Sensored insulation plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12066464-B2
Application number	US-202217937847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2022
Priority date	Oct 7, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A sensored insulation plug for a separable connector in a MV/HV power distribution network of a national grid, operable to sense the MV/HV elevated voltage. The sensored insulation plug includes a plug body formed by a solidified insulating material, a contact piece, and a discrete coupling capacitor embedded in the insulating material and operable to harvest energy from the elevated voltage of the contact piece and optionally operable to superimpose a communication voltage signal over the elevated voltage. The sensored insulation plug further includes an integrated sensing capacitor, operable as a high-voltage capacitor in a sensing voltage divider for sensing the elevated voltage. The sensing capacitor comprises a high-voltage electrode comprising the coupling electrode and the contact piece, a tubular sensing electrode, and a dielectric comprising a portion of the insulating material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Sensored insulation plug for being inserted into a rear cavity of a medium voltage or high-voltage separable connector in a power distribution network of a national grid, and operable to insulate a connection element of the separable connector on an elevated voltage and to sense the elevated voltage,
the sensored insulation plug comprising:
a) a plug body formed by a solidified insulating material and rotationally symmetric about a plug axis defining axial directions and radial directions orthogonal to the axial directions;
b) an electrically conductive contact piece, mechanically and conductively connectable with the connection element on elevated voltage;
c) a discrete coupling capacitor, operable to harvest energy from the elevated voltage of the contact piece and operable to superimpose a communication voltage signal over the elevated voltage of the contact piece, wherein the coupling capacitor is embedded in the insulating material and comprises a coupling electrode, electrically connected to the contact piece, and an opposed harvesting electrode;
d) an integrated sensing capacitor, operable as a high-voltage capacitor in a sensing voltage divider for sensing the elevated voltage, the sensing capacitor comprising:
i) a high-voltage electrode, wherein the high-voltage electrode comprises the coupling electrode and the contact piece;
ii) a tubular sensing electrode, embedded in the insulating material and arranged around an axial section of the high-voltage electrode,
iii) a dielectric comprising a portion of the insulating material arranged between the sensing electrode and the coupling capacitor.

2. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling capacitor has a capacitance of 100 picofarad or more.

3. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling electrode is flat and oriented parallel to a geometric plane extending in radial directions.

4. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling capacitor is a single-layer capacitor, such as a single-layer ceramic capacitor.

5. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrode is arranged around an axial section of the contact piece and/or around an axial section of the coupling electrode.

6. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , further comprising a harvesting circuit, electrically connected to the harvesting electrode, and operable to harvest electrical energy from the elevated voltage.

7. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 6 , wherein the harvesting circuit comprises a rectifier, connected to the harvesting electrode, for rectifying a voltage of the harvesting electrode, and wherein the harvesting circuit further comprises a storage capacitor for storing harvested electrical energy.

8. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 6 , further comprising a signal processing circuit, electrically connected to the sensing electrode, and operable to process a signal voltage of the sensing electrode,
wherein the signal processing circuit is electrically connected to the harvesting circuit such that the signal processing circuit receives electrical energy from the harvesting circuit.

9. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 8 , wherein the signal processing circuit comprises an analogue-to-digital converter for digitizing the signal voltage.

10. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 6 , further comprising a powerline communication circuit, electrically connected to the coupling capacitor, and operable to superimpose, via the coupling capacitor, a communication voltage signal over the elevated voltage, and/or operable to extract, via the coupling capacitor, a communication voltage signal from the elevated voltage,
wherein the powerline communication circuit is electrically connected to the harvesting circuit such that the powerline communication circuit receives electrical energy from the harvesting circuit.

11. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 6 , further comprising a wireless communication circuit operable to generate and wirelessly transmit a communication voltage signal to outside the sensored insulation plug, wherein the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the harvesting circuit such that the wireless communication circuit receives electrical energy from the harvesting circuit.

12. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is further operable to wirelessly receive a communication voltage signal from outside the sensored insulation plug.

13. Sensored insulation plug according to claim 6 , further comprising an end cap attached to a low-voltage end portion of the plug body, wherein the harvesting circuit is arranged in the end cap.

14. Power distribution network for distributing electrical power at medium or high voltage and comprising
i) a sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 ;
ii) an electrical apparatus, such as a switchgear or a transformer;
iii) a power cable; and
iv) a separable connector, connected to an end of the power cable, for connecting the power cable to the electrical apparatus,
the separable connector having a rear cavity and a connection element on medium or high voltage when in use, accessible through the rear cavity;
wherein the sensored insulation plug is arranged in the rear cavity and wherein the contact piece of the sensored insulation plug is electrically connected to the connection element.

15. Process of upgrading a separable connector, comprising the steps of
a) providing a sensored insulation plug according to claim 1 , and providing a medium voltage or high-voltage separable connector, suitable for connecting a power cable to an electrical apparatus in a medium-voltage or high-voltage power distribution network, such as to a switchgear or to a transformer, the separable connector having a rear cavity and a connection element on medium or high voltage when in use, accessible through the rear cavity;
b) inserting the sensored insulation plug into the rear cavity;
c) electrically connecting the contact piece with the connection element.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Stollwerck Gunther A J
• Gravermann Mark

Classifications

• H01B17/56

  Insulating bodies · CPC title

• G01R15/16 Primary

  using capacitive devices · CPC title

• G01R15/06 Primary

  having reactive components, e.g. capacitive transformer · CPC title