System to reduce start-up times in line-mounted fault detectors

• US 10,459,025 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Inventors: Rippon, Daniel B., Rice, Raymond W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reisner, Noam
• Application Number:
  US15/944,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20190310303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/206 Switches for connection of measuring instruments or electric motors to measuring loads switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0007 concerning the detecting means in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/22 for distribution gear, e.g. bus-bar systems; for switching devices detecting mechanical or electrical defects in gas-insulated switchgears H02B13/065
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/005 avoiding undesired transient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for reducing startup times of line-mounted fault detectors. A line-mounted fault detector may comprise a power harvesting subsystem and an energy storage subsystem configured to store electrical energy. A fast-start power coupling subsystem may receive power from the energy storage subsystem in a startup state and provide power to a subset of components. A DC-DC converter subsystem may start up after a voltage of the energy storage subsystem exceeds a threshold. A control subsystem may transition the line-mounted fault detector to an operating state once the DC-DC converter has started and may de-energize the fast-start power coupling subsystem. The control system may enable a flow of electrical energy from the DC-DC converter to the fast-start subsystem. A fault detection subsystem in electrical communication with the DC-DC converter subsystem may communicate an indication of a fault via an RF transmitter subsystem.

Claims

1. A line-mounted fault detector, comprising:

a power harvesting subsystem configured to harvest electrical energy from a conductor in an electric power system;

a rectification subsystem configured to rectify electrical energy harvested by the power harvesting subsystem;

an energy storage subsystem configured to store electrical energy rectified by the rectification subsystem;

a fast-start power coupling subsystem;

a first switch subsystem configured to selectively provide electrical energy to the fast-start power coupling subsystem;

a fast-start subsystem configured to provide power to a subset of components in a startup state;

a DC-DC converter subsystem in electrical communication with the energy storage subsystem and configured to start up after a voltage of the energy storage subsystem exceeds a first threshold, the DC-DC converter subsystem configured to generate a DC output from electrical energy received from the energy storage subsystem;

a second switch subsystem configured to selectively provide electrical energy from the DC-DC converter to the fast-start subsystem;

a control subsystem configured to transition the line-mounted fault detector to an operating state and to;

actuate the first switch subsystem after an output of the DC-DC converter exceeds a second threshold, the first switch subsystem configured to de-energize the fast-start power coupling subsystem, and

actuate the second switch subsystem after the output of the DC-DC converter exceeds the second threshold, the second switch subsystem configured to enable a flow of electrical energy from the DC-DC converter to the fast-start subsystem;

a fault detection subsystem in electrical communication with the DC-DC converter subsystem and configured to detect a fault condition;

an RF transmitter subsystem in electrical communication with the DC-DC converter subsystem and configured to transmit an indication of the fault condition.

2. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, wherein the fast-start subsystem comprises a crystal oscillator and a phase-lock loop configured to generate a reference frequency for use by the RF transmitter subsystem.

3. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, wherein the power harvesting subsystem is configured to harvest power from the electrical conductor via inductive coupling.

4. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, wherein the fault detection subsystem comprises an over-current detector.

5. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, wherein one of the first switch subsystem and the second switch subsystem comprise a solid-state switch.

6. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, wherein the energy storage subsystem comprises a plurality of capacitors.

7. The line-mounted fault detector of claim 1, further comprising a transient-voltage-suppression subsystem.

8. A system, comprising:

a power harvesting subsystem configured to harvest electrical energy from a power source;

an energy storage subsystem configured to store electrical energy harvested by the power harvesting subsystem;

a fast-start power coupling subsystem configured to receive power from the energy storage subsystem in a startup state and to provide power to a subset of components in the startup state;

a DC-DC converter subsystem in electrical communication with the energy storage subsystem and configured to start up after an output of the energy storage subsystem exceeds a threshold, the DC-DC converter subsystem configured to generate a DC output from electrical energy received from the energy storage subsystem;

a control subsystem configured to transition the system to an operating state and to de-energize the fast-start power coupling subsystem and to enable a flow of electrical energy from the DC-DC converter subsystem to the fast-start subsystem;

an RF transmitter subsystem in electrical communication with the DC-DC converter subsystem and configured to transmit a signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the fast-start subsystem comprises a crystal oscillator and a phase-lock loop configured to generate a reference frequency for use by the RF transmitter subsystem.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the power harvesting subsystem is configured to harvest power from one of an electrical conductor via inductive coupling, a thermal power source, a photovoltaic power source, and a piezoelectric power source.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a fault detection subsystem configured to detect an over-current condition;

wherein the signal comprises an indication of the over-current condition.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the energy storage subsystem comprises a plurality of capacitors.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a transient-voltage-suppression subsystem.

14. A method for decreasing startup time of a line-mounted fault detector, the method comprising:

entering a startup state following energization of a conductor;

harvesting energy from a conductor using a power harvesting subsystem;

storing energy harvested from the conductor using an energy storage subsystem;

powering a fast-start power coupling subsystem using the energy from the energy storage subsystem;

powering a fast-start subsystem using the fast-start power coupling subsystem;

determining that a voltage of an output of the energy storage subsystem exceeds a threshold;

starting a DC-DC power converter subsystem;

transitioning from the startup state to an operating state by;

de-energizing the fast-start power coupling subsystem,

powering the fast-start subsystem using the DC-DC power converter subsystem;

energizing a fault detection subsystem, and

energizing a RF transmission subsystem;

detecting a fault using the fault detection subsystem; and

transmitting an indication of the fault using the RF transmitter subsystem.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fast-start subsystem comprises a crystal oscillator and a phase-lock loop configured to generate a reference frequency for use by the RF transmitter subsystem.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein harvesting energy from the conductor comprises an inductive coupling to the electrical conductor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the fault comprises an over-current condition.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein transitioning from the startup state to the operating state comprises actuating a plurality of solid-state switches.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the energy storage subsystem comprises a plurality of capacitors.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising suppressing a transient voltage using a transient voltage suppression subsystem using a transient-voltage-suppression diode.