Application Scenarios

In a 110kV smart substation upgrade project in Southeast Asia, the utility operator faced a critical challenge: their existing REF615 feeder protection relays were configured with only a single Ethernet port, limiting them to either SCADA communication or process-level GOOSE messaging. This forced an either/or choice between system monitoring and high-speed protection coordination. By deploying the ABB 1MRK000005-63 dual-Ethernet expansion module, each relay gained an independent second network interface. One port connects to the station-level SCADA network for supervisory monitoring and control, while the dedicated second port handles the process-level IEC 61850 GOOSE network, delivering sub-4ms trip commands to adjacent circuit breakers. The result was a fully redundant communication architecture that satisfied the strict “security partition” requirements of modern grid codes, eliminated single-point-of-failure concerns, and reduced overall system complexity by removing external protocol gateways .

Parameters

Technical Principles and Innovative Values

• Innovation Point 1: Dual-Network Redundancy for Zero Compromise Connectivity
  The ABB 1MRK000005-63 provides two completely independent Ethernet ports, allowing the relay to simultaneously participate in both the station-level management network and the process-level GOOSE network. This architecture enables true communication redundancy without sharing bandwidth or competing for resources—a significant advantage over single-port solutions. The module’s 2kV galvanic isolation between ports and to ground ensures that a surge event on one network cannot compromise the other, protecting critical protection functions from electrical interference common in high-voltage switchyards .

• Innovation Point 2: Native IEC 61850 GOOSE for Sub-4ms Protection Speed
  Unlike conventional communication modules that rely on slower polling or request-response mechanisms, the ABB 1MRK000005-63 natively supports GOOSE publish/subscribe messaging, enabling peer-to-peer communication between protection IEDs. This allows protection relays to directly signal neighboring circuit breakers for tripping without routing through a central controller or SCADA server—delivering command speeds below 4 milliseconds. For applications like busbar differential protection or feeder fast-transfer schemes, this speed advantage can mean the difference between a contained fault and a widespread blackout .

• Innovation Point 3: Multi-Protocol Concurrency for Legacy-to-Modern Bridge
  The ABB 1MRK000005-63 simultaneously supports Modbus TCP (for older HMI panels) and IEC 61850 (for modern digital substation backends), enabling a smooth migration pathway. Facilities can maintain existing visualization and control infrastructure while gradually adopting GOOSE-based automation. The module also supports DNP3, making it compatible with North American utility communication standards .

• Innovation Point 4: Designed for the Harshest Substation Environments
  With a wide operating temperature range of –25°C to +70°C, the ABB 1MRK000005-63 is certified for deployment in outdoor cabinets, tropical climates, and extreme seasonal variations. The module has passed IEC 61000-4 series electromagnetic compatibility tests, making it resilient against the high-voltage transients, switching surges, and radiated RF fields present in 500kV and above substations . This ruggedness distinguishes it from generic commercial Ethernet adapters that would fail under such demanding conditions.

Application Cases and Industry Value

Case 1: 110kV Smart Substation Feeder Protection Upgrade
A regional power utility in Vietnam undertook a digitalization project for a critical 110kV substation serving an industrial park. The existing REF615 relays were performing basic overcurrent protection but lacked GOOSE capability for automated feeder switching. The utility deployed the ABB 1MRK000005-63 on eight REF615H relays, dedicating Port 1 to SCADA communication via Modbus TCP and Port 2 to a dedicated GOOSE network for inter-relay tripping coordination. The implementation enabled automated fault isolation and feeder restoration within 150ms—a 70% improvement over the previous manual intervention process. The utility’s protection engineer noted that the ABB 1MRK000005-63 turned what was essentially a “dumb” protection device into an intelligent, communicative substation node, and the dual-network architecture provided the confidence to retire several aging interlock hardwires .

Case 2: Wind Farm Substation Communication Resilience
A 50 MW wind farm in Inner Mongolia operated REM615 relays for turbine step-up transformer protection. Frequent voltage sags and lightning-induced transients occasionally corrupted the single Ethernet connection, causing loss of visibility at the control center. After retrofitting with the ABB 1MRK000005-63, each REM615 relay gained a secondary Ethernet path connected to a different network switch. When lightning struck near the substation and took out the primary switch, communications seamlessly shifted to the secondary path with zero data loss. The wind farm operator reported a 90% reduction in communication-related alarms and full compliance with grid code requirements for redundant substation communication—all achieved at a fraction of the cost of replacing the entire relay fleet .