Application Scenarios:

Following a major storm, a transmission system operator (TSO) notices oscillations and unstable power flows threatening to cascade across a large inter-connected grid. Traditional SCADA data, with its slower update rates and lack of precise time synchronization, is too coarse to diagnose the problem’s origin and speed. The TSO’s ABB LDSYN-101​ PMUs, strategically installed at key substations, provide the critical insight. Each LDSYN-101​ unit, synchronized to GPS microsecond accuracy, captures the voltage and current phasors 50 or 60 times per second. These synchronized data streams are concentrated and transmitted to a central WAMS application. Analysts observe, in real time, a growing phase angle separation between two regions—a clear precursor to instability. Using this precise data, they can quickly enact corrective control actions, such as adjusting generation or activating stability controls, to dampen the oscillations and prevent a widespread blackout. This scenario highlights the LDSYN-101’s role in transforming grid monitoring from a steady-state view to a dynamic, wide-area picture, which is essential for managing the complexities of renewable integration and preventing catastrophic failures.

Technical Principles and Innovative Values:

The ABB LDSYN-101​ is a cornerstone of situational awareness, operating on the principle of synchronized sampling and phasor calculation to create a unified, time-aligned view of the entire power grid.

Innovation Point 1: High-Accuracy, Time-Synchronized Measurement.​ The core innovation is its ability to measure voltage and current phasors(magnitude and phase angle) synchronized to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) via GPS with microsecond precision. This allows measurements taken hundreds of miles apart to be compared directly, revealing the true phase relationships and power flows across the grid—something impossible with non-synchronized SCADA data.

Innovation Point 2: Dual Role as PMU and PDC.​ The LDSYN-101​ often combines the functions of a Phasor Measurement Unit and a Phasor Data Concentrator in one device. As a PMU, it makes local measurements. As a PDC, it can receive, time-align, and forward phasor data streams from other PMUs in the substation or region. This simplifies system architecture, reduces the number of devices, and provides a local data aggregation point, improving reliability and reducing communication bandwidth to the control center.

Innovation Point 3: Advanced Compliance and Diagnostics.​ It is rigorously designed to comply with the IEEE C37.118 standard, ensuring interoperability with WAMS software from any vendor. Beyond mere compliance, it includes advanced diagnostic capabilities, continuously monitoring the quality of its time synchronization signal (GPS loss) and the validity of its measurements, flagging data that may be unreliable. This built-in data validation is critical for control applications that depend on the absolute trustworthiness of the phasor data.

Application Cases and Industry Value:

Case Study: Enhancing Grid Stability for a Region with High Wind Penetration.

A regional transmission organization (RTO) managing a grid with over 30% wind generation faced challenges with rapid, unpredictable power fluctuations and oscillatory modes that threatened stability. They deployed a WAMS network using ABB LDSYN-101​ units at critical transmission substations and major wind farms.

The LDSYN-101​ PMUs provided a real-time, GPS-synchronized view of voltage angles and power flows across the entire region. The PDC functionality within key substation LDSYN-101​ units consolidated data from local bays before streaming it to the central WAMS application. This system allowed operators to visualize, in real-time, the propagation of disturbances and identify poorly damped oscillation modes. Using this data, engineers developed and deployed a wide-area damping control (WADC) scheme. The LDSYN-101​ data provided the input signals for this system, which then modulated generator setpoints to actively damp oscillations. The RTO’s grid performance manager reported: “The ABB LDSYN-101​ network gave us the visibility we desperately needed. We’ve moved from reacting to events to predicting and managing grid dynamics. The PMU data was instrumental in tuning our damping controls, which have significantly improved stability margins and allowed us to safely increase the utilization of our transmission corridors.”

Related Product Combination Solutions:

ABB RES670:​ Line Differential Protection and Control IED. Can be equipped with a PMU option, making it a protection relay that also provides synchrophasor data, complementing standalone LDSYN-101​ units.

ABB RTU560:​ Remote Terminal Unit. Can integrate with LDSYN-101​ data as part of a substation automation system, forwarding condensed information to SCADA.

ABB NGC/Network Manager SCADA/EMS:​ The Energy Management System platform that uses synchrophasor data from LDSYN-101​ units for state estimation, stability analysis, and wide-area visualization.

ABB MACH™ Control System:​ A control platform that can utilize high-speed LDSYN-101​ phasor data as inputs for advanced stability control and grid optimization applications.

ABB Relion® Protection IEDs (e.g., 650 series):​ The broader family of protection devices that can be deployed alongside the LDSYN-101​ in a substation, with the LDSYN-101​ providing the wide-area measurement context.

GPS Clock (e.g., IRIG-B Generator):​ Provides the precise time synchronization signal required by the LDSYN-101​ and other devices in the substation.

Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC) Software:​ In larger hierarchies, central PDC software applications aggregate data from multiple LDSYN-101​ and other PMUs/PDCs.

WAMS Visualization & Analytics Software:​ The applications that present the phasor data on geographic one-line diagrams, calculate stability indices, and trigger alarms.

Installation, Maintenance, and Full-Cycle Support:

Installation of the ABB LDSYN-101​ involves mounting the unit in a substation control panel, connecting it to voltage (PT) and current (CT) transformer circuits, a GPS antenna for time sync, and the station’s communication network (Ethernet). The most critical aspect is ensuring the accuracy of the analog input wiring and the quality/redundancy of the GPS timing signal. Configuration is performed via dedicated software, where parameters like the reporting rate, communication protocols (C37.118 stream IDs, IP addresses), and filter settings are defined to optimize data quality and network performance.

Once operational, maintenance is primarily focused on verifying data integrity and communication health. The unit continuously self-monitors and reports its status, including GPS signal quality and measurement validity. Routine checks involve verifying the alignment of phasor measurements with traditional meter readings and ensuring low Total Vector Error (TVE). Our comprehensive support covers the full project lifecycle. We provide expert consultation for optimal PMU placement in your grid, assist with the configuration and integration of the LDSYN-101​ with your WAMS applications, and offer training for your engineers. We are committed to supplying genuine spares and firmware updates, ensuring your synchrophasor measurement infrastructure provides reliable, high-fidelity data for the lifespan of your grid monitoring system.

Contact us for a customized solution to build a smarter, more resilient grid with synchronized phasor measurement technology.