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Detection of arcs in power cables using plasma noise or negtive resistance of the arcs

  • US 5,418,463 A
  • Filed: 11/24/1993
  • Issued: 05/23/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting arc discharges in power cables connecting power supply board and at least one equipment rack, said power supply board including circuit breakers operating at a preset current level, and said arc discharge occurring at a fraction of said current level, which method comprisesdetecting an arc discharge in at least one power cable,supplying a signal representing the presence of the arc discharge to a power supply control, andproviding a control signal from said power supply control sufficient to cause said at least one circuit breaker to open interrupting supply of power from the power supply board to an affected power cable, in whichsaid arc discharge radiates a plasma noise with radio frequency noise,said detecting is conducted by means of a microwave antenna and a microwave receiver which upon detecting said plasma noise provide said arc discharge-representing signal to the power supply control, said microwave antenna being positioned above said at least one power cable and being responsive to radiation in a 1 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range.

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