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US 2026/0146898 A1Published application
System and method for monitoring load usage on an electrical transformer
AssigneeEskom Holdings SOC Limited
InventorNicolaas DE KLERK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method which is capable of monitoring temperature changes over time on a region of an electrical transformer to measure load usage and thereby prevent any damage thereto.
Claims20
A system for monitoring temperature and thereby preventing damage to an electrical transformer (10) comprising an electrical circuit, the system comprising:
- a control unit (2) comprising a memory and a processor (4), wherein the memory is capable of storing predetermined threshold values and storing a set of instructions which are executable by the processor (4) to allow for a plurality of calculations to be performed;
- a heat sensor (52) communicatively coupled to the memory of the control unit (2), wherein the heat sensor (52) is locatable on a region of the electrical transformer (10) for deriving temperature signals measured over time when the temperature changes in the region of the transformer (10), and wherein the heat sensor (52) is communicatively coupled to an electrical device for converting the temperature signals measured over time to temperature data that is stored on the memory;
- and
- execution means (40) communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor (4) of the control unit (2) for executing a closed action when a calculation is performed that yields a result where the temperature data is below a lower predetermined threshold value, and executing an open action when a calculation is performed that yields a result where the temperature data is above an upper predetermined threshold value, wherein the execution means (40) is capable of being electrically connected to the electrical circuit to close the electrical circuit when the closed action is executed and open the electrical circuit when the open action is executed.
1 more element
A method of preventing damage to an electrical transformer (10) comprising an electrical circuit, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) communicatively coupling a control unit (2) comprising a processor (4) and a memory to an electrical transformer (10), wherein the memory is capable of storing predetermined threshold values and a set of instructions which are executable by the processor (4) to allow for a plurality of calculations to be performed;
- (ii) providing a heat sensor (52) that is communicatively coupled to the memory of the control unit (2), wherein the heat sensor (52) is locatable in a region of the electrical transformer (10) for deriving temperature signals measured over time when the temperature changes in the region of the transformer (10), and wherein the heat sensor (52) is communicatively coupled to an electrical device for converting the temperature signals measured over time to temperature data that is stored on the memory, and wherein the temperature data comprises temperature measurement values and time measurement values;
- (iii) communicatively coupling execution means (40) to the memory and the processor (4) of the control unit (2), wherein the execution means (40) is capable of being electrically connected to the electrical circuit to close the electrical circuit when a closed action is executed and open the electrical circuit when an open action is executed;
- (iv) executing a timer action with a countdown module stored on the memory when the temperature data exceeds an upper predetermined threshold value, wherein the countdown module allows for an elapsed time value to be calculated;
- (v) executing the closed action when a calculation is performed by the processor (4) that yields a result where the temperature data is below a lower predetermined threshold value;
- and
- (vi) optionally executing an open action when a calculation is performed by the processor (4) that yields a result where the temperature data is above an upper predetermined threshold value and the elapsed time value exceeds a predetermined time threshold value stored on the memory.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.