US 6,496,342 B1 · Distributed monitoring and protection system for a distributed power network

Abstract

A distributed monitoring and protection system for a distributed power network. The system includes a plurality of high-speed measuring units (MUs), wherein each MU is coupled to a power line to measure values of electrical parameters of the power line. Electrical parameters, such as current, voltage, power and frequency are measured by the MUs. The MUs communicate with a control unit (CU) over a high-speed communications network. The CU includes a processor executing algorithms for evaluating the measured parameters to determine the status of the power network and the MUs. The processor also executes fault detection and isolation by comparing the measured values against predetermined threshold values. When a fault is detected by the CU, protective action, such as tripping of a circuit breaker, may be initiated by the CU directly or by transmitting the tripping command over the high speed data network to a local MU. The local MU may then trip the circuit breaker. The availability at the CU of concurrent measurements from the plurality of MUs enables improved coordination and sequencing of protective actions.

Claims43

Dependent claims

A distributed monitoring and protection system for a distributed power network comprising:

a plurality of lines for distributing electric power, the lines including protective devices, and at least two of the lines connected to different current nodes at different potentials,
an individual monitoring unit for measuring electrical parameters coupled to each of at least two of the lines, at least two of the monitoring units measuring electrical parameters from different current nodes at different potentials
at least one control unit communicating remotely over a high-speed data network with each monitoring unit,
the at least one control unit including a processor for (a) comparing in the control unit the measured electrical parameters of one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of at least one other respective monitoring unit, and (b) producing in the control unit an activating signal based on the comparison of the measured electrical parameters of the one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of the at least one other respective monitoring unit, and
the control unit coupled to at least one protective device of a respective line connected to a current node, wherein the control unit trips the protective device based on the activating signal.

2 more elements

In a distributed power network having a plurality of power lines wherein at least two of the power lines are connected to different current nodes at different potentials and each power line includes a protective device, a method for activating a protective device comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring electrical parameters by respective monitoring units in at least two of the power lines connected to different current nodes at different potentials;
(b) transmitting at high speed the measured electrical parameters from the respective monitoring units to a remotely located control unit;
(c) comparing in the control unit the measured electrical parameters of one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of at least one other respective monitoring unit;
(d) producing in the control unit an activating signal based on the comparison of the measured electrical parameters of the one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of the at least one other respective monitoring unit;
and
(e) tripping by the control unit a protective device of one of the at least two power lines based on the activating signal produced in step (d).

3 more elements

A distributed monitoring and protection system at one end of a power transmission line comprising:

a step down transformer for lowering a potential from the one end of the power transmission line to a feeder bus having multiple branches,
the multiple branches including protective devices,
an individual monitoring unit for measuring electrical parameters coupled to each of at least two branches connected to the feeder bus, each of the monitoring units measuring electrical parameters of a different branch,
at least one control unit communicating remotely over a high speed network with each monitoring unit,
the control unit including a processor for (a) comparing in the control unit the measured electrical parameters of one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of at least one other respective monitoring unit, and (b) producing in the control unit an activating signal based on the comparison of the measured electrical parameters of the one respective monitoring unit with the measured electrical parameters of the at least one other respective monitoring unit, and
the control unit coupled to at least one protective device of a respective branch, wherein the control unit trips the protective device based on the activating signal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Distributed monitoring and protection system for a distributed power network

Life of this patent

Distributed monitoring and protection system for a distributed power network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims43