System and method for sensing one or more power lines

Abstract

A power line sensor includes a housing and a near-field sensor. The housing is configured to be coupled to a power line. The near-field sensor is configured to sense a leakage current on the power line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 896,201, filed September 5, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Technology

[0002] The examples involve power line sensors. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Power line events can be detected by sensing partial discharge, which can be a low leakage current from the primary line through a path of minimum resistance to ground. Early detection of low leakage current can be used for correction and prevention before power line events occur. Leakage current can be detected via ground-based and / or air-based assessments. However, such assessments can be too expensive and time-consuming.

[0004] Therefore, one embodiment provides a power line sensor including a housing and a near-field sensor. The housing is configured to be coupled to a power line. The near-field sensor is configured to sense leakage current on the power line.

[0005] Another embodiment provides a method for determining potential events on a power line. The method includes sensing leakage current on the power line via a near-field sensor. The method also includes determining potential events based on the leakage current on the power line via an electronic processor.

[0006] Another embodiment provides a system for determining potential events on a power line. The system includes a first line sensor, a second line sensor, and an electronic processor. The first line sensor includes a first near-field sensor configured to sense a first leakage current at a first location on the line. The second line sensor includes a second near-field sensor configured to sense a second leakage current at a second location on the line. The electronic processor is configured to receive data corresponding to the first and second leakage currents and to determine the location of a potential event on the line based on the data.

[0007] Other aspects of this application will become apparent upon consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 A public service allocation system according to some embodiments is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 This illustrates a configuration for sensing according to some embodiments. Figure 1 A block diagram of one or more characteristics of the line sensors in a public service distribution system.

[0010] Figure 3This illustrates a configuration for sensing according to some embodiments. Figure 1 A block diagram of a line sensing system for one or more characteristics of a public service allocation system.

[0011] Figures 4A to 4C A line sensor according to some embodiments is shown.

[0012] Figure 5 It shows the sensing Figure 1 A flowchart of the process of one or more characteristics of a public service allocation system. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Before explaining any embodiment of this application in detail, it should be understood that this application is not limited to the construction details and component arrangements set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments are possible with this application, and it can be practiced or performed in various ways.

[0014] Figure 1 A public service allocation system 100 according to some embodiments is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, system 100 includes one or more power lines 105 supported by one or more utility poles 110. Although illustrated as being supported by utility poles 110, in other embodiments, the power lines 105 may be located underground and / or supported by other structures (e.g., buildings). System 100 may also include line sensors 115.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a line sensor (such as, but not limited to, a power line sensor) 115 according to some embodiments. The line sensor 115 may be configured to be directly coupled to line 105 and to sense one or more characteristics of line 105. In some embodiments, the line sensor 115 is coupled to line 105 by clamping around line 105.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, the line sensor 115 includes a power input 205, a characteristic sensor 210, a near-field sensor 215, and a transceiver 220. In some embodiments, the line sensor 115 further includes an electronic processor and a memory. The electronic processor and / or memory may be configured to provide signal conditioning and / or detection. The power input 205 may be configured to receive power from the line 105, convert the line power to rated power, and provide power to other components and / or modules of the line sensor 115.

[0017] The characteristic sensor 210 may be configured to sense one or more characteristics of line 105. In some embodiments, the sensed characteristics include electrical characteristics, such as, but not limited to, line voltage and line current. In some embodiments, the sensed characteristics include one or more temperatures, such as, but not limited to, line temperature and / or ambient temperature. In some embodiments, the sensed characteristics include tilt and / or line sag, wind movement, electric field, power generation and / or power distribution and consumption.

[0018] Near-field sensor 215 can be configured to detect leakage current in line 105. The leakage current in line 105 can be the leakage current from the main line of line 105 through a path of minimum resistance to ground. In some embodiments, near-field sensor 215 detects the leakage current by sensing radio frequency (RF) of a discharge or partial discharge from line 105. As shown, in some embodiments, near-field sensor 215 senses the RF of the discharge via near-field antenna 225.

[0019] In some embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 is a conductive sensor. In some embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 is an electromagnetic sensor. In such embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 may sense leakage current via electromagnetic radiation sensing (or radiation sensing), radio frequency sensing, light sensing (e.g., ultraviolet sensing, infrared sensing, etc.) and / or thermal sensing. In some embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 is an acoustic sensor. In such embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 may sense leakage current via audio sensing (e.g., by means of the devices (such as, but not limited to, audio sensors) and methods disclosed herein by reference in U.S. Patent No. 10,440,472, which is incorporated herein by reference) and / or ultrasonic sensing. In some embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 is a gas sensor. In such embodiments, the near-field sensor 215 may sense leakage current via ozone sensing and / or nitrous oxide sensing.

[0020] Transceiver 220 and transceiver antenna 230 may be configured to enable wireless communication to / from line sensor 115. In other embodiments, in addition to transceiver 220 and transceiver antenna 230, line sensor 115 may include separate transmitting and receiving components, such as a transmitter, a transmitting antenna, a receiver, and a receiving antenna. In some embodiments, transceiver 220 may be configured to enable wired communication to / from line sensor 115.

[0021] Line sensor 115 can communicate with external device 235 via transceiver 220. In some embodiments, line sensor 115 communicates wirelessly with external device via communication link 240. In some embodiments, communication link 240 is, for example, a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., a network based on Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), a cellular network such as, for example, Global System for Mobile Communications (or Group Private Mobile (GSM)) network, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, Evolved Data Optimized (EV-DO) network, Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, 3GSM network, 4GSM network, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) network, Digital Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) (IS-136 / Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)) network, or Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), etc.). In other embodiments, the communication link 240 is, for example, a local area network (LAN), neighborhood network (NAN), home area network (HAN), or personal area network (PAN) employing any of a variety of communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. Other wide area networks, such as land mobile radio (LMR), terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA), and digital mobile radio (DMR), may also be used. In some embodiments, the line sensor 115 uses one or more of the communication protocols described above.

[0022] External device 235 may be, but is not limited to, an external computer, one or more servers, a smartphone, a tablet, and / or a laptop. As shown, external device 235 may be located remotely from line sensor 115. External device 235 may include an electronic processor and memory. In one embodiment of operation, external device 235 receives data corresponding to one or more characteristics of line 105 and / or leakage current of line 105. External device 235 then analyzes the data to detect potential events that may occur on line 105.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a line sensing system 300 according to some embodiments. System 300 may include one or more line sensors 115a, 115b, 115c coupled to line 105 at various line portions 305a, 305b, 305c. In some embodiments, the various line portions 305 may be located at equal and / or different distances from each other. Although only three line sensors are shown, in other embodiments, system 300 may include four or more line sensors. Each sensor 115a, 115b, 115c may be communicatively coupled to an external device 235 such that the external device 235 can receive data from each line sensor 115a, 115b, 115c.

[0024] In one embodiment of operation, external device 235 receives data corresponding to leakage currents at one or more of the portions 305a, 305b, 305c of line 105 corresponding to the locations of sensors 115a, 115b, 115c. Based on the data from line sensors 115a, 115b, 115c, external device 235 can determine and / or infer the location of potential events on line 105. For example, a first leakage current detected by line sensor 115a having a larger amplitude than a second leakage current detected by line sensor 115b may correspond to a potential event occurring between line sensors 115a and 115b in a region closer to line sensor 115a than line sensor 115b. External device 235 can then output an alarm and / or notification of the potential event, and / or the location of the potential event on line 105.

[0025] Figure 4A A line sensor 400 according to some embodiments is shown. Line sensor 400 may include components and functions similar to line sensor 115, including signal conditioning and / or detection. Similar to line sensor 115, line sensor 400 may include a transceiver 240 configured to sense leakage current in line 105 via near-field sensing.

[0026] Figure 4B A line sensor 405 according to some embodiments is shown. Line sensor 405 may include components and functions similar to line sensor 115, including signal conditioning and / or detection. Line sensor 405 may include a current transformer (CT) 410 in addition to or replacing transceiver 240. In some embodiments, CT 410 is a coil wound around a magnetic core (e.g., a toroidal ferrite core). Line 105 may pass through the magnetic core of CT 410. In one embodiment of operation, CT 410 senses leakage current, and line sensor 405 performs signal conditioning and / or detection on the sensed leakage current. In some embodiments, CT 410 may receive power from line 105 and sense leakage current on line 105.

[0027] Figure 4CA line sensor 415 according to some embodiments is shown. Line sensor 415 may include components and functions similar to those of line sensor 115, including signal conditioning and / or detection. Line sensor 415 may include a first CT 420 and a second CT 425. In some embodiments, the first CT 420 and the second CT 425 may be substantially similar to CT 410. In one embodiment of operation, line sensor 415 may receive power via the first CT 420 and supply power to power input 205, while the second CT 425 may be used to sense leakage current on line 105.

[0028] Figure 5 Operation or process 500 according to some embodiments is illustrated. Process 500 may be performed via line sensor 115, external device 235, line sensor 400, and / or system 300. Leakage current is sensed via a near-field sensor (box 505). Potential events are determined based on the sensed leakage current (box 510).

[0029] Among other things, embodiments provide a system and method for determining potential events on a power line. The following claims set forth various features and advantages of this application.

Claims

1. A method for determining potential events on a power line, the method comprising: A first leakage current is sensed at a first location on the power line from the main line of the power line through a path with a first minimum resistance to ground via a first near-field sensor coupled to the power line. A first characteristic is sensed at the first location via a first characteristic sensor, wherein the first characteristic includes at least one of the group consisting of the sag of the electric line at the first location and the amount of wind movement at the first location; A second leakage current is sensed at a second location on the power line via a second near-field sensor coupled to the power line, from the main line of the power line through a path of second minimum resistance to ground. A second characteristic is sensed at the second location via a second characteristic sensor, wherein the second characteristic includes at least one of the group consisting of the sag of the electric line at the second location and the amount of wind movement at the second location; The electronic processor receives a first leakage current signal corresponding to the first leakage current from the first near-field sensor and a first characteristic signal corresponding to the first characteristic from the first characteristic sensor. The electronic processor receives a second leakage current signal corresponding to the second leakage current from the second near-field sensor and a second characteristic signal corresponding to the second characteristic from the second characteristic sensor. The location of a potential event on the power line is determined by an electronic processor based on the first leakage current signal, the first characteristic signal, the second leakage current signal, and the second characteristic signal, wherein the location of the potential event is between the first location and the second location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic processor is located away from the near-field sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The near-field sensor is a conductive sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The near-field sensor is a radiation sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The near-field sensor is integrated into the current transformer.

6. A system for determining potential events on a power line, the system comprising: A first line sensor includes a first near-field sensor and a first characteristic sensor. The first near-field sensor is configured to sense a first leakage current from the main line of the power line through a path of a first minimum resistance to ground at a first location on the power line. The first characteristic sensor is configured to sense a first characteristic at the first location, wherein the first characteristic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of the sag of the power line at the first location and the amount of wind movement at the first location. The second line sensor includes a second near-field sensor and a second characteristic sensor. The second near-field sensor is configured to sense a second leakage current from the main line of the power line through a path of second minimum resistance to ground at a second location on the power line. The second characteristic sensor is configured to sense a second characteristic at the second location, wherein the second characteristic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of the sag of the power line at the second location and the amount of wind movement at the second location. The electronic processor is configured as follows: The system receives a first leakage current signal corresponding to the first leakage current from the first near-field sensor and a first characteristic signal corresponding to the first characteristic from the first characteristic sensor. The second leakage current signal corresponding to the second leakage current is received from the second near-field sensor, and the second characteristic signal corresponding to the second characteristic is received from the second characteristic sensor. The location of a potential event on the power line is determined based on the first leakage current signal, the first characteristic signal, the second leakage current signal, and the second characteristic signal, wherein the location of the potential event is between the first location and the second location.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The first near-field sensor and the second near-field sensor are combined into a current transformer.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The electronic processor is located away from at least one of the groups selected from the first line sensor and the second line sensor.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The first near-field sensor is a conductive sensor.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The first near-field sensor is a radiation sensor.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The first near-field sensor is incorporated into the current transformer.

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