Cooper Power Systems & Trilliant Partner Deliver Smart Grid Communication Technologies To Hydro One Networks
Trilliant Inc. and Cooper Power Systems, a division of Cooper Industries plc announced the deployment of a jointly developed product, the SecureMesh™ Powerline Repeater, that enhances Smart Grid coverage at Hydro One in Ontario, Canada.
The SecureMesh Powerline Repeater serves as an intermediate wireless node in the SecureMesh Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) to relay messages to and from SecureMesh-enabled electric meters, gas meters, and in-building devices. The Repeater provides an easy way to increase the local density of mesh devices, reduce the range between devices, and improve overall SecureMesh NAN performance while at the same time offering additional flexibility in deployment capabilities.
The SecureMesh Powerline Repeater leverages Cooper’s Energy Harvesting (EH) Power Supply, using a current transformer to power operation of a variety of radios and sensors through inductive coupling with the power line.The SecureMesh Powerline Repeater combines Cooper Power’s EH Power Supply technology and Trilliant’s SecureMesh NAN radio into one integrated unit designed to improve a utility’s radio coverage, mesh-network density, and communications reliability. Using the Cooper-patented clamp mechanism and spring-action current transformers, the Repeater can be installed on almost any power line, including energized lines. As a result, the device can be flexibly deployed based on communications and network connectivity requirements without being constrained by the availability of a 120-240Vac power source.
Installation of a SecureMesh Powerline Repeater is simple and economical, with no wires to connect and no special tools required. In cases that require the additional of a 120-240Vac supply crew installation time is reduced from hours to minutes.
"Utilities are entering an exciting era where a truly Smart Grid can enable applications that never existed before," said Mike Stoessl, Group President, Cooper Power Systems. "Energy harvesting power supplies like the one deployed at Hydro One are an essential part of the Smart Grid and can be installed almost anywhere, significantly reducing the cost of deployment and maintenance while improving network performance."
According to Rob Conant, Senior Vice President Network Products at Trilliant, "In addition to fast, low-cost deployment and simple installation, the SecureMesh Powerline Repeater improves network performance and reliability by reducing the range between NAN nodes as well as increasing mesh density and the number of possible communication paths."
