Buried Sensing Element for Power Cable Disturbance Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for detecting disturbances above power cables or power cable networks are costly and prone to false alarms, making it difficult to respond quickly to external impacts that may cause faults in cables or grids.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a signal transmitter, a sensing element buried in the ground, and a signal processing unit that detects variations in the signal caused by physical impacts, allowing for early warning and prevention of damage to power cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If DAS technology is used to detect disturbances, then detection capability is improved, but false alarms increase and response time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by installing the sensing element in advance above the power cable and continuously monitoring the area. When a disturbance is detected, the system immediately triggers a warning signal, eliminating the need for waiting periods and enabling instant response to potential threats against the power cable infrastructure.
2Ease of manufacture
If warning tapes are used to indicate cable presence, then cost is reduced, but detection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing element acts as an intermediary between the power cable and the monitoring system. It is installed in the ground above the power cable and detects disturbances caused by excavation activities, translating physical ground movements into detectable signal variations that trigger warnings, thereby providing reliable detection at low cost.
3Reliability
If waiting period is implemented to avoid false alarms, then reliability is improved, but response time worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the sensing element continuously monitors the ground above the power cable and immediately feeds back any detected disturbances to the monitoring system. This real-time feedback eliminates the need for waiting periods, as the system can confidently respond to genuine threats without delay while maintaining high reliability through the specific detection methodology.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a cost-effective and reliable means to detect physical impacts near buried power cables, enabling early warning and reducing the risk of partial or total damage to the infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing element configured to be buried in the ground in the underground area and being signally connected to the signal transmitter and configured to interact with a signal from the signal transmitter to create a variation in the signal when the sensing element is exposed to a physical impact
Data Source
AI summary
A system (1) for detecting disturbances in an underground area above a power cable includes a signal transmitter (26) and a sensing element (11) configured to be buried in the ground in the underground area. The sensing element (11) is signally connected to the signal transmitter (26) and is configured to interact with a signal from the signal transmitter (26) to create a variation in the signal when the sensing element (11) is exposed to a physical impact. The system (1) also has a signal processing unit (25) connected to the signal transmitter (26), where the signal processing unit (25) is signally connected to the sensing element (11), and where the signal processing unit (25) is configured to detect the variation in a signal from the sensing element (11).