity and control of access to all the relevant boxes.

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 Environmental module screen

Monitoring, by WEB camera, with remote control and zoom of the protection panels, allowing viewing the conditions of each protection panel and its respective equipments (relays and RDP's).

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 WEB camera screen

The eSIP system is integrated to tasks managing software, such as the Outlook, for the automatic transmission of emails, as well as, the mobile network, for sending SMS to pre-registered phones, allowing to its users the automatic receipt of text messages, when there is the occurrence of any anomaly on the system, or when the receipt of oscillographic events occur.

In addition, the system allows the integration to several maintenance management software, such as SAP, allowing the automatic loading of maneuver equipments management parameters. This integration enables the maintenance management systems to identify, at each occurrence (circuit breaker opening, sectioned keys), which are the actual conditions of such equipments operation and compare them cumulatively, with the specified conditions by the respective manufacturers of the monitored equipments.

In this way, the users may determine the actual service life of each maneuver equipment, enabling the accomplishment of technical interventions on surgical way, only for the equipment and parts that really are in need of maintenance.

This way of management, called management through the use, brings immediate consequences over the transmission, generation and distribution of power system total availability increase, to the extent that it prevents non-anticipated downtime and dramatically reduces the so called preventive maintenance calls.