Smart busway joint pack monitor

A method of thermal smart monitoring of electrical distribution equipment, the electrical distribution equipment including one or more electric current carrying components and a joint pack connecting the electric current carrying components to each other, the method comprising:

• receiving, from an internal temperature sensor, initial internal temperature data indicating an internal temperature of the joint pack;
• receiving, from an external temperature sensor, initial ambient temperature data indicating a temperature measured outside of the joint pack;
• receiving, from one or more current sensors, initial current data of the one or more electric current carrying components measured at the joint pack, wherein the current sensors are electromagnetically coupled to the one or more electric current carrying components and spaced apart from the joint pack;
• processing the initial ambient temperature data and the initial current data as inputs to a thermal prediction model to generate an expected temperature prediction of a temperature within the joint pack;
• comparing the expected temperature prediction to the initial internal temperature data to determine whether the initial internal temperature deviates from the expected temperature prediction;
• and
• generating a notification based on the determination.

A system for smart monitoring of electrical distribution equipment, the electrical distribution equipment including a plurality of electric current carrying components and a joint pack connecting the electric current carrying components to each other, the system comprising:

• a joint pack side plate configured to mount on a side of the joint pack;
• a monitoring processor on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) attached to the side plate;
• one or more current sensors configured to measure current in the electric current carrying components, the one or more current sensors mounted on an interior surface of the side plate and communicatively coupled to the monitoring processor;
• an internal temperature sensor configured to measure an internal temperature inside the joint pack, the internal sensor mounted on the interior surface of the side plate and communicatively coupled to the monitoring processor;
• an external temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient temperature outside the joint pack, the temperature sensor mounted on an exterior surface of the side plate and communicatively coupled to the monitoring processor;
• and
• an indicator communicatively coupled to the monitoring processor and configured to indicate a determined temperature status of the joint pack, wherein the monitoring processor is configured to generate the determined temperature status based on the internal temperature inside the joint pack, the ambient temperature, and the current measurements.