Adaptive protection system for a power-distribution network
First Claim
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1. An adaptive protection system for a power-distribution network, comprising:
- a recloser electrically coupled to a first voltage source and a first section of a distribution feeder and adapted to isolate the first section from the first voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the distribution feeder;
a first sectionalizer electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the distribution feeder, the first sectionalizer being adapted to isolate the first section from the second section on a selective basis; and
a second sectionalizer electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the distribution feeder and adapted to isolate the second section from the third section on a selective basis, wherein the recloser and the first and second sectionalizers are adapted to communicate by way of a data network separate from the distribution feeder, and at least one of the first and second sectionalizers;
identifies a faulted section of the distribution feeder;
determines a configuration of the first and second sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and
generates and sends commands to the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to configure the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder.
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Abstract
A preferred embodiment of a system comprises a recloser electrically coupled to a voltage source of a power-distribution network and adapted to isolate a section of a distribution feeder of the power-distribution network from the voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the section of the distribution feeder. The system also comprises a sectionalizer electrically coupled to the section of the distribution feeder. The sectionalizer and the recloser are adapted to communicate via a data network and the recloser is responsive to control inputs sent to the recloser from the sectionalizer over the data network.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An adaptive protection system for a power-distribution network, comprising:
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a recloser electrically coupled to a first voltage source and a first section of a distribution feeder and adapted to isolate the first section from the first voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the distribution feeder; a first sectionalizer electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the distribution feeder, the first sectionalizer being adapted to isolate the first section from the second section on a selective basis; and a second sectionalizer electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the distribution feeder and adapted to isolate the second section from the third section on a selective basis, wherein the recloser and the first and second sectionalizers are adapted to communicate by way of a data network separate from the distribution feeder, and at least one of the first and second sectionalizers; identifies a faulted section of the distribution feeder; determines a configuration of the first and second sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and generates and sends commands to the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to configure the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 39)
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16. A system, comprising:
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a recloser electrically coupled to a first voltage source and comprising a microprocessor-based controller and a gateway equipped with a TCP/IP communications protocol; a first sectionalizer electrically coupled to the recloser so that the recloser is adapted to isolate the first sectionalizer from the first voltage source on a selective basis, the first sectionalizer comprising a microprocessor-based controller and a gateway equipped with the TCP/IP communications protocol; a second sectionalizer electrically coupled to the first sectionalizer so that the first sectionalizer is adapted to isolate the second sectionalizer from the first voltage source on a selective basis, the second sectionalizer comprising a microprocessor-based controller and a gateway equipped with the TCP/IP communications protocol, and a third sectionalizer electrically coupled to the second sectionalizer so that the third sectionalizer is adapted to isolate the second sectionalizer from a second voltage source on a selective basis, the third sectionalizer comprising a microprocessor-based controller and a gateway equipped with the TCP/IP communications protocol, wherein the controller and the gateway of at least one of the first, second, and third sectionalizers; senses an overcurrent condition caused by a fault in a section of a distribution feeder; identifies the section of the distribution feeder having the fault; determines a configuration of the first, second, and third sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and generates and sends commands to another of the first, second, and third sectionalizers and/or the recloser by way of a data network to configure the another of the first, second and third sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A power-distribution network, comprising a first voltage source and a distribution feeder, the distribution feeder comprising:
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an electrically-conductive cable; a recloser electrically coupled to the first voltage source and a first section of the cable and adapted to isolate the first section from the first voltage source in response to an overcurrent condition in the distribution feeder; a first sectionalizer electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the cable, the first sectionalizer being adapted to isolate the first section from the second section on a selective basis; and a second sectionalizer electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the cable and adapted to isolate the second section from the third section on a selective basis, wherein the recloser and the first and second sectionalizers are adapted to communicate by way of a data network, the recloser is responsive to control inputs received by the recloser from at least one of the first and second sectionalizers, and at least one of the first and second sectionalizers is responsive to control inputs received by the at least one of the first and second sectionalizers from the other of the first and second sectionalizers;
wherein at least one of the first and second sectionalizers;identifies a faulted section of the distribution feeder; determines a configuration of the first and second sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and generates and sends commands to the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser by way of the data network to configure the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system comprising:
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a recloser electrically coupled to a first voltage source and a first section of a distribution feeder, the recloser comprising a controller and an interrupting mechanism adapted to move between an open and a closed position in response to a control input from the controller; a first sectionalizer electrically coupled to the first section and a second section of the distribution feeder, the first sectionalizer comprising a controller and a switch adapted to move between an open and a closed position in response a control input from the controller; a second sectionalizer electrically coupled to the second section and a third section of the distribution feeder, the second sectionalizer comprising a controller and a switch adapted to move between an open and a closed position in response to a control input from the controller; and a peer-to-peer communication system comprising a plurality of gateways each electrically coupled to a respective one of the controllers and each being equipped with a common communications protocol so that the gateways are adapted to exchange information over a data network;
wherein at least one of the first and second sectionalizers;identifies a faulted section of the distribution feeder; determines a configuration of the first and second sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and generates and sends commands to the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser by way of the data network to configure the other of the first and second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for isolating a faulted section of a distribution feeder of a power-distribution network, comprising:
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using at least one of a first and a second sectionalizer of the distribution feeder to identify the location of the faulted section by comparing at least one of (i) the number of times a recloser of the distribution feeder has responded to an overcurrent condition with a number of times at least one of the first and second sectionalizers of the distribution feeder have sensed the overcurrent condition, and (ii) the number of times the first and second sectionalizers have each sensed the overcurrent condition; using at least one of the first and the second sectionalizers to determine a configuration of the first and second sectionalizers and the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder from a remainder of the distribution feeder; and using at least one of the first and the second sectionalizers to generate and send commands to the other of the first and the second sectionalizers and/or the recloser by way of a data network to configure the other of the first and the second sectionalizers and/or the recloser to isolate the faulted section of the distribution feeder. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification