Live Electrical Equipment Diagnostics for Downtime-Free Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical equipment diagnostic methods require equipment to be out of service, making consistent maintenance challenging due to the difficulty in determining when equipment is about to fail or degrade.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic system that includes a sensor device and a controller with algorithms to measure and analyze parameters of electrical equipment in real-time, identifying issues and providing instructions for corrective actions while the equipment is operational.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If maintenance is performed using traditional programs (preventive, predictive, or scheduled), then equipment reliability is improved, but equipment downtime increases and consistency of maintenance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical maintenance scheduling systems with an optical/thermal detection system using infrared sensors and image processing algorithms. The system captures thermal images of electrical equipment and uses algorithms to detect anomalies, hot spots, and potential failures without requiring equipment shutdown, thus substituting a passive scheduling approach with an active real-time monitoring approach that eliminates downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary diagnostic system that acts as a mediator between the operating electrical equipment and the maintenance decision-making process. This system includes infrared cameras, image processing software, and alert generation mechanisms that translate thermal data into actionable maintenance recommendations, allowing maintenance to be coordinated without stopping equipment operation.
2Loss of time
If equipment is monitored continuously to detect degradation early, then maintenance timing is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the diagnostic system into distinct functional modules: an image capture module (infrared camera), an image processing module (algorithms for analyzing thermal patterns), and an alert generation module. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized and maintained, reducing overall system complexity while enabling continuous monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The diagnostic system performs self-service through automated image capture, processing, and analysis. The algorithms automatically detect anomalies and generate maintenance alerts without requiring constant human intervention or complex manual analysis procedures, simplifying the overall system operation while maintaining continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical equipment diagnostic system can include an electrical equipment and a sensor device controlled by a user that takes a first measurement of a first parameter of the electrical equipment while the electrical equipment is operating. The system can also include a controller communicably coupled to the sensor device, where the controller includes a storage repository, where the storage repository includes at least one threshold value and at least one algorithm. The controller can receive the first measurement from the sensor device, and process the at least one first algorithm using the first measurement. The controller can also identify a problem with the electrical equipment based on results of the at least one first algorithm, and instruct the user to perform specific tasks to correct the problem with the electrical equipment.