Power line communication network for a customer-end AC grid in an LVDC distribution system

Communication is needed in modern smart grids (SGs) for instance in load control, automatic metering infrastructure (AMI), and grid monitoring and protection. Power line communication (PLC) is studied as the data transmission solution for a low-voltage direct current (LVDC) electricity distribution system in the DC grid; channel analysis, noise in the channel, and the performance of both the narrowband and broadband PLC have been studied previously. However, the applicability and performance of PLC in the grid end from the customer-end inverter (CEI), which converts the low-voltage DC back to 230/400 AC, to the customer loads has not been studied. The load control takes place in the customer utility box (CUB) on the customer premises. The channel in the grid end is challenging; the CEI, implemented with power-electronic switches, generates impulsive noise both to the DC and AC networks, and presents the major noise source in the PLC channel. Thus, the customer-end AC network is studied by measurements and data transmission tests. In addition, the PLC network architecture for the whole LVDC system is proposed.