US 5,530,366 A · Acoustic optical system for partial discharge detection and location

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a partial discharge in a high voltage transformer comprising a live tank comprises a metal box detachably connected to the tank; a first acoustic sensor inside the box for converting acoustic waves in a first frequency band to a first electrical output signal; signal conditioning circuitry inside the box for amplifying and filtering the first electrical signal; an electrical to optical converter, inside the box, for converting the amplified and filtered electrical signal to an optical signal; a fiber optic link for carrying the optical signal to a location remote from the transformer; and an optical to electrical converter at the remote location for converting the optical signal to a second electrical signal, the second electrical signal being indicative of a partial discharge inside the tank. The second electrical signal may be fed to an oscilloscope or recording equipment for determination of the occurrence of a partial discharge. Multiple boxes can be deployed to form a system for locating the source of the discharge.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system for detecting a partial discharge in a high voltage transformer comprising a live or ungrounded tank, comprising:

(a) a metal box detachably connected to said tank;
(b) a first acoustic sensor inside said box for converting acoustic waves in a first frequency band to a first electrical output signal;
(c) signal conditioning circuitry inside said box and coupled to said first acoustic sensor, said signal conditioning circuitry amplifying and filtering said first electrical signal;
(d) an electrical to optical converter, inside said box and coupled to said signal conditioning circuitry, for converting the amplified and filtered electrical signal from said signal conditioning circuitry to an optical signal;
(e) a fiber optic link for carrying said optical signal to a location remote from said transformer;
and
(f) an optical to electrical converter, coupled at the remote location to said fiber optic link, for converting said optical signal to a second electrical signal, said second electrical signal being indicative of an occurrence of a partial discharge inside said tank.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Acoustic optical system for partial discharge detection and location

Life of this patent

Acoustic optical system for partial discharge detection and location

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14