W H I T E PA P E R

MULTI-MASTER POWER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Benefits over PLC solutions
in ensuring reliable critical power
Loss of grid power
A matter of money, safety, and security

Loss of grid power can cause significant financial

losses as well as safety and security issues unless a
reliable critical power system is available. While PLC
solutions have traditionally been used to control such
systems, multi-master controlled power management
systems (MM PMS) provide several advantages:
They are cheaper to purchase and install, and easier
to set up and maintain. Most importantly, the multi-
master architecture means that such systems are
supremely reliable even if a controller fails, providing
uninterrupted control for applications where power
failure is not an option. This whitepaper explores the
main benefits of MM PMS solutions.

In many applications, power failure is simply not an option.

In mission-critical facilities and businesses such as life
safety, medical, industrial process control, data centres,
telecommunications, and television and radio broadcast
systems, blackouts are not just about money; they are
about safety and security, too.

Blackouts are not just about money; they are

very often about safety and security, too

To keep mission-critical equipment running as it should in

the event of a blackout, a critical power system must be
provided. The system must be able to supply the backup
power necessary to keep mission-critical installations
performing to an acceptable level until grid power can be
restored. Being able to trust the critical power system is
crucial, and a reliable control solution for detecting and
acting on power issues is therefore needed.

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PLCs
The traditional solution

Single point of failiure

PLC

Protection Protection
syncroniser syncroniser
with relay with relay

Protection Protection
syncroniser syncroniser
with relay with relay

Genset 1 Genset 1

Critical power system controlled by a PLC

PLC CONTROL: THE TRADITIONAL SOLUTION There is, however, an alternative to using PLCs. Critical
Traditionally, PLC solutions have been used to control power can be controlled using a multi-master power
critical power systems, with one PLC monitoring the entire management system (MM PMS), a modular solution that
power system and switching from grid power to backup offers several advantages over PLCs in all critical power
power sources, such as a genset or battery, in case of system applications.
grid power failure.
This whitepaper explores the main advantages and the
While this solution is widespread, there are definite benefits they bring. First, we will define what a power
disadvantages: management system is.
• If the controlling PLC fails, there is no power control
until the PLC is repaired or replaced. This makes the
installation vulnerable to shutdowns due to PLC failure.
• Troubleshooting and repairing PLCs requires in-depth Critical power can be controlled using
a multi-master power management
technical knowledge of the PLC solution used, making
system (MM PMS) that offers several
the installation vulnerable to prolonged shutdowns advantages over PLCs.
in case no technician with suitable qualifications is
available. For programmers not familiar with a given
PLC solution, getting acquainted with its programming
is very time consuming.
• Complete PLC solutions including hardware, special
dongles or connectors, software licenses, and training
are often comparatively expensive.

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WHAT IS A PMS?
The term power management system (abbreviated PMS)
is often associated with marine applications. On a ship,
the PMS is responsible for monitoring and controlling
the power generation systems, matching supply and
demand, switching between power sources as needed,
and alerting the crew in case of power problems.
Common tasks include starting and stopping gensets to
match power demand, applying load shedding to reduce
demand, and performing power synchronisation and load
sharing.
The same principles apply to PMSes for land applications.
Controllers monitor the power source, usually the grid,
and switch to backup power sources as needed while
also performing monitoring and optimisation duties like
their marine counterparts.
Netz 1
MASTER
Genset 1
Genset 1 Genset
Genset 22
PMS control
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Multi-master solution
A key difference between a power management system
controlled using a PLC and one controlled with a MM
PMS is the number of controllers used. In a PLC-based
system, one PLC monitors and controls the entire
installation. With a MM PMS, there is one controller
for every power source and associated breaker, and
optionally one controller for every additional important
switch such as the bus tie breaker (BTB). Each controller
is capable of acting as master controller in the system, as
all controllers are interconnected over a communication
network such as a CAN bus. This is why PMS solutions
are called multi-master solutions.
Netz 4
Genset
Genset 33 Genset 44
Genset
 A

Diagram of AGC-4s interconnected over CAN bus

BENEFITS OF MM PMS available controller with the lowest CAN ID on the network
An MM PMS setup provides three major benefits: (for example, 01). This controller is assigned a so-called
• Improved security and reliability through redundancy token. All controllers constantly exchange availability
and features such as Close Before Excitation information over the CAN bus. If the master controller
fails and no longer responds over the CAN bus, the token
• Simpler system design and serviceability with a
is instantly and automatically moved to the available
standardised software platform and features such
controller with the next-lowest CAN ID (in this case, 02)
as system emulation
which then becomes the new master controller.
• Financial savings through lower purchase and
operation costs
In the following, we will take a look at how these benefits
are achieved using a MM PMS.
The multi-master design philosophy means that even if one
IMPROVED SECURITY AND RELIABILITY controller breaks down, the control system will not fail.
An MM PMS with intelligent controllers offers controller
redundancy, greatly improving the security and reliability of
your critical power system. Intelligent controllers offer features
that enable you to get full backup power online quickly.
This solution ensures that there are no power or control
interruptions, and the multi-master setup thus provides
Cost-effective redundancy with multi-master setup
much greater security and reliability than a single-master
In one respect, an MM PMS critical power system performs
PLC solution. (Redundant PLCs are possible, but it is a
just like one controlled by a PLC: If a power source fails,
very costly solution). When a controller is down, an alarm
the controller will quickly change to a backup power source.
message is generated to alert the operator that the faulty
The real safety and reliability benefit in using a PMS
controller needs to be repaired or replaced.
becomes apparent if a controller fails. In an MM PMS, the
multi-master design philosophy means that even if one
The CAN bus setup is very robust. Two independent
controller breaks down, the control system will not fail. It is
communication channels (A and B) ensure that even if one
only the individual controller and associated breaker that
channel becomes unavailable (because of a cable break
does not work.
or a fire, for example), the system is able to use the other
channel for communication. In order to ensure continued
When controllers are interconnected over a CAN bus, the
communication in case of an incident on one channel, the
master controller role is automatically assigned to the
cabling for the two channels must be physically separate.

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CBE: restoring critical power quickly
In many critical power applications, the time it takes to
restore full power from an emergency backup source
is a key consideration. For hospital applications, for
example, EU regulations require full backup power to be
available within 15 seconds of a grid blackout while the
US FPA stipulates a 10 second limit. And in data centre
applications using rotary UPS solutions, backup power
needs to be restored before the UPS stops spinning, and
the faster you get backup power online, the less power
you need to restore in the system.
It therefore makes a great difference how quickly full
power is restored, and this is another area where
an MM PMS solution with intelligent controllers can
offer additional advantages. The CBE (Close Before
Excitation) feature found in the AGC-4 controller from
DEIF is one such feature. It reduces the time it takes to
get full backup power with several gensets. Technical
Director Darius Woitalla of DEIF explains:
Netz 1
MASTER
Genset
Genset 11 Genset
Genset 22
AGC-4s interconnected over CAN bus as before. One controller is down, but another has taken over the master role.
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“In case of grid power failure without CBE, the grid
breaker opens, and a start signal is sent to the gensets.
The engines start; one of them is faster than the other
and is allowed to close the breaker first, connecting it
to the bus bar. The other, “slower” genset needs to be
synchronised with the first one before it can be allowed
to close the breaker and connect to the bus bar, and this
synchronisation takes time – perhaps 3 to 5 seconds for
every additional genset that needs to be synchronised.
This is in addition to the roughly 10 seconds it took to
bring the first genset online. So, if you need to start up,
say, four gensets to cover your power need, it may take
around 25 seconds.”
The combination of a PMS controlling
a complete plant and CBE is a unique solution.
Netz 4
Genset
Genset 33 Genset 4
Genset 4
“In such cases, you can use CBE. With CBE, the breakers
are closed for all gensets when the gensets start. When the
gensets are running, excitation is activated in a delayed
manner. This takes approximately two seconds, and you
have the nominal voltage, e.g. 400 V, 50 Hz on the bus bar.
You save a lot of time because there is no synchronisation
anymore; you just start the gensets! You can have full
backup power on the bus bar within approximately 10
seconds, and not just with one genset. You could have 5, 6,
10 gensets – it doesn’t matter”.
Adding a digital automatic voltage regulator means that
the CBE sequence can be completed faster and with
greater safety and control over the excitation process. The
combination of a PMS controlling a complete plant and
CBE is a unique solution.
EASY SYSTEM DESIGN
AND HIGH SERVICEABILITY
Using a flexible MM PMS solution where most of the
key settings are factory defaults makes it much easier to
design, operate, and troubleshoot a critical power system.
An emulation feature found on DEIF controllers drastically
reduces the time needed to test a completed system.
Flexible platform eases controller selection
Depending on where they are located in the critical power
system, controllers need different hardware and software
configurations. A grid controller, for example, does not
need analogue outputs for controlling gensets, and all
controllers have different responsibilities. By selecting a
flexible hardware platform based on a common software
architecture, you can easily specify controllers for specific
locations in the system while using the same software
architecture to set them up.
By selecting a flexible hardware platform based on a
common software architecture, you can easily specify
controllers for specific locations in the system.
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The AGC-4 controller is one example of such a platform.
The controller can be specified to fulfil any hardware
requirements, for example adding analogue outputs as
needed, but 95% of its functionality is based on factory-
set parameters that do not need to be changed. This
standardisation means that it does not take a specialist
technician to program, service, or replace an AGC-4.
There is no custom programming to learn, and the
technician does not need a special dongle or connector to
connect to the controller.
By contrast, PLC manufacturers often use proprietary
programmes, meaning that even though they are all based
on ladder logic, there may well be differences between the
programmes. Also, nomenclature and operational details
vary widely between PLC manufacturers.
It does not take a specialist technician to
program, service, or replace, an AGC-4
controller from DEIF.
“The reason why so many end customers dislike the
philosophy of using 100% PLCs is that two PLC
programmers may use completely different programming
approaches to reach the same target”, comments Darius
Woitalla. “This makes it very difficult if one technician then
needs to support a programme developed by another
technician because it was done in a different way. With
a controller like the AGC-4, it is very simple to modify
or change something.” In the event that manufacturer
technical support is needed, it is also far easier to get help
on a standardised system than a customised solution that
only the original programmer knows in detail.
Easy design
With a flexible hardware platform, designing an MM
PMS system is comparatively easy. The system
designer only needs to specify one controller per power
source and breaker and connect the controllers over a
communication network such as the CAN bus. Once
everything is connected, the designer can set up all
system parameters, often with user-friendly PC software.
Once everything is set up, the designer or installer can
connect the PC to any controller in the network through
Ethernet or USB and upload the system setup to the
controllers.
The built-in intelligence of an MM PMS can also include
the load side of the system. Traditionally, PLCs have
been used to carry out load side power management,
for example disconnecting and reconnecting non-critical
loads as needed to ensure sufficient power capacity.
By using intelligent controllers on the load side, it is
possible to design an integrated system in which power
and load side controllers communicate without the need
for complex and costly PLC programming. Controllers
such as the ALC-4 from DEIF can be used to provide
a configurable load control logic where the designer
only needs to set load levels for disconnection and
reconnection. The integrated solution means that the
designer often does not need separate measurement
devices.
Emulation feature saves test runs
Intelligent controllers often provide features that help the
system designer save time and money when developing
the MM PMS control solution. The AGC-4, for example,
includes a software emulation feature that lets the
designer carry out a virtual test of the system set-up
from the set-up software utility. The designer can use the
feature to simulate operational issues such as overload
or overvoltage, loss of grid power, or site-specific
conditions such as sensor readouts or the presence of
input signals on specific terminals. The PC screen shows
how the system reacts to changes such as these (for
example if the grid voltage suddenly drops from 400 V
8
to 100 V) so that the designer can check that the critical
power system control set-up is working as expected, or
make any necessary adjustments.
The AGC-4 controller from DEIF includes a
software emulation feature that lets the designer
carry out a virtual test of the system set-up to
simulate operational issues.
The emulation feature can be used to carry out an
FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) on specific controllers
before installing them in the operating environment. It
cannot replace physical tests, and it does not safeguard
against installation errors. It can, however, help identify
and resolve programming errors and therefore greatly
reduces the number of physical test runs needed with
real backup power sources such as gensets. This can
significantly reduce the time and cost of commissioning
a critical power system, and it helps the designer build a
reliable solution.
FINANCIAL SAVINGS
There are significant financial benefits in using an MM
PMS compared to a PLC-based solution. The purchase
price is lower, and the ready-made intelligent features
reduce setup and operating costs.
Lower purchase price
Even though purchasing one controller per power source
(breaker) means buying more controllers than with a
PLC-based solution, the total purchase price will often be
significantly lower, especially if the PLC-based system
needs full redundancy. System vulnerabilities with PLC
solutions can be solved by installing a redundant PLC
unit, but this is very costly.
OPERATIONAL SAVINGS
THROUGH OPTIMISATION FEATURES
One additional financial advantage of using an MM PMS
is that intelligent controllers often include built-in features
that optimise power consumption. These features go
beyond ensuring constant power, adding value to the
customer’s business on an everyday basis.

The AGC-4, for example, offers peak shaving that

adds additional power for peak load situations. The
peak shaving feature detects when installation power
consumption approaches the upper limit set by the grid
power provider. Exceeding this limit usually means
incurring a much higher fee from the provider. To avoid
this, the controller activates and readies one or more
backup power sources such as gensets. All power
consumption in excess of the limit set by the grid power
provider is handled by the backup power source; usually
a much more economical solution than purchasing grid
power at higher rates. The result: Savings and added
value for the customer.

There are significant financial benefits in using an

MM PMS compared to a PLC-based solution.

The real financial savings with an MM PMS, of course, lie

in avoiding unplanned downtime. There is a lot of money
to be saved in selecting a critical power system solution
that is 100% reliable and delivers the power needed – on
time.

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CRITICAL POWER SYSTEMS WITH MM PMS CONTROL: EXAMPLE DESIGNS
Basic critical power system design with individual controllers for all grid connections and emergency power gensets

Netz 1 Netz 2 Netz 3

Genset 1 Genset 2

Critical power system design with an additional controller on the bus tie breaker

Netz 1 Netz 2 Netz 3

Genset 1 Genset 2

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CONCLUSION
MM PMS solutions provide several advantages over
PLC control for critical power applications. Benefits
include easier installation design and serviceability,
cost savings, but most importantly built-in redundancy
and control options that ensures system reliability,
even if a controller fails.
When designing critical power systems with an
MM PMS, it is recommended to look for a flexible
hardware platform with a standardised software
architecture, as this means you do not need specialist
PLC programming knowledge. It is also advisable
to work with a hardware and software vendor able
and willing to provide full technical support in case
of problems. In many applications, power failure is
simply not an option, and if technical issues do occur,
it is of vital importance to work with someone who can
provide the necessary support and assistance to get
everything up and running again quickly.
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Contact DEIF for more information about MM PMS
control in critical power applications.
Want to know more?
CASE STORY:
Visit deif.com to see how an MM PMS solution
supplied by DEIF helped Faroese salmon producer
Bakkafrost overcome an unstable power grid and
avoid estimated losses of millions of euros.
www.deif.com/land-power/cases/bakkafrost
Work with a hardware and software vendor
able and willing to provide full technical
support in case of problems.
DEIF A/S
Frisenborgvej 33, 7800 Skive, Denmark
Tel. +45 9614 9614
Learn more at deif.com