Fault detection
First Claim
1. Apparatus for the detection of a fault signal in a supply system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load connected in the system comprising an impedance element for connection across the power supply, a tapping point to the impedance element, a connector between the tapping point and a point to complete a circuit for a fault signal in the system, an interrupter for periodically pulsing a signal into the system effectively thereby to generate a pulse interrupted fault signal, a detector for location relative to the system for sensing the pulse interrupted fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the fault, and means for operating the detector in synchronism with the interrupter whereby the detector senses a substantially steady state level of the pulse interrupted fault signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for the detection of leakage current in a system includes a power supply and conductors from the supply for supplying power to a load connected to the system. There is an interrupter connected in the system and to a ground point such that a ground leakage current in the system has a closed circuit. Activation of the interrupter about every 12 seconds effectively generates a pulse interrupted ground fault signal. Such signal is detected by a magnetic sensor located relative to a multi-feeder system with high capacitive reactance. The sensor is immune to random electromagnetic and electrostatic conditions in the distribution system. The sensor is synchronized to operate with the interrupter so that sensing is effected at a steady level of a square wave interrupted pulse.
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Citations
98 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for the detection of a fault signal in a supply system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load connected in the system comprising an impedance element for connection across the power supply, a tapping point to the impedance element, a connector between the tapping point and a point to complete a circuit for a fault signal in the system, an interrupter for periodically pulsing a signal into the system effectively thereby to generate a pulse interrupted fault signal, a detector for location relative to the system for sensing the pulse interrupted fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the fault, and means for operating the detector in synchronism with the interrupter whereby the detector senses a substantially steady state level of the pulse interrupted fault signal.
- 12. Apparatus for the detection of a fault signal in a supply system including conductors from a power supply for supplying power to a load and having stray capacitance in the system comprising an impedance element for connection across the power supply, a tapping point to the impedance element, a connector between the tapping point and a point to complete a circuit for a fault signal in the system, an interrupter for periodically pulsing a signal into the system effectively thereby to generate a pulse interrupted fault signal, a detector for location relative to the system for sensing the pulse interrupted fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the fault, and including means for substantially discharging the stray capacitance in the system.
- 20. Apparatus for the detection of a ground fault signal in a normally ungrounded DC system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load in the DC system comprising an impedance element for connection across the DC power supply, a tapping point to the impedance element, a connector between the tapping point and a ground point to complete a ground circuit for a ground fault in the system, a relay between the tapping point and ground, an interrupter for periodically opening and closing the relay while the ungrounded DC system remains substantially closed and operational, the opening and closing of the relay interrupting the ground circuit effectively thereby to generate a DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal, a magnetic detector for location relative to the DC system for sensing the DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the ground fault, the DC system remaining substantially closed and operational during the ground fault detection, and means for operating the detector in synchronism with the interrupter whereby the detector senses a substantially steady state level of the DC pulse interrupted fault signal.
- 30. Apparatus for the detection of a ground fault signal in a normally ungrounded DC system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to loads in the DC system having stray capacitance comprising an impedance element for connection across the D.C. power supply, a tapping point to the impedance element, a connector between the tapping point and a ground point such that a ground fault in the system completes a ground circuit, a relay between the tapping point and ground, an interrupter for periodically opening and closing the relay while the ungrounded DC system remains substantially closed and operational, the opening and closing of the relay interrupting the ground circuit effectively thereby to generate a DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal, a magnetic detector for location relative to the DC system for sensing the DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the ground fault, the DC system remaining substantially closed and operational during the ground fault detection, and including means for substantially discharging the stray capacitance in the system.
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37. Apparatus for the detection of low level ground leakage current in a supply system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load connected in the system comprising:
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resistor elements for connection at one end to conductors from the supply; a selector relay connected to the resistors at ends opposite to the connection with the conductors; an interrupter replay connected with the selector relay for periodically connecting selected resistor elements to ground thereby creating a ground circuit for the ground leakage current through selected resistors; and a detector for location relative to the system for sensing the ground current when the current is in a substantially steady state level. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 97, 98)
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- 47. A method for the detection of a fault signal in a system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load connected in the system comprising connecting an impedance element across the power supply, providing a tapping point to the impedance element to complete a circuit between the tapping point and a point for a fault signal in the system, periodically interrupting the system with a pulsing signal thereby to generate a pulse interrupted signal in the system, and detecting the location relative to the system of the pulse interrupted signal, the detection being in synchronism with the interrupting signal whereby the detection is effected at substantially steady state level of the pulse interrupted signal.
- 57. A method for the detection of a fault signal system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load in the system having stray capacitance comprising connecting an impedance element across the power supply, providing a tapping point to the impedance element to complete a circuit between the tapping point and a point for a fault signal in the system periodically interrupting the system with a pulsing signal effectively thereby to generate a pluse interrupted fault signal, detecting the location relative to the system of the pulse interrupted signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the fault, and substantially charging or discharging substantially the stray capacitance prior to detection of a fault in the system.
- 64. A method for the detection of a ground fault signal in a normally ungrounded DC system including conductors from a supply for supplying power to a load in the DC system comprising connecting an impedance element across the DC power supply, providing a tapping point to the impedance element to complete a circuit between the tapping point and a ground point for a ground fault signal in the system having a relay between the tapping point and ground, periodically opening and closing the relay while the ungrounded DC system remains substantially closed and operational, the opening and closing of the relay interrupting the ground circuit effectively thereby to generate a DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal, and magnetically detecting the location relative to the DC system of the DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the ground fault, the detection being in synchronism with the interrupting signal whereby the detection is at a substantially steady state level of the DC pulse interrupted ground fault.
- 66. A method for detecting a ground fault signal in a normally ungronded DC system having conductors from a supply for supplying power to loads in the DC system with stray capacitance comprising connecting an impedance element across the DC power supply, providing a tapping point to the impedance element to complete a circuit between the tapping point and a ground point for the ground fault, providing a relay between the tapping point and ground, periodically opening and closing the relay while the ungrounded DC system remains substantially closed and operational, the opening and closing of the relay interrupting the ground circuit effectively thereby to generate a DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal, magnetically detecting the DC pulse interrupted ground fault signal and thereby providing for detecting the location of the ground fault, and substantially charging or discharging the stray capacitance prior to detection of DC pulse interrupted ground fault in the system.
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79. Apparatus for the detection of low level ground leakage in a supply system including conductors from the supply for supplying power to loads connecting to the system comprising:
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resistor elements connected at one end to conductors from the supply; a selector relay connected to the resistors at ends opposite to the resistor connection with the conductors; an interrupter relay connected with the selector relay for periodically connecting selected resistor elements through a function switch to ground thereby creating a ground circuit for ground leakage current through the selected resistors when the function switch is closed; and a detector for location relative to the conductors for sensing the ground leakage current when the ground current is at a substantially steady state level. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A method for the detection of low level ground leakage current in a supply system including conductors between a supply loads connected in the system comprising:
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connecting one end of resistor elements to the conductors from the supply; connecting a selector relay to the resistors at ends opposite to the resistor connection with the conductors;
connecting an interrupter relay with the selector relay for periodically connecting selector relay and through a function switch to ground thereby creating a ground circuit for the ground leakage current through selected resistors when the function switch is closed; andlocating a detector relative to the system for sensing the ground leakage current when the current is at a substantially steady state level. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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Specification