Sampled Value IEC 61850
High-Speed Digital Measurement for Smart Substations
With the advancement of digitalization in the power sector, the IEC 61850 standard has become a milestone for substation automation, providing a standardized architecture for communication between protection, measurement, and control devices. Among the various communication services defined by the standard, Sampled Value (SV) stands out for its role in the digital transmission of instantaneous voltage and current samples.
This technology represents a major step forward from conventional analog solutions, allowing traditional hardwired secondary circuits to be replaced by a reliable, secure, and high-speed Ethernet network infrastructure.
What Are Sampled Value Messages?
Sampled Value (SV) messages are periodic transmissions of sampled values of primary analog signals โ voltage and current โ that occur in real time and are used by Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) for functions such as:
- Protection;
- Measurement;
- Power system control and monitoring.
These messages are typically generated by Non-Conventional Instrument Transformers (NCITs) or Merging Units (MUs) and replace traditional physical wiring, bringing greater flexibility, safety, and cost savings in the installation and operation of substations.
Technical Characteristics of SV
- Format defined by IEC 61850-9-2 and its variations (IEC 61869, IEC 61850-9-2LE);
- Real-time transmission with low latency;
- Communication via Ethernet multicast;
- Typical sampling rates: 80 samples per cycle (4,800 Hz) or 256 samples per cycle (15,360 Hz), depending on the application;
- Used at the process bus level, replacing copper wiring between CTs/PTs and relays.
Conprove Solutions for Sampled Values
Conprove, recognized for its innovative role in developing tools for power system automation and protection, offers a complete line of universal testers compatible with the IEC 61850 standard, with full support for Sampled Values functionality.
Using the CTC โ Conprove Test Center software, it is possible to:
- Generate SV messages with full control over frequency, magnitude, phase angle, and sampling rate;
- Acquire SV messages for analysis and testing of NCITs and MUs;
- Perform tests in accordance with IEC 61850-9-2LE and IEC 61869 standards.
Typical Applications
Sampled Value functionalities are widely used in:
- Commissioning of digital substations;
- Protection testing with synchronized SVs;
- Interoperability testing between Merging Units and IEDs;
- Disturbance simulation and COMTRADE recording in SV environments;
- Training and technical education in academic and lab environments.
Benefits of Using SV
- Elimination of copper secondary wiring, reducing costs and risks;
- Improved operational safety and substation maintenance;
- Accuracy in electrical quantity sampling;
- Ease of reconfiguring and expanding the protection and measurement network;
- Full integration with the digital architecture proposed by IEC 61850.
