METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING VOLTAGE AND VOLTAGE PHASE ANGLE ON BPL LINE

• US 20090125255A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Utility.Net, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Utility.Net, Inc.
• Inventors: Keselman, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/268,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 25/02 in circuits having distributed constants

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring voltage in a broadband over power line system including a first load having a first predetermined impedance, and a second load having a second predetermined impedance. Wherein the apparatus is contained within a capacitor-based BPL coupler. Also a method of measuring a voltage and a phase angle in a broadband over power line system comprising attaching a voltage divider to a medium voltage power line, measuring a voltage and a phase angle at said voltage divider and calculating said voltage and the phase angle based on the measured voltage and the measured phase angle. Wherein the voltage divider may be placed within a coupler along the broadband over power line system.

Claims

1. A method of measuring a voltage and a phase angle in a broadband over power line system, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching a voltage divider to a medium voltage power line;

measuring a voltage and a phase angle at said voltage divider; and

calculating said voltage and said phase angle based on said measured voltage and said measured phase angle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing a voltage divider step comprises placing said voltage divider within a coupler along the broadband over power line system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said voltage divider comprises the native impedance of the coupler and the resistance of a resistive element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting said measured phase angle and said measured voltage to a remote location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing said phase angle of a first power line to a phase angle of a second power line.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising reporting a result of said comparison to a remote location.

7. An apparatus for measuring a voltage and a voltage phase angle of a power line in a broadband over power line system, said apparatus comprising:

a first load having a first predetermined impedance; and

a second load having a second predetermined impedance coupled to said first load.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said first load comprises a capacitance.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second load comprises a resistance.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said voltage on said power line is calculated by a processor according to:

$V_M=V_D*\left(\frac{Z_1+Z_2}{Z_2}\right),$

where V_M is said calculated voltage at said power line, V_D is said voltage measured across said second load at a node between said first and second loads, and Z₁ and Z₂ are said respective impedances of said first and second loads.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a power level on said power line is calculated according to:

P=V_M*I

where P is said calculated power level, V_M is said voltage at said power line, and I is a current measured at said power line.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said voltage phase angle is measured at a node between said first and second loads.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is contained within a capacitor-based BPL coupler.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

said first load comprising the native capacitance of the coupler; and

said second load consisting of a resistive load.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said voltage on said power line is calculated according to:

$V_M=V_D*\left(\frac{Z_C+Z_2}{Z_2}\right),$

where V_M is said calculated voltage at said power line, V_D is said voltage measured across said second load at a node between said first and second loads, Z_C is said capacitance of said coupler, and Z₂ is the impedance of said second load.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a power level on said power line is calculated according to:

P=V_M*I

where P is said calculated power level, V_M is said voltage at said power line, and I is a current measured at said power line.

17. A system for monitoring a voltage phase angle on a multi-phase power line, comprising:

multiple apparatuses for measuring the voltage phase angle of a power line, wherein one or more said apparatuses is enclosed within a coupler of a broadband over power line system attached to said power line; and

a voltage phase angle comparing device to compare voltage phase angle measurements of the multiple apparatuses.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein if the result of the comparison of the voltage phase angel comparing device of the voltage phase angel measurements are not within a predetermined tolerance, repair action or notification occurs.