Broken conductor detection and remediation in electric power systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10955455-B2
Application number	US-201815959053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2018
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to detection of a broken conductor in an electric power system. In one embodiment, a broken conductor detector may be configured to be mounted to an electrical conductor and may comprise a communication subsystem configured to transmit a signal configured to indicate that the conductor is broken. A sensor may determine an operating vector. A processing subsystem may be configured to receive the operating vector from the sensor and to identify when the operating vector is outside of a range defined by a rest vector and a threshold value. In certain embodiments, the threshold may comprise a three-dimensional sphere. The processing subsystem may determine that the conductor is broken based on the operating vector remaining outside of the range for a period of time determined by the timer subsystem. A signal may be transmitted by the communication subsystem to indicate that the conductor is broken.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system configured to detect a broken conductor in an electric power system, the system comprising:
a broken conductor detector configured to couple to an electrical conductor, comprising:
a first communication subsystem configured to transmit a signal to indicate that the electrical conductor is broken;
a sensor configured to determine an operating vector;
a timer subsystem; and
a processing subsystem in communication with the communication subsystem, the sensor, and the timer subsystem, the processing subsystem configured to:
receive the operating vector from the sensor;
identify that operating vector is outside of a range defined by a rest vector and a threshold;
determine that the conductor is broken based on the operating vector remaining outside of the range for a period of time determined by the timer subsystem; and
generate the signal to be transmitted by the communication subsystem to indicate that the conductor is broken; and

an intelligent electronic device, comprising:
a second communication subsystem configured to receive the signal; and
a protective action subsystem configured to issue a command to control the electric power system based on the signal;
wherein the command blocks an automatic recloser scheme associated with the broken conductor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold comprises a three-dimensional representation.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional representation comprises a sphere.

4. The broken conductor detector system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication subsystem is further configured to transmit to the second communication subsystem a periodic indication of a status of the broken conductor detector in the absence of an event and to confirm that the broken conductor detector remains functional.

5. The broken conductor detector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a commissioning subsystem configured to generate the rest vector based on the operating vector at a time of commissioning.

6. The broken conductor detector of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration sensor.

7. The broken conductor detector system of claim 1 , further comprising a location subsystem configured to associate each of a plurality of broken conductor detectors with a location in the electric power system.

8. A method for detecting a broken conductor in an electric power system, comprising:
mounting a broken conductor detector to an electrical conductor;
establishing a rest vector;
generating an operating vector using a sensor;
identifying that the operating vector is outside of a range defined by the rest vector and at least one threshold value;
determining that the conductor is broken based on the operating vector remaining outside of the range for a period of time;
transmitting a signal to indicate that the conductor is broken; and
issuing a command to control the electric power system based on the signal;
wherein the command comprises blocking an automatic recloser scheme associated with the broken conductor.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting a periodic indication of a status of the broken conductor detector.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating the rest vector based on the operating vector at a time of commissioning.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration sensor.

Assignees

• Schweitzer Engineering Lab Inc

Inventors

• Thompson John
• Mynam Mangapathirao Venkata

Classifications

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• Y02E60/00

  Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation · CPC title

• G01R31/086 Primary

  in power transmission or distribution networks, i.e. with interconnected conductors · CPC title

• H02H5/10 Primary

  responsive to mechanical injury, e.g. rupture of line, breakage of earth connection · CPC title

• Y04S10/30

  State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge · CPC title