Communication Networks OPTIF for FOX515/512 IEEE C37.94 communication interface One of the most important applications used by any power utility is protection of high voltage power lines. Protection relays, which provide the protection functionality for power lines, need to exchange information in order to ensure correct operation. The utility's captive communications network is normally used to provide reliable communications channels for protection applications. Such communications channels demand highest availability and performance figures, especially for differential protection applications which require very low and symmetrical end-to-end delay times. Transmitting protection relay data channels via communication network instead of direct relay connection using dedicated fibres has the big advantage of complete supervision of the data channel and the possibility for redundant channel routing. Beside this it also saves fibres, which are valuable assets. Supervision of the data channel and redundant channel routing allow to significantly increase the availability of protection applications. The substation environment is usually characterized by a high level of electromagnetic fields caused by high voltages and currents in power lines. Specially during fault conditions the same can rise significantly and disturb communications channels based on copper wires. So it is recommended to use a complete optical interconnection from relay to relay via fibre optical multiplex equipment using the IEEE C37.94 protocol. The IEEE C37.94 standard defines the communication of protection equipment (protections relays) with communications equipment inside a substation using optical fibers. Accordingly no additional extern converters are required anymore. This standard is already implemented by many protection relay manufacturers around the world. ABB’s latest relay series REx670 and the teleprotection equipment NSD570 support this standard as well. The OPTIF module (OPtical Teleprotection InterFace) extends the FOX515/512 platform with IEEE C37.94 interfaces while ensuring compatibility with the traditional ABB SFC protocol used by legacy ABB protection relays.

Applications with OPTIF FOX515 collects all utility specific signals and transmits the same through Wide Area Networks (WAN) using fibre optical or copper interfaces. Therefore the FOX515 provides standard data interfaces and utility specific interfaces such as the OPTIF module which provides up to four ports for differential protection signal transmission. OPTIF architecture The OPTIF is part of a large complement of interface modules which can be plugged into a FOX515 shelf. Like all FOX515 modules OPTIF is – powered from the FOX515 shelf – configured by UCST and – supervised by FOXMAN management...

General Designed for FOX515/512, P-BUS access Number of ports Maximum 4 ports per OPTIF module Optical ports All optical ports require SFP for: - 850 nm (multimode) or - 1,310 nm (single-mode) Operation mode IEEE C37.94 or ABB TPE Module width 1 mechanical slot in FOX515 Environmental conditions According to FOX515 specification Configuration tool UCST release R8B SP02 or higher Maintenance - Local and remote test loops available - Performance monitoring Typical 1+1 switchover < 25 ms time Standard compliance IEEE C37.94 MTTF > 60 years

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