Control unit for a power-distribution network
First Claim
1. A power-distribution network, comprising a plurality of switching devices and a control unit, the control unit comprising a processor, a memory-storage device electrically coupled to the processor, a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory-storage device, and an input/output interface electrically coupled to the processor, wherein the control unit:
- receives data from the plurality of switching devises;
identifies ones of the switching devices located immediately up-line and down-line of a fault in a faulted section of the power-distribution network based on predetermined characteristics of the data; and
generates and sends a first control input to at least one of the switching devices locatedimmediately up-line and down-line of the fault to cause the at least one of the switching devices to open and thereby isolate the faulted section from another section of the power-distribution network.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A preferred embodiment of control unit for a power-distribution network comprises a processor, a memory-storage device electrically coupled to the processor, a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory-storage device, and an input/output interface electrically coupled to the processor. The control unit receives data from a plurality of switching devices of a power-distribution network, identifies ones of the switching devices located immediately up-line and down-line of a fault in a faulted section of the power-distribution network based on predetermined characteristics of the data, and generates and sends a first control input to at least one of the switching devices located immediately up-line and down-line of the fault to cause the at least one of the switching devices to open and thereby isolate the faulted section from a second section of the power-distribution network.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A power-distribution network, comprising a plurality of switching devices and a control unit, the control unit comprising a processor, a memory-storage device electrically coupled to the processor, a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory-storage device, and an input/output interface electrically coupled to the processor, wherein the control unit:
-
receives data from the plurality of switching devises;
identifies ones of the switching devices located immediately up-line and down-line of a fault in a faulted section of the power-distribution network based on predetermined characteristics of the data; and
generates and sends a first control input to at least one of the switching devices locatedimmediately up-line and down-line of the fault to cause the at least one of the switching devices to open and thereby isolate the faulted section from another section of the power-distribution network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A power-distribution network, comprising (i) a central processing unit comprising a processor, a memory-storage device electrically coupled to the processor, and a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory-storage device, (ii) an input/output interface electrically coupled to the central processing unit;
- and (iii) a first and a second switching device, wherein;
the input/output interface receives inputs from the first and second switching devices, the inputs being indicative of a load condition on each of the first and second switching devices;
the central processing unit detects the presence a fault in a first section of the power-distribution network located between the first and second switching devices by comparing the input from the first switching device with the input from the second switching device;
the central processing unit generates a control input in response to the detection of the fault; and
the input/output interface sends the control input to at least one of the first and second switching devices, the control input causing the at least one of the first and second switching devices to reconfigure itself to isolate the first section of the power-distribution network from a second section of the power-distribution network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
- and (iii) a first and a second switching device, wherein;
-
21. A power-distribution network, comprising:
-
a first switching device electrically coupled to a first voltage source and a first section of a first distribution feeder for isolating the first section from the first voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the first distribution feeder;
a second switching device electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the first distribution feeder for isolating the first section from the second section on a selective basis;
a third switching device electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the first distribution feeder isolating the second section from the third section on a selective basis; and
a control unit comprising a processor, a memory-storage device electrically coupled to the processor, a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory-storage device, and an input/output interface, wherein the control unit;
(i) communicates with at least the first, second and third switching devices;
(ii) detects the presence a fault in one of the first, second and third sections by comparing loading conditions of the first, second, and third switching devices; and
(iii) generates and sends a control input to at least one of the second and third switching devices to cause the at least one of the second and third switching devices to isolate one of the first, second, and third sections from another of the fast, second, and third sections.- View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
a fifth switching device electrically coupled to the second voltage source and a first section of a second distribution feeder, the fifth switching device isolating the first section of the second distribution feeder from the second voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the second distribution feeder, a sixth switching device electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the second distribution feeder the sixth switching device isolating the first section from the second section of the second distribution feeder on a selective basis; and
a seventh switching device electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the second distribution feeder, seventh switching device isolating the second section from the third section of the second distribution feeder on a selective basis, wherein the fourth switching device is electrically coupled to the third section of the second distribution feeder and the control unit;
(i) communicates with the fifth, sixth, and seventh switching devices;
(ii) detects the presence a fault in one of the first, second, and third sections of the second distribution feeder by comparing loading conditions of the fifth, sixth, and seventh switching devices; and
(iii) generates and sends a control input to at least one of the sixth and seventh switching devices to cause the at least one of the sixth and seventh switching devices to isolate one of the first, second, and third sections of the second distribution feeder from another of the first, second, and third sections of the second distribution feeder.
-
-
30. The power-distribution network of claim 21, further comprising a substation, the substation comprising the first voltage source and a circuit breaker electrically coupled to the first voltage source and the first switching device.
-
31. The power-distribution network of claim 24, further comprising (i) a first substation comprising the first voltage source and a first circuit breaker electrically coupled to the first voltage source and the first switching device, and (ii) a first substation comprising the second voltage source and a second circuit breaker electrically coupled to the second voltage source and the fourth switching device.
-
32. The control unit of claim 21, further comprising a central processing unit comprising the processor, the memory-storage device, the computer-executable instructions, and a power supply electrically coupled to the processor and the memory-storage device.
-
33. A power-distribution network comprising:
-
a first voltage source;
a first switching device electrically coupled to the voltage source;
a second switching device electrically coupled to the first switching device down-line of the first switching device in relation to the first voltage source;
a third switching device electrically coupled to the second switching device down-line of the second switching device in relation to the first voltage source; and
a control unit for;
(i) receiving data from at least the second and third switching devices;
(ii) detecting a fault in a first section of the power-distribution network located between the second and third switching devices based on predetermined characteristics of the data; and
(iii) generating and sending a first control input to at least one of the second and third switching devices to cause the at least one of the second and third switching devices to open and thereby isolate the first section from a second section of the power-distribution network.- View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification