US 10,241,136 B2 · High voltage capacitor current monitor

Abstract

A high voltage capacitor current monitor that attaches to a bushing on the exterior of a capacitor container (commonly referred to as a “can”). The capacitor current monitor, which draws operating power from the power line, detects the current flowing through the high voltage capacitor and can be used as part of a capacitor status monitor to detect internal failures down to the level of a single capacitor pack. The monitor may include a radio transmitter and/or a visual status indicator, such as an electronic flag, indicating the detection of a fault or capacitor failure. The current monitor may also include a power supply current transformer providing power to the monitor from the power line. Capacitor current measurements may be communicated with a remote transmission unit (RTU), which communicates with a central control station that schedules capacitor maintenance based on the data received from the status monitors.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A capacitor current monitor for a high voltage electric power capacitor canister having a first high voltage bushing carrying a first high voltage power line terminal, and a second high voltage bushing carrying a second high voltage power line terminal, comprising:

a housing configured for mounting on one of the power line terminals;
a current sensor carried by the housing positioned to surround the power line terminal when the housing is mounted on the power line terminal, the current sensor operative for detecting a current measurement of a current flowing through the power line terminal;
electronics carried by the housing including a microprocessor, a radio chip, and an antenna for transmitting information acquired or computed by the microprocessor;
a power supply current transformer carried by the housing positioned to surround the power line terminal when the housing is mounted on the power line terminal, the power supply current transformer operative for inducing electric power from the current flowing through the power line terminal and supplying the electric power to the electronics of the capacitor current monitor.

1 more element

A capacitor status monitor for a high voltage electric power capacitor canister having a first high voltage bushing carrying a first high voltage power line terminal, and a second high voltage bushing carrying a second high voltage power line terminal, comprising:

a current monitor comprising:
a housing configured for mounting on one of the power line terminals, a current sensor carried by the housing positioned to surround the power line terminal when the housing is mounted on the power line terminal, the current sensor operative for detecting a current measurement of a current flowing through the power line terminal, electronics carried by the housing including a microprocessor, a radio chip, and an antenna for transmitting information acquired or computed by the microprocessor, a power supply current transformer carried by the housing positioned to surround the power line terminal when the housing is mounted on the power line terminal,
the power supply current transformer operative for inducing electric power from the current flowing through the power line terminal and supplying the electric power to the electronics of the capacitor current monitor;
and an impedance detector comprising:
a PC board configured for connection between the first and second power line terminals comprising a voltage divider operative for detecting a voltage measurement of a voltage across the first and second power line terminals of the capacitor canister, and
electronics comprising a microprocessor operative for computing an impedance associated with the capacitor canister based on current measurement and the voltage measurement;
and wherein the power supply current transformer supplies electric power to the electronics of the impedance detector.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High voltage capacitor current monitor

Life of this patent

High voltage capacitor current monitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19