Overcoming standard limitations in synchrophasor systems

Most deployed synchrophasor systems today are using either the IEEE C37.118-2005 or IEEE C37.118.2-2011 standard defined data transfer protocol over TCP/IP and/or UDP/IP to transport the data and communicate the data frame configuration information between various system component (e.g. between PMUs and PDCs, and between PDCs and application software). However, due to the inherent TCP/IP and UDP/IP frame size limitations, when synchrophasor data and configuration frames are carried over the TCP/IP and/or UDP/IP layers, very soon a single data stream will be unable to handle the large number of connected PMUs in these synchrophasor systems. This paper examines the constraints of the standard and discusses the different options to overcome such constraints in a synchrophasor system.