Introduction

The power industry is a pillar of the national economy, and its safe and stable operation is directly linked to both industrial production and people’s daily lives. In the context of smart grid development, tasks such as device coordination, data acquisition, and fault localization in substations, power plants, and dispatch centers all rely on high‑precision time‑synchronization systems. Time‑synchronization errors can lead to serious issues—including false tripping of protective devices, inaccurate metering, and difficulties in fault diagnosis—and may even trigger grid‑wide outages. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the technical requirements, deployment strategies, and security safeguards for time synchronization in the power sector, and presents application case studies from Zhongxin Chuang in this field.

I. Core Technical Requirements for Time Synchronization in the Power Industry

1. Timing accuracy : Protection devices, measurement and control equipment, fault recorders, and other substation equipment require time synchronization accuracy. ≤1μs ; of the dispatch center EMS System, SCADA System, accuracy requirements ≤1ms , ensuring temporal consistency between device operations and data acquisition.
2. Stability and Reliability : The power system needs 7×24 For continuous operation over hours, the time synchronization system must exhibit high stability, with a mean time between failures ( MTBF ) ≥10 Ten thousand hours; it also features redundant backup to prevent time synchronization disruptions caused by single-point failures.
3. Anti-interference capability : In power‑generation sites, harsh environmental conditions such as strong electromagnetic interference and voltage fluctuations are common. Therefore, time servers must possess robust anti‑interference capabilities, achieved through electromagnetic compatibility ( EMC ) Testing to ensure stable operation even in complex environments.
4. Compliance : Must comply with the “Technical Specification for Time Synchronization in Power Systems” ( DL/T 1100-2019 ) industry standards, supporting IRIG-B、 PTP 、 NTP and various time‑synchronization protocols, compatible with a wide range of devices in the power industry.

II. Deployment Plan for Time Synchronization Systems in the Power Industry

1. Architecture Design : Adopt “ Main - Standby clock ” Architecture, in the substation / Power plant deployment 1 Taiju Zhong He 1 The backup clock prioritizes receiving BeiDou satellite signals, while the primary clock serves as the backup. When the primary clock fails or its signal becomes abnormal, the backup clock automatically takes over, ensuring uninterrupted time synchronization. The dispatch center deploys a centralized management platform to enable unified monitoring and management of all time‑synchronization devices across the network.
2. Equipment Selection : Choose an industrial-grade time server, featuring seismic resistance, dustproofing, and wide-temperature operation ( -40℃~85℃ ) and other features, making it well-suited to the harsh conditions of power‑grid sites; it supports multi‑protocol output, meeting the synchronization requirements of various devices such as protection relays, measurement and control equipment, and monitoring systems. Zhongxin Chuang DNTS-9B Series of power‑specific time servers, fully compliant with DL/T 1100-2019 The standard has been widely adopted in substations at all levels.
3. Signal transmission : Time signals are transmitted via fiber optic cables or shielded twisted-pair cables to minimize the impact of electromagnetic interference on synchronization accuracy; critical equipment employs direct synchronization, while non‑critical devices use indirect synchronization through a switch, balancing precision and cost.

III. Case Study: A Certain… 220kV Substation Time Synchronization System Upgrade

Some 220kV The substation’s original time synchronization system employs GPS Time synchronization suffers from issues such as reliance on foreign‑made signals, insufficient accuracy, and a lack of redundant backups, making it unable to meet the requirements of smart grid development. Zhongxin Chuang has provided an upgrade solution:

• Deployment 2 Taiwan DNTS-9B A dedicated time server for power systems, serving as a primary and backup clock, supports the BeiDou navigation satellite system. + GPS Dual-mode timing, eliminating reliance on a single source;
• The primary and backup clocks are connected via fiber optic cable, enabling automatic switchover with a switchover time of… ≤1 seconds;
• Support IRIG-B (Direct current), PTP 、 NTP Agreements, for within the substation 30 Residual current protective devices, 20 Taiwan measurement and control equipment, 10 The fault recording device provides synchronization services.
• Deploy a centralized management platform to monitor in real time the operational status of primary and backup clocks, signal strength, and device synchronization, and configure anomaly alerting functionality.

After the upgrade, the system time synchronization accuracy has been improved to 500 ns Within this range, it meets the accuracy requirements of smart grids; a primary‑backup redundancy design ensures service continuity, enabling year‑round fault‑free operation; and BeiDou time synchronization achieves independent control, enhancing system security and earning high recognition from power utilities.

Conclusion

The time synchronization system is essential for the safe and stable operation of the smart grid. “ Lifeline ” Its accuracy, stability, and security directly affect the operational efficiency and reliability of the power system. Power‑industry users should select time‑synchronization solutions that comply with industry standards, are well‑suited to the on‑site environment, and feature redundancy and backup capabilities, while also prioritizing domestic production and independent, controllable systems. As a provider of time‑synchronization solutions for the power sector, Zhongxin Chuang will continue to optimize product performance, delivering more reliable technical support for smart grid development.