High-Voltage Lead-Through Device Sensor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-voltage lead-through devices face challenges in measuring physical properties like temperature without interfering with the electric field design or jeopardizing the device's function, especially when using optical solutions in solid insulation environments, which are difficult to implement due to material reactivity and sensitivity issues.
Innovation Solution
A high-voltage lead-through device with an insulator body and conducting foils, where a sensor measures physical properties using electric signals, and a communication unit outside the insulator body communicates data wirelessly, employing a low-power communication medium like Bluetooth Low Energy, ensuring the sensor operates within a different potential range without interfering with the electric field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical fibres are used as sensors in the insulator body, then measurement capability is achieved, but implementation difficulty increases due to material reactivity and sensitivity to cuts and bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical fibre sensing system with an electrical sensing system. Instead of using optical fibres that are sensitive to mechanical damage and material reactivity, the invention uses electrical sensors and signal transmission through conducting foils and conductors embedded in the insulator body, thereby eliminating the implementation difficulties associated with optical fibres while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters by using electrical signals instead of optical signals. This parameter change allows the use of conducting foils and electrical conductors that are more compatible with the insulator body materials and less sensitive to manufacturing challenges, while still achieving the desired physical property measurements
2Ease of manufacture
If electric signals are used for sensor communication, then ease of implementation improves, but strong electric fields and high electric potential levels become a problem
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces conducting foils as intermediary elements between the sensor and the external communication system. These foils are integrated into the insulator body structure and serve as potential equalizing elements, creating intermediate potential levels that bridge the high potential inside the insulator and the low potential outside, thereby enabling safe electrical signal transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies equipotentiality by connecting conducting foils to the sensor and main conductor at specific points, creating equipotential regions that allow electrical signals to be transmitted without exposing the signals to harmful potential differences. The communication unit is positioned where it can receive signals from these equipotential conducting foils
3Reliability
If a sensor is placed inside the insulator body, then measurement reliability improves for the whole device lifetime, but the sensor location must not interfere with the electric field design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor mounting structure with the existing conducting foil system of the insulator body. The sensor is electrically connected to the conducting foils that are already part of the electric field design, thereby integrating the measurement function into the existing structure without adding separate mounting hardware that would interfere with the electric field
Solution Approach 2:
The conducting foils serve multiple functions: they are part of the electric field design for voltage distribution and also serve as signal transmission paths for the sensor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate signal transmission structures, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining both electric field integrity and sensor functionality
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
Enables reliable, long-term measurement of physical properties inside the insulator body without disrupting the device's operation, simplifying maintenance and allowing for dynamic thermal rating calculations to set maximum current levels, thus improving the monitoring and control of high-voltage systems.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor adjacent the main conductor in the interior of the insulator body inside the closest neighbouring foil and configured to measure a physical property of the high voltage lead-through device
Implementation Method 2
a communication unit adjacent the main conductor outside of the insulator body and being connected to the sensor using a first communication medium, wherein the communication unit comprises a communication module employing a second, different communication medium for communicating data concerning the measured physical property to a data distributing device at a third electric potential
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A high-voltage lead-through device (14) comprises an insulator body (20) having a solid exterior and including insulation, a main conductor (22) passing therethrough, , a sensor (30) adjacent the main conductor (22) inside the insulator body measuring a physical property of the device and a communication unit (28) adjacent the main conductor outside the insulator body (20), wherein the main conductor has a first electric potential (P1), a section (CS) of the solid exterior of the insulator body faces a second electric potential (P2), the communication unit is connected to the sensor using a signal conductor (26) as a first electrical communication medium and the communication unit employs a different communication medium for communicating with a data distribution device at a third electric potential.