Electrical parameter sensing module for mounting on and removal from an energized high voltage power conductor
First Claim
1. A sensor module for measuring a plurality of parameters associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
- (a) housing means having a metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element;
(b) means for mounting said housing upon an energized power conductor;
(c) means carried by said housing for sensing the value of current flow through said conductor;
(d) means including said metallic skin of said housing for sensing the value of the voltage on said conductor;
(e) means carried by said housing for determining the phase relationship between said sensed values of current and voltage; and
(f) means for communicating data representing the respective values of current, voltage and phase angle to a location remote from said sensor module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A toroidal sensor module having a metallic outer skin and mounting means for installation upon and removal from an energized power conductor providing synchronized measurements of electrical parameters. In one embodiment the module is adapted to measure the values of voltage, current and phase angle of the conductor upon which it is mounted, and to communicate data representing such values to a ground station in the vicinity of the sensor module. The voltage and current are sensed simultaneously to provide time-synchronized readings with respect to voltage zero crossings from which the phase relationship is determined. The metallic skin of the module may be either capacitively or electrically coupled to the conductor for purposes of making conductor voltage measurements. The toroidal housing is divided into two, mutually insulated sections to prevent an electrical short circuit loop on any peripheral path on the housing extending through both sections, thereby allowing the electromagnetic field of the conductor to be coupled to sensing elements within the housing.
101 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A sensor module for measuring a plurality of parameters associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; (b) means for mounting said housing upon an energized power conductor; (c) means carried by said housing for sensing the value of current flow through said conductor; (d) means including said metallic skin of said housing for sensing the value of the voltage on said conductor; (e) means carried by said housing for determining the phase relationship between said sensed values of current and voltage; and (f) means for communicating data representing the respective values of current, voltage and phase angle to a location remote from said sensor module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A sensor module for mounting on and removal from an energized, high voltage power conductor for measuring the instantaneous value of voltage on said conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; (b) mounting means by which said housing means is mounted in surrounding relation to said conductor, said mounting means including an electrically conducting member in engagement with said power conductor; (c) a relatively thin insulating barrier between said conducting member and said housing which functions as a high impedance capacitor at frequencies at or below the highest frequency to be measured; and (d) an integrating network having a low impedance operational amplifier with first and second inputs respectively connected to said conductor and to said metallic outer skin, thereby measuring the charging current on said outer skin and hence the voltage on said conductor.
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22. A sensor module for mounting on and removal from an energized, high voltage power conductor for measuring the instantaneous value of voltage on said conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a generally toroidal, metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; (b) mounting means by which said housing means is mounted in surrounding relation to said conductor; (c) means electrically connecting said metallic skin to said conductor, whereby said metallic skin is at the electrical potential of said conductor; (d) at least one conducting plate having a length at least several times its width affixed to an inner portion of said toroidal metallic skin with a relatively thin layer of insulating material therebetween to provide one segment of a capacitance voltage divider to earth; (e) a high impedance amplifier with first and second inputs respectively connected to said plate and to said metallic skin; and (f) means for measuring the voltage across the output of said amplifier proportional to the line-to-ground potential of said conductor.
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23. A sensor module for measuring at least one parameter associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin defining an enclosed space; (b) means for mounting said housing upon said conductor; (c) at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field of said conductor contained within said enclosed space; (d) said housing means being divided into complementary first and second sections; (e) means electrically insulating said first and second sections from one another along the periphery to prevent an electrical short circuit loop on any peripheral path on said housing extending through both said first and second sections, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; and (f) means carried by said housing for measuring at least one parameter associated with operation of said conductor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A sensor module for measuring at least one parameter associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin; (b) means for mounting said housing upon and removing it from an energized power conductor; (c) at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted with said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; (d) means carried by said housing for measuring at least one parameter associated with operation of said conductor; and (e) means for communicating data representing the value of said parameter to a location remote from said sensor module.
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33. A sensor module for measuring a plurality of parameters associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagentic field asociated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagentic field to be coupled to said element; (b) means for mounting said housing upon an energized power conductor; (c) means carried by said housing for sensing the value of current flow through said conductor; (d) means including said metallic skin of said housing for sensing the value of the voltage on said conductor; and (e) means for communicating data representing the respective values of current and voltage to a location remote from said sensor module.
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34. A sensor module for measuring a plurality of parameters associated with operation of an electric power conductor, said module comprising:
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(a) housing means having a metallic outer skin, and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element; (b) mounting means by which said housing means is mounted in surrounding relation to said conductor, said mounting means including an electrically conducting member in engagement with said power conductor; (c) means carried by said housing for sensing the value of current flow through said conductor; (d) a relatively thin insulating barrier between said conducting member and said housing which functions as a high impedance capacitor at frequencies at or below the highest frequency to be measured; (e) an integrating network having a low impedance operational amplifier with first and second inputs respectively connected to said conductor and to said metallic outer skin, thereby measuring the charging current on said outer skin and hence the voltage on said conductor; and (f) means for communicating data representing the respective values of current and voltage to a location remote from said sensor module.
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Specification