Color-Coded Power Distribution for Three-Phase Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power distribution systems for three-phase generators in emergency and disaster recovery scenarios often face issues with unbalanced amperage, leading to potential power outages, equipment damage, and inefficiencies, as they lack effective tracking and balancing mechanisms for single-phase power circuits.
Innovation Solution
A color-coded power distribution system that includes a three-phase distribution panel with distinct phase meters and outlet modules, each identified by unique visual identifiers, allowing for easy tracking and balancing of power loads and facilitating fault correction by visually identifying overloaded or faulty circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If power distribution systems use three-phase generators without visual identification, then power can be distributed to remote work areas, but tracking and balancing of single-phase power circuits becomes difficult leading to unbalanced amperage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coded identifiers to phase meters and outlet modules to enable visual tracking of single-phase power circuits. Each phase (A, B, C) is assigned a distinct color that flows through the entire distribution system from the generator through outlet modules to individual outlets. This allows operators to easily identify which outlets are connected to which phases and balance the load across all three phases by visually monitoring the color-coded circuits, thereby preventing unbalanced amperage and power outages.
2Productivity
If power distribution systems lack visual identifiers, then the system structure remains simple, but fault correction and identification of overloaded circuits becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a color-coded identification system where each phase is assigned a specific color that is consistently applied to phase meters, outlet modules, and individual outlets throughout the distribution system. This visual coding enables rapid identification of overloaded or faulty circuits by allowing operators to quickly trace the color-coded phase through the distribution network, significantly reducing fault correction time without adding substantial complexity to the system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual replication of phase identifiers across multiple components. The same color-coded phase identifiers are copied from the generator's phase meters through the outlet modules to the individual outlets, creating a consistent visual map that enables rapid fault identification and correction while maintaining system simplicity.
3Productivity
If power distribution systems do not track individual circuits, then the system remains simple to manufacture, but maximization of three-phase generator production and prevention of overloads becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded visual identifiers on phase meters and outlet modules to enable effective tracking of individual single-phase circuits within the three-phase distribution system. This allows operators to monitor and balance the load across all three phases, maximizing generator production while preventing overloads through simple visual identification rather than complex electronic tracking mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an identifier-coding system for use in disaster recovery. The system allows a user to track the use of different single-phase power circuits from a centrally located, three-phase generator to one or more remote worksites, including by visual identification of each downstream ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. The present system also provides tracking from a three-phase distribution panel to the remote power outlet modules to simplify fault correction if an overload or short circuit were to occur.