Overhead line rating monitor
AssigneeShaw Intellectual Property Holdings, Inc.
InventorDaniel C. Lawry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the thermal capacity of overhead power lines is disclosed. The apparatus includes two rods of similar diameter and material properties to the line to be rated. One of the rods has a heater inside that dissipates a known amount of energy approximately equal to what the line loses during operation at the static rating. The rods are oriented parallel to the line and the temperature of each is measured. Using this information and standard equations governing the cooling of power lines, a very accurate, real-time reading of the line's thermal capacity is generated.
Claims18
An overhead line rating monitor for determining the ampacity of a power line having a rating temperature comprising:
- a cold rod having means for measuring the temperature of said cold rod;
- a hot rod having means for measuring the temperature of said hot rod;
- a heat source internal to said hot rod, said heat source having a wattage;
- and
- means to calculate said ampacity based on said temperature of said cold rod, said temperature of said hot rod, and said wattage.
A method for determining the ampacity of a power line comprising the steps of:
- providing a cold rod having means for measuring the temperature of said cold rod;
- providing a hot rod having means for measuring the temperature of said hot rod;
- providing a heat source internal to said hot rod, said heat source having a wattage;
- and
- calculating the ampacity of said power line based on said temperature of said cold rod, said temperature of said hot rod, and said wattage.
A device for measuring effective wind speed comprising:
- a first cold rod having means for measuring the temperature of said first cold rod;
- a first hot rod having means for measuring the temperature of said first hot rod;
- a first heat source internal to said first hot rod, said first heat source having a first wattage;
- and
- means to calculate said effective wind speed based on said temperature of said first cold rod, said temperature of said first hot rod, and said first wattage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.