Apparatus and method for detection current imbalance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11788899-B2
Application number	US-202217705001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus and method for detecting current imbalance between two or more electrical energy distribution elements of an electrical energy distribution network are disclosed. Each of a plurality of temperature sensors are implemented by a temperature sensing section of an optical fiber arranged to produce, in response to an optical input signal, an optical output signal indicative of the temperature of the temperature sensing section. First and second temperature sensors of the plurality are in thermal contact with first and second electrical energy distribution elements, respectively, to determine first and second temperature characteristics thereof based on the respective output signals. A current imbalance between the first and second elements is detected based on a comparison of the first temperature characteristic with the second temperature characteristic.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to detect a current imbalance between two or more electrical energy distribution elements of an electrical energy distribution network in use, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of temperature sensors, each of the temperature sensors implemented by a temperature sensing section of an optical fiber, and each of the temperature sensing sections arranged to produce, in response to an optical input signal, an optical output signal indicative of a temperature of the temperature sensing section,
one or more first temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact with a first electrical energy distribution element of the electrical energy distribution network;
one or more second temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact with a second, different, electrical energy distribution element of the electrical energy distribution network; and
a detecting unit configured to:
determine a first temperature characteristic of the first electrical energy distribution element based on one or more of the optical output signals of the one or more first temperature sensors;
determine a second temperature characteristic of the second electrical energy distribution element based on one or more of the optical output signals of the one or more second temperature sensors;
compare the first temperature characteristic with the second temperature characteristic; and
detect a current imbalance between the first electrical energy distribution element and the second electrical energy distribution element based on the comparison of the first temperature characteristic with the second temperature characteristic.

2. The apparats according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit is configured to detect the current imbalance based on a determination that a difference between the first temperature characteristic and the second temperature characteristics is greater than a threshold value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit is configured to infer, based on the first temperature characteristic and the second characteristic, which of the electrical energy distribution elements is associated with a fault causing the detected current imbalance.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a plurality of optical fibers, wherein the one or more of the first temperature sensors are implemented by said temperature sensing sections of a first optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers, and
the one or more second temperature sensors are implemented by said temperature sensing sections of a second, different, optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the first temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact at respective different points along a length of the first electrical energy distribution element, and
wherein a plurality of the second temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact at respective different points along a length of the second electrical energy distribution element.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit comprises:
an optical interrogator configured to provide the optical input signal to each of the temperature sensing sections, and receive the optical output signal from each of the temperature sensing sections.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a third electrical energy distribution element of the electrical energy distribution network,
wherein a third temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is configured for thermal contact with the third electrical energy distribution element, and
wherein the detecting unit is configured to:
determine a third temperature characteristic of the third electrical energy distribution element based on one or more of the optical output signals of the third temperature sensor; and
detect a current imbalance between the third electrical energy element and at least one of the first electrical energy distribution element and the second electrical energy distribution element, based on a comparison of the third temperature characteristic with at least one of the first temperature characteristic and the second temperature characteristic.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting unit is configured to, in response to detecting the current imbalance, trigger a mitigation action for the current imbalance.

9. A system comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 , and the electrical energy distribution network.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical energy distribution network is configured such that a given current carried by the electrical energy distribution network between an electrical energy source and an electrical energy consumer is shared across the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein each of the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element are cables provided together as a bundled cable.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the optical fiber or optical fiber by which the temperature sensing sections are provided are embedded in the bundled cable.

13. The system according to claim 10 , wherein
the electrical energy distribution network comprises a electrical energy source, and the detecting unit is configured to respond to the detection of the current imbalance by transmitting a control signal to the electrical energy source to reduce a current carried by the electrical energy distribution elements; or
the electrical energy distribution network comprises a fuse common to each of the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element, and the detecting unit is configured to respond to the detection of the current imbalance by transmitting a control signal to the fuse to cause the fuse to break an electrical connection provided by each of the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical energy distribution network is configured such that the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element carry alternating current of the same phase between an electrical energy source and an electrical energy consumer.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical energy distribution network is configured such that each of the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element carries alternating current of a respective different phase from a multiphase electrical energy source to a multiphase electrical energy consumer.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the detecting unit is configured to respond to the detection of the current imbalance by transmitting a control signal to the multiphase electrical energy source to alter an operating condition of the multiphase electrical energy power source.

17. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first electrical energy distribution element and the second energy distribution element are configured to carry alternating current of a first phase from a multiphase source to a multiphase consumer, and
the system further comprises a third electrical energy distribution element configured to carry alternating current of a second, diffe

Assignees

• Airbus Sas

Inventors

• Fulcher Thomas
• Schwerdt Boris

Classifications

• G01K3/14 Primary

  in respect of space · CPC title

• G01K1/026

  arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing · CPC title

• G01K11/32

  using changes in transmittance, scattering or luminescence in optical fibres · CPC title

• H02H1/0007

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

• H02H7/22

  for distribution gear, e.g. bus-bar systems; for switching devices {(detecting mechanical or electrical defects in gas-insulated switchgears H02B13/065)} · CPC title