How to Simulate Smart Grid Networks Projects Using NS3

To Simulate Smart Grid Networks in NS3 has includes to design communication networks for power grids, that involves energy management, demand response, and communication among numerous smart grid components like smart meters, control centres, and substations. Here’s a guide on how to simulate Smart Grid Networks using NS3:

General approach to Simulate Smart Grid Networks Projects Using NS3

Step 1: Install NS3

Make sure that NS3 is installed and ready for use.

1. Install dependencies:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install g++ python3 python3-pip git cmake

1. Clone and build NS3:

git clone https://gitlab.com/nsnam/ns-3-dev.git

cd ns-3-dev

./build.py

Step 2: Key Components of Smart Grid Networks

In a Smart Grid Network simulation, we need to model:

• Smart meters: Devices that evaluate and report energy usage.
• Substations: Intermediate points in the electrical grid that transmit data.
• Control centers: Central nodes that handle the grid.
• Communication protocols: IEEE 802.11, 802.15.4, PLC (Power Line Communication), or cellular networks.

Step 3: Simulating Smart Meters with Wireless Networks

Smart meters are usually connected through wireless communication protocols. we can mimic smart meters using NS3’s Wi-Fi or 802.15.4 (ZigBee) models.

Example: Simulating smart meters using Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11)

1. Generate nodes demonstrating smart meters and a control center:

NodeContainer smartMeters;

smartMeters.Create(5);  // Create 5 smart meters

NodeContainer controlCenter;

controlCenter.Create(1);  // Control center

1. Configure Wi-Fi communication:

WifiHelper wifi;

wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211b);

YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();

YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();

wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());

NqosWifiMacHelper wifiMac = NqosWifiMacHelper::Default();

NetDeviceContainer wifiDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, smartMeters);

1. Install the internet stack on nodes:

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(smartMeters);

internet.Install(controlCenter);

1. Allocate IP addresses:

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer wifiInterfaces = address.Assign(wifiDevices);

Step 4: Simulating Data Exchange between Smart Meters and Control Centers

To replicate data reporting from smart meters to the control centre, that can utilize UDP/TCP communication protocols.

Example: UDP communication for smart meter data reporting

1. Configure a UDP server on the control centre:

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);  // Port 9

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(controlCenter.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

1. Set up UDP clients on the smart meters:

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(wifiInterfaces.GetAddress(0), 9);  // Control center IP

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(1));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

for (uint32_t i = 0; i < smartMeters.GetN(); ++i) {

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(smartMeters.Get(i));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

}

Step 5: Simulating Energy Management in Smart Grid Networks

Energy management has contained the communication among grid components to enhance energy usage and distribution. This can be replicated by incorporating communication models with control techniques for energy management.

Example: Simulating Demand Response

1. Demand response can be replicated by sending control signals from the control center to the smart meters, asking them to minimize power consumption in the course of peak hours.
2. Configure  control signals from the control center:

class DemandResponseProtocol {

public:

void SendControlSignal(Ptr<Node> controlCenter, NodeContainer smartMeters) {

// Simulate sending control signals to reduce consumption

std::cout << “Sending demand response signal to smart meters” << std::endl;

}

};

1. Incorporate the demand response protocol in the simulation:

DemandResponseProtocol drProtocol;

drProtocol.SendControlSignal(controlCenter.Get(0), smartMeters);

Step 6: Simulating Renewable Energy in Smart Grids

Smart grids usually integrate renewable energy sources such as solar or wind. We can replicate the incoporation of renewable energy by expanding the EnergySource model in NS3.

Example: Implementing a Solar Power Model

Expand the basic energy model to emulate an energy being replenished by solar panels.

class SolarEnergySource : public BasicEnergySource {

public:

void ReplenishEnergy() {

double solarEnergy = CalculateSolarEnergy();

this->SetRemainingEnergy(this->GetRemainingEnergy() + solarEnergy);

}

double CalculateSolarEnergy() {

return 1.0;  // 1 Joule per time unit based on solar conditions

}

};

Step 7: Simulating Communication over Power Lines (PLC)

If we want to replicate Power Line Communication (PLC) that can execute a custom communication model or utilize wired links among nodes to emulate the electrical grid.

1. Configure  Point-to-Point links to replicate communication over power lines:

PointToPointHelper pointToPoint;

pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“100Mbps”));

pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“2ms”));

NetDeviceContainer plcDevices;

plcDevices = pointToPoint.Install(smartMeters.Get(0), controlCenter.Get(0));  // Simulating PLC

1. Assign IP addresses:

Ipv4AddressHelper plcAddress;

plcAddress.SetBase(“10.2.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer plcInterfaces = plcAddress.Assign(plcDevices);

Step 8: Run the Simulation

Execute the simulation with the smart grid components, communication protocols, and energy management approches.

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

Step 9: Analyse the Results

Utilize NS3’s FlowMonitorHelper to measure network performance and energy management in the smart grid.

FlowMonitorHelper flowmon;

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor = flowmon.InstallAll();

Simulator::Run();

monitor->SerializeToXmlFile(“smart-grid-network-flowmonitor.xml”, true, true);

Simulator::Destroy();

Example Complete Smart Grid Simulation Script

Here’s a basic simulation script that contain smart meters, a control centre, and demand response:

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

// Step 1: Create smart meter and control center nodes

NodeContainer smartMeters;

smartMeters.Create(5);

NodeContainer controlCenter;

controlCenter.Create(1);

// Step 2: Set up Wi-Fi communication

WifiHelper wifi;

wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211b);

YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();

YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();

wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());

NqosWifiMacHelper wifiMac = NqosWifiMacHelper::Default();

NetDeviceContainer wifiDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, smartMeters);

// Step 3: Install internet stack and assign IP addresses

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(smartMeters);

internet.Install(controlCenter);

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer wifiInterfaces = address.Assign(wifiDevices);

// Step 4: Set up UDP communication for smart meters and control center

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(controlCenter.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(wifiInterfaces.GetAddress(0), 9);

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(1));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

for (uint32_t i = 0; i < smartMeters.GetN(); ++i) {

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(smartMeters.Get(i));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

}

// Step 5: Simulate Demand Response

DemandResponseProtocol drProtocol;

drProtocol.SendControlSignal(controlCenter.Get(0), smartMeters);

// Step 6: Run the simulation

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

This basic Smart Grid Network simulation can be prolong by adding more smart meters, that integrates different communication technologies such as PLC, and simulating more complex energy management approaches.

Finally, we had successfully delivered the significant procedures to simulate the smart grid network in ns3 tool and also we deliver the sample snippets and their explanation. More information will be shared about this process in upcoming manual. Our specialists are engaged in the development of various smart grid components, including smart meters, control centers, and substations. For your projects, we offer innovative ideas and solutions. To simulate smart grid network projects utilizing the NS3 tool, you may visit phdprime.com, where we deliver optimal simulation results.