Application of Power Line Communication for Data Transmission Over PWM Network

Abstract

In industrial applications, a feedback loop is used in order to transmit control and diagnostic informations from the motor back to the inverter. The implementation of such feedback loop requires the use of extra cabling between both sides and that may have length exceeding few hundred meters. In this paper, the motor feeder cable is used for data transmission instead of the separated extra cable by using the power line communication (PLC) technology. However, beside the fact that feeder cables are not designed for data transmission, they are also polluted by the inverter's outcome. Therefore, PLC modems developed for domestic applications may not be suitable. The aim of this study is to underline the possibility of communicating in such an environment. Limitations and difficulties that obstruct transmission are revealed. Also, possible solutions are discussed such as the use of a pulsewidth modulation filter in mean to overcome those limitations.