Power line management system

• US 9,562,925 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tollgrade Communications Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Nulty, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huls, Natalie
• Application Number:
  US13/766,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/0012 Contingency detection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00125 Transmission line or load transient problems, e.g. overvoltage, resonance or self-excitation of inductive loads H02J3/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/52 Outage or fault management, e.g. fault detection or location
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Techniques comprising obtaining, using a sensor unit coupled to a power line in a power distribution system, at least one measurement of at least one inertial property of the power line; and detecting at least one condition of the power line at least in part by analyzing the at least one measurement. A sensor unit configured to be coupled to a power line in a power distribution system, the sensor unit comprising an inertial sensor configured to collect at least one measurement of at least one inertial property of the power line.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, using a first sensor unit coupled to a first power line in a power distribution system, at least one first measurement of at least one inertial property of the first power line;

obtaining, using a second sensor unit different from the first sensor unit and coupled to a second power line different from the first power line, at least a second measurement of at least one inertial property of the second power line; and

detecting an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing a first feature obtained from the at least one first measurement and a second feature obtained from the at least one second measurement,

wherein detecting the environmental condition comprises;

generating the first feature from the at least one first measurement, the first feature indicating presence of sag in the first power line;

generating the second feature from the at least one second measurement, the second feature indicating presence of sag in the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one inertial property of the first power line comprises a property selected from the group consisting of velocity, acceleration, and inclination.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, using the first sensor unit, whether to transmit the at least one first measurement from the first sensor unit to another computing device; and

transmitting the at least one first measurement to the other computing device in response to determining that the at least one first measurement is to be transmitted.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether to transmit the at least one first measurement comprises analyzing whether a value derived from the at least one first measurement exceeds a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in the area comprises determining that snow and/or ice build-up is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoupling one or more of the multiple power lines from the power distribution system in response to detecting the environmental condition.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preparing to perform repairs on one or more of the multiple power lines in the area being affected by the environmental condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition is a weather-related condition.

9. A method comprising:

obtaining, using a first sensor unit coupled to a first power line in a power distribution system, at least one first measurement of at least one inertial property of the first power line;

obtaining, using a second sensor unit different from the first sensor unit and coupled to a second power line different from the first power line, at least a second measurement of at least one inertial property of the second power line; and

detecting an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing a first feature obtained from the at least one first measurement and a second feature obtained from the at least one second measurement,

wherein detecting the environmental condition comprises;

generating the first feature from the at least one first measurement, the first feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the first power line;

generating the second feature from the at least one second measurement, the second feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one first measurement of the at least one inertial property comprises a plurality of measurements of the at least one inertial property, the method further comprising generating the first feature at least in part by determining a rate of change of the at least one inertial property.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in the area comprises determining that wind is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

12. A system for detecting conditions on power lines in a power distribution system, the system comprising:

multiple sensor units attached to power lines in the power distribution system, each of the multiple sensor units comprising an inertial sensor configured to collect at least one measurement of at least one inertial property of a respective power line; and

at least one processor configured to detect an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing multiple features generated from measurements of the at least one inertial property obtained by the multiple sensor units;

wherein the multiple sensor units include a first sensor unit coupled to a first power line in the power distribution system and a second sensor unit coupled to a second power line in the power distribution system, wherein the multiple features include a first feature and a second feature, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect the environmental condition at least in part by;

generating the first feature from at least one first measurement obtained by the first sensor unit, the first feature indicating presence of sag in the first power line;

generating the second feature from at least one second measurement obtained by the second sensor unit, the second feature indicating presence of sag in the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the multiple sensor units include a first sensor unit that comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit measurements to another computer.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the inertial sensor comprises an accelerometer and/or an inclinometer.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one inertial property of the respective power line comprises a property selected from the group consisting of velocity, acceleration, and inclination.

16. A system for detecting conditions on power lines in a power distribution system, the system comprising:

multiple sensor units attached to power lines in the power distribution system, each of the multiple sensor units comprising an inertial sensor configured to collect at least one measurement of at least one inertial property of a respective power line; and

at least one processor configured to detect an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing multiple features generated from measurements of the at least one inertial property obtained by the multiple sensor units,

wherein the multiple sensor units include a first sensor unit coupled to a first power line in the power distribution system and a second sensor unit coupled to a second power line in the power distribution system, wherein the multiple features include a first feature and a second feature, wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect the environmental condition at least in part by;

generating the first feature from the at least one first measurement, the first feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the first power line;

generating the second feature from the at least one second measurement, the second feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

17. At least one tangible computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

obtaining, from a first sensor unit, at least one first measurement of at least one inertial property of a first power line in a power distribution system;

obtaining, from a second sensor unit different from the first sensor unit and coupled to a second power line different from the first power line, at least a second measurement of at least one inertial property of the second power line; and

detecting an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing a first feature obtained from the at least one first measurement and a second feature obtained from the at least one second measurement,

wherein detecting the environmental condition comprises;

generating the first feature from the at least one first measurement, the first feature indicating presence of sag in the first power line;

generating the second feature from the at least one second measurement, the second feature indicating presence of sag in the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

18. The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one inertial property of the first power line comprises a property selected from the group consisting of velocity, acceleration, and inclination.

19. The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining the environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in the area comprises determining that snow and/or ice build-up is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

20. At least one tangible computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

obtaining, from a first sensor unit, at least one first measurement of at least one inertial property of a first power line in a power distribution system;

obtaining, from a second sensor unit different from the first sensor unit and coupled to a second power line different from the first power line, at least a second measurement of at least one inertial property of the second power line; and

detecting an environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in an area at least in part by jointly analyzing a first feature obtained from the at least one first measurement and a second feature obtained from the at least one second measurement,

wherein detecting the environmental condition comprises;

generating the first feature from the at least one first measurement, the first feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the first power line;

generating the second feature from the at least one second measurement, the second feature indicating swinging, oscillation, galloping, twisting, and/or rotation of the second power line; and

correlating the first feature and the second feature to infer that the environmental condition is affecting multiple power lines in the area.

21. The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein determining the environmental condition affecting multiple power lines in the area comprises determining that wind is affecting multiple power lines in the area.