Electric Installation Maintenance Device Fault Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current maintenance methods for electrical installations are inefficient in quickly identifying the cause of faults, leading to prolonged unavailability, especially for low-critical level failures, as they rely on local intervention and lack precise fault localization.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that detect voltage shortages, short circuits, and other faults, using event history analysis, decision trees, and remote control capabilities to determine fault causes and manage the restoration of electrical lines, allowing for remote monitoring and control of electrical devices to prevent reactivation until critical issues are acknowledged.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If local intervention is used to verify faults, then fault verification can be performed, but the installation remains unavailable for prolonged periods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault verification accuracyVSAvoidinstallation unavailability duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic fault detection, localization, and verification through the processing means that analyzes event history and communication data independently, without requiring continuous human intervention. The maintenance device autonomously determines fault causes and manages restoration processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously collects and analyzes feedback from electrical devices through communication means, monitoring event history and device states to automatically detect and localize faults. This real-time feedback loop eliminates the need for manual verification while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If detailed event history analysis is implemented, then fault localization precision is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault localization precisionVSAvoidprocessing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing means is divided into specialized functional units: event history analysis means, fault localization means, and restoration management means. This segmentation allows complex analysis tasks to be distributed across dedicated modules, improving precision while managing complexity through functional decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The maintenance device serves multiple functions: it monitors event history, localizes faults, determines fault causes, and manages restoration processes. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated device, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If remote control capabilities are added, then restoration efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverestoration efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The remote control means is merged with the existing communication means and processing means. The same communication infrastructure used for monitoring event history is also used for issuing remote control commands, and the processing means that analyzes faults also manages restoration. This merging avoids adding separate control systems and reduces overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares restoration actions in advance by continuously analyzing event history and identifying potential faults. When a fault is detected, the processing means can immediately initiate pre-planned restoration sequences through remote control, improving efficiency without requiring complex real-time decision systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2637071B1Method and device for maintenance of an electric installation
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IND SAS
  • EP2637071B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2637071B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2637071B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The method involves storing data representative of events (122) occurring in an electric installation, in a database. Malfunctioning or opening disturbances of an electrical protection appliance in the electric installation are detected (123). Causes of the malfunctioning are analyzed (125) according to data of an event history and a state of the installation. Restoration operation of a part of the installation that is out of service, is managed (126) according to the causes of malfunctioning and/or state of electric lines of the installation, and to a predefined decision tree. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a maintenance device (2) an electric installation.