Distribution Line Clamp Force Using DC Bias on Coil

• US 20160069934A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sentient Technologies Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dennis Saxby, James Mckeffery, Mark A. Parsons
• Inventors: SAXBY, Dennis, PARSONS, Mark A., McKEFFERY, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,448,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/142 Arrangements for simultaneous measurements of several parameters employing techniques covered by groups G01R15/14 - G01R15/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/18 using inductive devices, e.g. transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network and utilizes a split-core transformer to harvest energy from the conductors. The monitoring devices can be configured to harvest energy from the AC power grid and apply a DC bias to core halves of the split-core transformer to maintain a positive magnetic force between the core halves. Methods of installing and using the monitoring devices are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a power grid distribution network, comprising the steps of:

harvesting energy from a conductor line of the power grid distribution network with a split-core transformer of a monitoring device installed on the conductor line;

powering the monitoring device with the harvested energy; and

applying a DC bias to the split-core transformer with a circuit of the monitoring device to eliminate periodic separation between first and second core halves of the split-core transformer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the DC bias eliminates vibration noise in the split-core transformer when installed on the conductor line.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the circuit enables secondary currents flowing in secondary windings of the split-core transformer to have different magnitudes on each half-cycle of the AC cycle.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sensing electrical parameters of the power grid distribution network with the monitoring device.

8. The device of claim 4 wherein the circuit comprises a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

5. A power line monitoring device, comprising:

a split-core current transformer comprising first and second core halves, the split-core transformer being configured to harvest energy from a conductor line of a power grid distribution network to power the power line monitoring device;

secondary windings disposed around at least the first core half of the split-core transformer; and

a circuit electrically coupled to the secondary windings, the circuit configured to apply a DC bias to the secondary windings to eliminate periodic separation between first and second core halves of the split-core transformer.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising sensing elements configured to monitor electrical and environmental parameters of the power grid distribution network.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the circuit is configured to produce secondary currents in the secondary windings that have different magnitudes on each half cycle of an AC line current of the conductor line.