Optical Switch-State Sensing for High-Voltage Disconnectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensing technologies for high voltage disconnecting switches, such as BCDS, fail to provide accurate and reliable monitoring under extreme environmental conditions, particularly due to sensitivity to weather, magnetic fields, and high temperatures, leading to potential misalignment and loss of 'open' or 'closed' information, which can cause safety issues and require on-site intervention.
Innovation Solution
A sensing device comprising a first optical fiber, optical collimator, bendable optical component, and deriving unit that transduces the switching state of the disconnecting switch by bending the optical component, allowing for accurate monitoring through changes in optical properties, which are then derived to determine the switch's state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical-based sensing methods (laser, LED, phototransistors) are used for monitoring disconnecting switch status, then real-time monitoring capability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates under extreme environmental conditions (high temperature, magnetic fields, weather)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical-driven optical subsystems (LED, phototransistors, laser sources) with a purely mechanical sensing approach. The sensing device uses the mechanical movement of the disconnecting switch itself to modulate a light beam, eliminating the need for electrically-powered optical components in the high-voltage environment. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining real-time monitoring capability through mechanical-optical coupling while avoiding the precision degradation caused by temperature and magnetic field effects on electrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light beam as an intermediary between the mechanical switch movement and the detection system. The moving parts of the disconnecting switch mechanically modulate the light beam (blocking, reflecting, or transmitting it) to indicate switch status. This intermediary approach enables real-time monitoring without requiring electrically-powered sensors in the harsh environment, thereby preserving measurement precision while achieving continuous monitoring capability.
2Extent of automation
If electrically driven optical subsystems (LED, phototransistors) are employed for monitoring, then automation level is improved, but reliability deteriorates in high magnetic field and high temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates electrically-driven optical subsystems (LED, phototransistors, laser sources) from the high-voltage monitoring environment and replaces them with a mechanical sensing mechanism. The disconnecting switch's own mechanical movement directly modulates a passive light beam for status detection. This substitution removes the reliability-critical electrical components from the harsh environment while maintaining automated monitoring capability through the mechanical-optical coupling, thereby resolving the contradiction between automation level and environmental reliability.
3Ease of operation
If image recognition methods with cameras are used for monitoring disconnecting switch status, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to sensitivity to weather and magnetic fields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing function from complex, weather-sensitive camera systems and concentrates it into a simple mechanical-optical indicator. Instead of using image recognition algorithms that require processing power and are sensitive to environmental conditions, the invention uses the disconnecting switch's mechanical movement to directly modulate a light beam, creating a simple, robust status indication that eliminates the need for complex imaging and processing systems.
4Loss of information
If torque monitoring methods are used for disconnecting switch monitoring, then loss of information is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to temperature dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces torque monitoring (which measures mechanical force) with a direct mechanical position sensing method. The sensing device detects the actual position of the disconnecting switch components through their mechanical modulation of a light beam, providing direct information about open/closed status without relying on torque measurements. This substitution eliminates the temperature-dependent torque measurements while maintaining complete information about switch status through direct positional observation.
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 and precise online monitoring of the disconnecting switch's state with high temporal resolution, facilitating predictive maintenance and reducing downtime by detecting switch movements with high accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
an optical collimator (120) coupled to the first optical fiber (110) to receive the light guided in the first optical fiber. The optical collimator (120) is configured to collimate the light into a collimated light beam
Implementation Method 2
a bendable optical component (130) coupled to the optical collimator (120) to receive the collimated light beam. The bendable optical component (130) is configured to guide the collimated light beam and configured and arranged to bend depending on a switching state of the high voltage disconnecting switch
Data Source
AI summary
A sensing device (10) for a high voltage disconnecting switch (20). The sensing device (10) comprises: a first optical fiber (110) configured to receive light from an optical source (100) and configured to guide the light; an optical collimator (120) coupled to the first optical fiber (110) to receive the light guided in the first optical fiber (110) and configured to collimate the light into a collimated light beam; a bendable optical component (130) coupled to the optical collimator (120) to receive the collimated light beam and configured to guide the collimated light beam, wherein the bendable optical component (130) is configured and arranged to bend depending on a switching state of the high voltage disconnecting switch (20), thereby influencing the collimated light beam; and a deriving unit (160) configured to derive information about the switching state of the high voltage disconnecting switch (20) based on the collimated light beam.