Performance Evaluation of Communication Networks for Networked Microgrids

The main goal of cyber-physical power systems (CPPSs) is to provide seamless collaboration between the physical and cyber systems, bridging disciplines, such as communication networks and control systems. Controlling the operation of Microgrids (MGs) as a cyber-physical power system must include both the physical and cyber layers. Generally, the microgrid control center MGCC is employed for reliable operation management between the different local controllers within the networked microgrids (NMGs). Therefore, an excessive number of communication channels between the MGCC and the local controllers will exist, affecting the control performance of the NMGs. This paper focuses on developing an innovative communication network emulation model for standalone DC networked microgrids using a Network Simulator (NS3), miming the communication infrastructure to control the networked microgrid system. Through the real-time simulation, the performance of the proposed communication network model was evaluated by employing two transmission protocols, User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), to facilitate the data exchange between the MGCC and the local controllers in each MG while operating under different traffic loads. The comparative results of using these protocols in terms of the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the communication performance metrics, such as the mean delay, percentage of packet loss, and transmitted and received bitrate, reveal notable insights into their suitability in data transmission for controlling and managing the operation of the NMGs.