Systems and methods for operating an overhead electrical line
AssigneeCTC Global Corporation
InventorsKevin Corbalis, Eric Bosze, David Goekjian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for the operation of an overhead electrical line. The systems include one or more distributed sensors associated with an overhead electrical cable and one or more non-distributed sensors associated with the overhead electrical cable. The non-distributed sensors may be used to corroborate line condition values obtained from the distributed sensors, or may be used to calibrate the values obtained from the non-distributed sensors.
Claims57
A method for the operation of an overhead electrical line that is operatively strung onto support towers, the overhead electrical line comprising a first overhead electrical cable comprising a strength member and an electrical conductor surrounding the strength member, the method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining first distributed condition data at a first time from a first distributed sensing element that extends along a length of the first overhead electrical cable, the first distributed condition data comprising at least one of first distributed cable temperature data and first distributed cable strain data;
- obtaining first location data associated with the first distributed condition data, the first location data identifying a first linear segment of the first distributed sensing element, wherein the steps of obtaining the first distributed condition data and obtaining the first location data comprise interrogating the first distributed sensing element using an interrogation device that is operatively attached to the first distributed sensing element;
- determining a first distributed condition value from the first distributed condition data;
- obtaining first non-distributed condition data from a first non-distributed sensor that is located proximate to the first linear segment of the first distributed sensing element, the first non-distributed condition data comprising data selected from the group consisting of first non-distributed cable temperature data and first non-distributed cable strain data;
- determining a non-distributed condition value from at least the first non-distributed condition data;
- and
- adjusting the interrogation device to reduce a difference between the first distributed condition value and the first non-distributed condition value.
The method recited in claim 20, wherein the predetermined acceptance deviation value is not greater than about 10° C. absolute.
A system for the operation of an overhead electrical line, comprising:
- an overhead electrical line that is operatively strung onto support towers, the overhead electrical line comprising a first overhead electrical cable comprising a strength member and an electrical conductor surrounding the strength member:
- a first distributed sensing element that extends along a length of the first overhead electrical cable, the first distributed sensing element comprising an optical fiber;
- an interrogation device operatively attached to the optical fiber;
- and
- at least a first non-distributed sensor that is located proximate the first overhead electrical cable,
- wherein the first non-distributed sensor is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor and a strain sensor, and
- wherein the first non-distributed sensor is configured to measure at least one of a temperature value or a strain value of the overhead electrical cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.