Overhead Conductor Sensor

• US 20130022078A1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Phillips, Andrew John, Major, Mark, Lynch, Robert Carlton, Hill, Kyle, Harrell, Sam, Rummage, Brandon
• Granted Patent: US 9,261,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/179
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/143 for measuring surface temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers

Abstract

An overhead conductor sensor for measuring various parameters that affect an overhead conductor is disclosed. The overhead conductor sensor includes an electronics housing having first and second opposing ends, a jaw assembly having a first jaw connected to the first end of the electronics housing and a second jaw pivotally attached to the first jaw to allow the jaw assembly to move between an open position for receiving an overhead conductor therein and a closed position for securing the sensor to the overhead conductor, and a thermocouple assembly electrically connected to electronics housed in the electronics housing and extending through the jaw assembly for engagement with the overhead conductor. The thermocouple assembly is adapted to measure a temperature of the overhead conductor.

Claims

1. An overhead conductor sensor, comprising:

(a) an electronics housing having first and second opposing ends;

(b) a jaw assembly having a first jaw connected to the first end of the electronics housing and a second jaw pivotally attached to the first jaw to allow the jaw assembly to move between an open position for receiving an overhead conductor therein and a closed position for securing the sensor to the overhead conductor; and

(c) a thermocouple assembly electrically connected to electronics housed in the electronics housing and extending through the jaw assembly for engagement with the overhead conductor, the thermocouple assembly being adapted to measure a temperature of the overhead conductor.

2. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 1, further including a stabilizer removably attached to the second end of the electronics housing, the stabilizer being adapted to stabilize the sensor on the overhead conductor.

3. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electronics housing houses:

(a) a first electronics board adapted to perform power harvesting, measurement and processing, and storage of signals;

(b) a second electronics board adapted to provide two way radio frequency communications to allow firmware of the sensor to be updated and data collected by the sensor to be downloaded to a remote location;

(c) a coil adapted to harvest power from a magnetic field of the overhead conductor;

(d) a battery adapted to provide power to the sensor;

(e) an antenna extending through the electronics housing and electrically connected to the second electronics board; and

(f) strip-line PCB board electrically connected to the antenna to ensure power is fully transmitted to the antenna.

4. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the jaw assembly further includes a socket for allowing a hot stick to be attached to the sensor, wherein the hot stick is used to position the sensor onto an energized overhead conductor.

5. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the jaw assembly further includes a clamping assembly operably connected to the first and second jaws, the clamping assembly being adapted to provide a clamping force around the overhead conductor, thereby securing the sensor to the overhead conductor.

6. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 5, wherein the clamping assembly includes first and second clamping mechanisms, wherein the first clamping mechanism is secured to the first jaw and the second clamping mechanism is adjustably connected to the second jaw to allow the clamping assembly to be moved between a non-clamping position for receiving conductors of varying diameters and a clamping position for securing the sensor to the overhead conductor.

7. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the thermocouple assembly includes:

(a) a thermocouple for measuring temperature of the overhead conductor; and

(b) a thermocouple tip connected to an end of the thermocouple, the thermocouple tip houses a portion of the thermocouple and engages the overhead conductor during measurements.

8. An overhead conductor sensor, comprising:

(a) an electronics housing having first and second opposing ends, the electronics housing houses first and second electronic boards;

(b) a jaw assembly having;

(i) a first jaw connected to the first end of the electronics housing and a second jaw pivotally attached to the first jaw to allow the jaw assembly to move between an open position for receiving an overhead conductor therein and a closed position for securing the sensor to the overhead conductor; and

(ii) a clamping assembly having first and second clamping mechanisms, wherein the first clamping mechanism is connected to the first jaw and the second clamping mechanism is adjustably mounted to the second jaw to allow the clamping assembly to receive and provide a clamping force around overhead conductors of varying diameters, thereby securing the sensor to the overhead conductor; and

(c) a thermocouple assembly electrically connected to the first electronics board and extending through an aperture of the first clamping mechanism for engagement with the overhead conductor, the thermocouple assembly being adapted to measure a temperature of the overhead conductor.

9. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second clamping mechanisms has:

(a) a concave inner surface adapted to complement an outside surface profile of the overhead conductor; and

(b) a plurality of steps that act like teeth to secure the sensor to the overhead conductor.

10. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein the second clamping mechanism includes elongated slots adapted to receive a fastener therethrough to allow the second clamping mechanism to be slidably mounted to the second jaw, thereby allowing the second clamping mechanism to move between a non-clamping position and a clamping position and allow the clamping assembly to receive and provide a clamping force to overhead conductors of varying diameters.

11. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein the first and second clamping mechanisms are made of a thermoplastic to provide insulation between the jaw assembly and the overhead conductor.

12. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein the first electronics board is adapted to perform power harvesting, measurement and processing, and storage of signals.

13. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein the second electronics board is adapted to provide two way radio frequency communications to allow firmware of the sensor to be updated and data collected by the sensor to be downloaded to a remote location.

14. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, further including:

(a) an antenna electrically connected to the second electronics board, the antenna having a stalk that extends through the electronics housing and an antenna ball optimized to prevent corona; and

(b) a matching strip line PCB board electrically connected to antenna to ensure that power is fully transmitted to the antenna.

15. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 8, wherein the thermocouple assembly includes:

(a) a thermocouple having first and second ends, wherein the first end is electrically connected to the first electronics board and the second end extends through the aperture;

(b) a thermocouple tip attached to the second end of the thermocouple;

(c) an insulator bushing positioned between the thermocouple tip and the first clamping mechanism to prevent the tip from being pushed through the aperture by an overhead conductor; and

(d) a spring positioned between the bushing and a stop positioned in the first jaw to provide a mechanical force to the bushing, thereby pressing the tip into the overhead conductor being measured.

16. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 15, wherein the thermocouple tip includes a slot machined in one side of the tip to allow a user to expand a central bore of the tip for insertion of the thermocouple, wherein when the thermocouple is inserted into the central bore, the central bore is allowed to constrict around the thermocouple, thereby providing a mechanical clamping force around the thermocouple.

17. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 16, wherein once the thermocouple tip is attached to the thermocouple, the central bore is filled with an epoxy to provide a second mechanical attachment.

18. An overhead conductor sensor, comprising:

(a) an electronics housing having first and second opposing ends, the electronics housing houses first and second electronic boards;

(b) a jaw assembly having;

(i) a first jaw connected to the first end of the electronics housing and a second jaw pivotally attached to the first jaw to allow the jaw assembly to move between an open position for receiving an overhead conductor therein and a closed position for securing the sensor to the overhead conductor; and

(ii) a clamping assembly having first and second clamping mechanisms, wherein the first clamping mechanism is connected to the first jaw and the second clamping mechanism is adjustably mounted to the second jaw to allow the clamping assembly to receive and provide a clamping force around overhead conductors of varying diameters, thereby securing the sensor to the overhead conductor; and

(c) a thermocouple assembly electrically connected to the first electronics board and extending through an aperture of the first clamping mechanism for engagement with the overhead conductor, the thermocouple assembly being adapted to measure a temperature of the overhead conductor and includes;

(i) a thermocouple having first and second ends, wherein the first end is electrically connected to the first electronics board and the second end extends through the aperture;

(ii) a thermocouple tip attached to the second end of the thermocouple, the thermocouple tip having an expandable central bore for receiving and clamping around the second end of the thermocouple;

(iii) an insulator bushing positioned between the thermocouple tip and the first clamping mechanism to prevent the tip from being pushed through the aperture by an overhead conductor; and

(iv) a spring positioned between the bushing and a stop positioned in the first jaw to provide a mechanical force to the bushing, thereby pressing the tip into the overhead conductor being measured.

19. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 18, wherein the thermocouple tip is pointed to allow the tip to locate itself between overhead conductor strands.

20. The overhead conductor sensor according to claim 18, wherein a diameter of thermocouple tip and a diameter of a first cylindrical portion of the insulator bushing is slightly smaller than a diameter of the aperture to allow the tip to move side-to-side and ensure that the tip falls between strands of the overhead conductor.