METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE INSTALLATION OF FAULT CIRCUIT INDICATORS ON AN ELECTRICAL FEEDER

• US 20130325402A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (Exelon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (Exelon Corporation)
• Inventors: Vukojevic, Aleksandar, Frey, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,318,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/181
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/086 in power transmission or distribution networks, i.e. with interconnected conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/52 Outage or fault management, e.g. fault detection or location

Abstract

A method for maximizing the benefits of Fault Circuit Indicators on an electrical feeder has two steps. In the first step a data set for the feeder is obtained based on historical data. In the second step, the number of FCIs and their location is calculated based on the data set obtained in the first step. The number of FCIs and their location is determined utilizing a simulation algorithm that ensures each FCI is used efficiently and provides actionable information to the utility'"'"'s crew.

Claims

1. A method for maximizing efficient placement of Fault Circuit Indicators (FCIs) on an electrical feeder, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a data set associated with faults on an electrical feeder, wherein said data set includes overhead and underground fault response information;

identifying a number of FCIs and a location of each FCI on the feeder utilizing information contained in the data set, wherein said information comprises at least one of overhead, underground fault response information, and probabilities of overhead and underground faults in the feeder, wherein said number of FCIs and location each FCI results in a reduction of customer average outage time (AOT) for the feeder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a list of the number of FCIs and the location of each FCI on the feeder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set comprises

historical data for the feeder, and wherein said historical data comprises customer outage time, which comprises at least one of time to initiate a work ticket, time for the line crew to drive to a location on the feeder, time to inspect the feeder, and time to fix a fault, and wherein the customer outage time distinguishes between overhead outage time and underground outage time;

a Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI) reference value;

a number of permanent outages associated with the feeder, and

probability constants.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying step comprises calculating a constant that accounts for different behavior in the feeder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying step comprises conducting a simulation of possible faults in the feeder and calculating the AOT of the feeder based on the results of the simulations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the simulations follow the Monte-Carlo simulation protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of FCIs results in an optimal AOT.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set is generated randomly.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the data set on a computer database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said AOT is determined from the equation:

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying step comprises the steps of:

a. selecting a feeder CAIDI value for reference;

b. calculating a number of zones for each feeder and identifying sections in each zone, determining number of customers per each zone and each section in the zone, number of miles of a particular conductor in each zone and section, and type of the cable (OH or UG);

c. obtaining values for times associated with initiating a fault ticket, initial drive to a substation, line inspection time and line repair time;

d. determining coefficients c₁, and c₂;

e. calculating ξ

, such that customer AOT=CAIDI from step a;

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of defining the desired improvement I [%] in AOT associated with the addition of the extra FCI on the circuit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein additional FCIs are added as long as AOT_i-1/AOT_i>

I.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the number of FCIs from the identifying step at the locations identified in the identifying step.

16. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a list of the number of FCIs and the location of each FCI on the feeder.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the data set comprises

historical data for the feeder, and wherein said historical data comprises customer outage time, which comprises at least one of time to initiate a work ticket, time for the line crew to drive to a location on the feeder, time to inspect the feeder, and time to fix a fault, and wherein the customer outage time distinguishes between overhead outage time and underground outage time;

a Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI) reference value;

a number of permanent outages associated with the feeder, and

probability constants.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said identifying step comprises calculating a constant that accounts for different behavior in the feeder.

19. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said identifying step comprises conducting a simulation of possible faults in the feeder and calculating the AOT of the feeder based on the results of the simulations.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the simulations follow the Monte-Carlo simulation protocol.

21. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the number of FCIs results in an optimal AOT.

22. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the data set is generated randomly.

23. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the data set on a computer database.

24. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said AOT is determined from the equation:

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system to provide a computer process for maximizing efficient placement of FCIs on an electrical feeder;

the computer process executed by the computer system comprises, comprising the steps of;

obtaining a data set associated with faults on an electrical feeder, wherein said data set includes overhead and underground fault response information;

identifying a number of FCIs and a location of each FCI on the feeder utilizing information contained in the data set, wherein said information comprises at least one of overhead, underground fault response information, and probabilities of overhead and underground faults in the feeder, wherein said number of FCIs and location each FCI results in a reduction of customer average outage time (AOT) for the feeder.

25. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said identifying step comprises the steps of:

a. selecting a feeder CAIDI value for reference;

b. calculating a number of zones for each feeder and identifying sections in each zone, determining number of customers per each zone and each section in the zone, number of miles of a particular conductor in each zone and section, and type of the cable (OH or UG);

c. obtaining values for times associated with initiating a fault ticket, initial drive to a substation, line inspection time and line repair time;

d. determining coefficients c₁, and c₂;

e. calculating ξ

, such that customer AOT =CAIDI from step a;

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising the step of defining the desired improvement I [%] in AOT associated with the addition of the extra FCI on the circuit.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein additional FCIs are added as long as AOT_i-l/AOT_i>

I.

28. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising the step of placing the number of FCIs from the identifying step at the locations identified in the identifying step.

29. A system for maximizing efficient placement of Fault Circuit Indicators (FCIs) on an electrical feeder, comprising:

a data management module configured to store a data set, and

a FCI placement module configured to process feeder data and identify a number of FCIs and a location of each FCI on the feeder utilizing information contained in the data set, wherein said information comprises at least one of overhead, underground fault response information, and probabilities of overhead and underground faults in the feeder, wherein said number of FCIs and location each FCI results in a reduction of customer average outage time (AOT) for the feeder.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising the step of providing a list of the number of FCIs and the location of each FCI on the feeder.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the data set comprises

historical data for the feeder, and wherein said historical data comprises customer outage time, which comprises at least one of time to initiate a work ticket, time for the line crew to drive to a location on the feeder, time to inspect the feeder, and time to fix a fault, and wherein the customer outage time distinguishes between overhead outage time and underground outage time;

a Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI) reference value;

a number of permanent outages associated with the feeder, and

probability constants.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein said identifying step comprises calculating a constant that accounts for different behavior in the feeder.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein said identifying step comprises conducting a simulation of possible faults in the feeder and calculating the AOT of the feeder based on the results of the simulations.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the simulations follow the Monte-Carlo simulation protocol.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the number of FCIs results in an optimal AOT.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the data set is generated randomly.

37. The system of claim 29, further comprising the step of storing the data set on a computer database.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein said AOT is determined from the equation:

39. The system of claim 29, wherein said identifying step comprises the steps of:

a. selecting a feeder CAIDI value for reference;

b. calculating a number of zones for each feeder and identifying sections in each zone, determining number of customers per each zone and each section in the zone, number of miles of a particular conductor in each zone and section, and type of the cable (OH or UG);

c. obtaining values for times associated with initiating a fault ticket, initial drive to a substation, line inspection time and line repair time;

d. determining coefficients c₁, and c₂;

e. calculating ξ

, such that customer AOT=CAIDI from step a;

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising the step of defining the desired improvement I [%] in AOT associated with the addition of the extra FCI on the circuit.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein additional FCIs are added as long as AOT_i-1/AOT_i>

I.

42. The system of claim 29, further comprising the step of placing the number of FCIs from the identifying step at the locations identified in the identifying step.

43. The system of claim 29, further comprising at least one set of FCIs.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the FCI'"'"'s are capable of communicating with a utility'"'"'s back office.