Systems and methods for monitoring temperature of electrical conductor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016223406-A1
Application number	US-201315021290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2013
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system ( 100 ) for monitoring a temperature of an electrical conductor of an electrical cable and including a temperature sensor unit ( 100 a ) and a transceiver unit ( 100 b ). The temperature sensor unit ( 100 a ) is located inside the first (semi)conductive layer and includes a micro-controller ( 120 ), a temperature sensor ( 110 ), an energy harvest sub-unit ( 140 ) and a wireless transmitter layer ( 130 ). The temperature sensor ( 110 ) is adapted to detect a first signal (S 1 ) representing temperature of the electrical conductor and to supply the first signal (S 1 ) to the micro-controller ( 120 ). The transceiver unit ( 100 b ) is located outside the first (semi)conductive layer and includes an energy transmitter ( 160 ) and a wireless receiver ( 150 ). The energy harvest sub-unit ( 140 ) is adapted to harvest electromagnetic power from the energy transmitter ( 160 ) and to provide electrical power to the micro-controller ( 120 ). The wireless transmitter ( 130 ) is adapted to being engaged with the wireless receiver ( 150 ) under the control of the micro-controller ( 120 ) to transmit a second signal (S 2 ) converted from the first signal (S 1 ) to the wireless receiver ( 150 ). The energy harvest sub-unit ( 140 ) and the wireless transmitter ( 130 ) are designed to have different working frequency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for monitoring temperature of an electrical conductor enclosed in at least a first (semi)conductive layer, the system comprising:
a temperature sensor unit located inside the first (semi)conductive layer, and comprising a micro-controller, a temperature sensor, an energy harvest sub-unit and a wireless transmitter, and the temperature sensor adapted to detect a first signal representing temperature of the electrical conductor and to supply the first signal to the micro-controller; and a transceiver unit located outside the first (semi)conductive layer and comprising an energy transmitter and a wireless receiver; wherein, the energy harvest sub-unit is adapted to harvest electromagnetic power from the energy transmitter and to provide electrical power to the micro-controller; the wireless transmitter is adapted to being engaged with the wireless receiver under the control of the micro-controller to transmit a second signal converted from the first signal to the wireless receiver; and the energy harvest sub-unit and the wireless transmitter are designed to have different working frequency.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the energy harvest sub-unit is designed to have a working frequency in a range from 10 KHz to 990 KHz.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is designed to have a working frequency in a range from 10 MHz to 10 GHz.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein ratio of the working frequency of the wireless transmitter to that of the energy harvest sub-unit is larger than 100.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the energy harvest sub-unit comprises a LC resonant circuit adapted to generate an AC power after triggered by the energy transmitter.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the energy harvest sub-unit comprises a rectifier circuit adapted to convert the AC power to DC power.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is in direct contact or in thermal contact with the electrical conductor.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first (semi)conductive layer is enclosed by a second (semi)conductive layer, the energy transmitter is located between the first (semi)conductive layer and the second (semi)conductive layer.

9 . The system according to claim 8 , wherein the transceiver unit comprises a micro-controller located outside the second (semi)conductive layer and connected with the energy transmitter via a wire.

10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the wireless receiver is adapted to be located outside the second (semi)conductive layer and to communicate with the micro-controller of the transceiver unit.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the micro-controller of the transceiver unit is configured to determine the temperature of the electrical conductor based on the received second signal.

12 . A method of monitoring temperature of an electrical conductor enclosed in at least a first (semi)conductive layer, comprising the steps of:
harvesting electrical power and providing the electrical power to a first micro-controller by an energy harvest sub-unit working on a first working frequency, the first micro-controller and the energy harvest sub-unit located inside the first (semi)conductive layer; detecting a first signal representing temperature of the electrical conductor by a temperature sensor unit located inside the first (semi)conductive layer; converting the first signal by the first micro-controller into a second signal applicable of being transmitted via a wireless way; and transmitting the second signal by a wireless transmitter to a wireless receiver located outside the first (semi)conductive layer, the wireless transmitter located inside the first (semi)conductive layer and working on a second working frequency different from the first working frequency.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein ratio of the second working frequency to the first working frequency is larger than 100.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the harvesting step includes a sub-step of emitting a trigger signal by an energy transmitter located outside the first (semi)conductive layer to trigger the energy harvest sub-unit to oscillate to generate AC power.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , comprising the step of determining the temperature of the electrical conductor based on the second signal by a second micro-controller located outside the first (semi)conductive layer.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Wen Zhiguo
• Huang Zheng
• Yuan Sihua
• Yu Xuetao
• Zhang Ming

Classifications

• G01K2215/00

  Details concerning sensor power supply · CPC title

• G01K1/024 Primary

  for remote indication · CPC title

• G01K7/00

  Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat (giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00) {; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements} · CPC title