Abstract
Due to the complicated steel structure and safety concern, it is very difficult to deploy wireless networks in power plants. This paper presents a hybrid network, named as $P^2HYMN$ (Power Plant HYbrid Maintenance Network), encompassing PLC (Power Line Communication), TLC (Telephone Line Communication), and Wireless LAN. The design goal of $P^2HYMN$ is to integrate multimedia data such as design drawings of control equipment, process data, and video image data for maintenance operation in electric power plants. A Multiplex Line Communication (MLC) device was designed and implemented to integrate PLC, TLC, and Wireless LAN into $P^2HYMN$. Performance test of $P^2HYMN$ has been conducted on a testbed under various conditions. The throughput of TLC was shown as 39 Mbps. Because the bandwidth requirement per camera is 8.5 Mbps on average, TLC is expected to support more thant four video camera at the same time.
