About FNET
Operated by the Power Information Technology Laboratory at the University of Tennessee, FNET is a low-cost, quickly deployable GPS-synchronized wide-area frequency measurement network. High dynamic accuracy Frequency Disturbance Recorders (FDRs) are used to measure the frequency, phase angle, and voltage of the power system at ordinary 120 V outlets. The measurement data are continuously transmitted via the Internet to the FNET servers hosted at the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech. The Power IT Lab has developed several applications which use the FNET data to study the power system, including:
- Event detection and location
- Oscillation detection
- Animations of frequency and angle perturbations
- Integration of renewables into the power grid
- Detection of system breakup or islanding
- Prediction of grid instability and reduction of blackouts
- Providing grid control input signals
Video: How to Install Your Frequency Disturbance Recorder
FNET Consortium
The FNET Industry Consortium was formed to pool resources to support FNET operations and research. Among other benefits, Consortium member companies have access to automatic power grid event alert e-mails. This e-mail includes event size (MW) and location information whenever possible, as well as event data plots. Members also have access to the FNET event website, which documents the most recent major events.
Contact Professor Yilu Liu (liu@utk.edu) if you would like to learn more about the FNET Industry Consortium.
FNET Application Research
- Event location triangulation and estimation of event size
- Wide-area frequency and angle visualization and graphic display
- Dynamic clustering from FNET data (frequency and angle)
- Inter-area oscillation mode identification
- Post-disturbance scenario reconstruction
- Line activity identification
- Use FNET data to verify system models used in simulations.
- Adaptive under-frequency load shedding algorithm development using wide-area frequency information as inputs
- Wide area FACTS, PSS/HVDC control and coordination using FNET as inputs for damping inter-area oscillations
- Monitoring DG impact on system operations, DG control
- Trending and system response speed analysis of static frequency for all interconnections
- Monitoring tool for Compliance of NERC frequency response requirements
- ACE accuracy improvement with wide-area FNET data
- Study propagation of frequency disturbances as electromechanical waves travel in power systems
- Analyze speed of travel from FNET data and PSS/E simulations
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