System and method for integrated asset protection

• US 20080249826A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BPL Global LLC (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: BPL Global LLC (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Bauer, Michael, Tolnar, Jeff, Hymer, Larry, Caroline, Heidi
• Application Number:
  US12/078,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Provided is a system and method for monitoring in real time the status of assets of a resource distribution system and enacting a change in the resource utilization in order to protect the assets before they reach a failed state. The system may include sensors, a central control system, and a demand dispatch system. The system and method may protect individual or holistic resource distribution system assets by monitoring the operating conditions of those assets and governing the aggregated resource utilization within the governed service area.

Claims

1. A method of protecting assets of a resource distribution system, the method comprising:

monitoring operating conditions at asset locations within the resource distribution system to obtain condition data at the respective asset locations;

comparing the condition data with respective threshold levels or problem/failure signatures;

triggering an alarm when there is a threshold violation or problem/failure signature indicating the violation and at which asset location the violation occurred; and

activating a demand dispatch system within the area of the respective asset location to curtail resource utilization in order to protect the respective assets before they reach a failed state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sensors located at respective asset locations detect the operating conditions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensors include at least one of an optical current sensor, current transformer, broadband power line device, and discrete voltage monitor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each asset location comprises at least one asset, an asset including at least one of a phase circuit, phase tap, transformer, switch, recloser, fuse, capacitor bank, and distributed energy resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition data includes at least one of current, harmonics, voltage sag, voltage, real power, reactive power, electromagnetic interference, gas pressure, water pressure, flow rate, bit error rate, and signal strength.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensors transmit the condition data to a central control system over a communications network by either direct connection or wireless connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the threshold levels and problem/failure signatures are predefined and are stored at the central control system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold violation occurs when a value of at least one of the condition data exceeds the respective threshold level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold violation occurs when a value of at least one of the condition data is within a given range of the respective threshold level.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the demand dispatch system monitors resource utilization and distribution across a distribution area and limits aggregated resource utilization, to a predefined utilization level, across individual components or the entire distribution area.

11. An integrated asset protection system comprising:

sensors detecting operating conditions at asset locations within a resource distribution system to obtain condition data at the respective asset locations;

a central control system comparing the condition data with respective threshold levels or problem/failure signatures, and triggering an alarm when there is a threshold violation or problem/failure signature indicating the violation and at which asset location the violation occurred; and

a demand dispatch system within the area of the respective asset location that is activated to curtail resource utilization in order to protect the respective assets before they reach a failed state.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensors are located at the respective asset locations.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensors include at least one of an optical current sensor, current transformer, broadband power line device, and discrete voltage monitor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each asset location comprises at least one asset, an asset including at least one of a phase circuit, phase tap, transformer, switch, recloser, fuse, capacitor bank, and distributed energy resource.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the condition data includes at least one of current, harmonics, voltage sag, voltage, real power, reactive power, electromagnetic interference, gas pressure, water pressure, flow rate, bit error rate, and signal strength.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensors transmit the condition data to a central control system over a communications network by either direct connection or wireless connection.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the threshold levels and problem/failure signatures are predefined and are stored at the central control system.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the threshold violation occurs when a value of at least one of the condition data exceeds the respective threshold level.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the threshold violation occurs when a value of at least one of the condition data is within a given range of the respective threshold level.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the demand dispatch system monitors resource utilization and distribution across a distribution area and limits aggregated resource utilization, to a predefined utilization level, across individual components or the entire distribution area.