Apparatus to detect a fault in a wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10983155-B2
Application number	US-201815964037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing the detection of faults in a wiring system. The wiring system is made up of supply wires and can include return wires. The supply wire connects a power supply to a load end. The fault detecting apparatus is positioned along the wire between the power supply and the load end and can include a first and second resistor, a voltage monitor, and an indicator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus to detect a fault in a supply wire connecting a load to a power supply and extending from a first end to a second end, the apparatus comprising:
a conductive screen surrounding at least a portion of and spaced from the supply wire and extending between the first end and the second end;
a first resistive element connected between the supply wire and the conductive screen at the first end such that the conductive screen is connected with and energized by the supply wire, and wherein the conductive screen includes a reference voltage from the supply wire;
a voltage monitor disposed to measure a voltage at the conductive screen at the second end;
an indicator coupled to the voltage monitor; and
wherein if the measured voltage of the conductive screen at the second end deviates from the reference voltage, the indicator is configured to indicate a fault.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second resistive element connected between the conductive screen and ground and the second end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a selected resistance of the first or second resistive element is based on the reference voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the voltage monitor is connected in parallel with the second resistive element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage is a fraction of a voltage of the supply wire at the first end.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the fraction is ⅓.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a switch that stops power from the power supply when the indicator indicates a fault.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is one of a light, an audible signal, or a processor output.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power supply includes a solid state power converter (SSPC) with a pull down circuit, and the voltage monitor is connected between the pull down circuit and the conductive screen in parallel with a second resistive element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a return wire between the load and the power supply wherein a third resistive element is connected in series with the first resistive element between the supply wire and the return wire.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and third resistive elements are biased to provide a non zero voltage.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a load end and the second end is a supply end and the first resistive element is a resistor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a connector in the supply wire, wherein the conductive screen has two portions with each portion on either side of the connector and the portions are electrically coupled to each other.

14. A method of detecting a fault in a supply wire connecting a power supply at a supply end and a load at a load end, the method comprising:
measuring voltage at the supply end of a conductive screen surrounding and spaced from supply wire and extending between the supply end and the load end such that the conductive screen is connected with and energized by the supply wire, and wherein the conductive screen includes a reference voltage from the supply wire;
comparing the measured voltage to the reference voltage; and
indicating a fault if the measured voltage deviates from the reference voltage.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the indicating occurs if the measured voltage deviates from the reference voltage more than a threshold amount.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the measuring occurs by a voltage monitor connected in parallel with a resistor connected between the conductive screen and ground at the supply end.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the measuring occurs by the voltage monitor connected between a pull down circuit of a Solid State Power Converter (SSPC) in the power supply and the conductive screen in parallel with the resistor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the indicating includes one of a light, an audible signal, or a processor output.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the reference voltage is a fraction of the voltage of the supply wire at the load end.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising switching the power supply to the supply wire off when a fault is indicated.

Assignees

• Ge Aviat Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Collins John Oliver
• Compton Russell Mark
• Handy Peter James
• Weale Denis Vaughan

Classifications

• G01R19/165

  Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values · CPC title

• H02H3/26

  responsive to difference between voltages or between currents; responsive to phase angle between voltages or between currents · CPC title

• G01R31/085 Primary

  in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead · CPC title

• H02H1/0007

  concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445) · CPC title

• H02H5/10

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