High speed signaling of power system conditions
AssigneeSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
InventorEdmund O. Schweitzer, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high-speed signaling device on a branch of an electric power distribution system modulates the signal from the branch and communicates the signal to an intelligent electronic device on a feeder to the branch at speeds sufficient for the intelligent electronic device to modify protection algorithms based on the signal from the high-speed signaling device. The intelligent electronic device may be a recloser control that controls protective equipment such as a recloser. The signal may be sent via infrared and/or radio frequency. The signal may be modulated so as to communicate information such as the phase with which it is associated. The high-speed signaling device may further communicate current information to the intelligent electronic device.
Claims24
A system for detecting and isolating a fault in an electric power distribution system, comprising:
- an intelligent electronic device including an input for receiving signals from a feeder of the distribution system and a receiver for receiving signals corresponding to a power system condition on a branch of the distribution system;
- a first protective equipment on the feeder of the distribution system configured to open upon receiving a signal from the intelligent electronic device;
- a second protective equipment on the branch of the distribution system configured to open the branch;
- and
- a high-speed signaling device in communication with the branch, comprising a sensing circuit configured to detect a power system condition on the branch, a signaling circuit in communication with the sensing circuit configured to produce a modulated signal corresponding to the power system condition, and a transmitter in communication with the signaling circuit for transmitting the modulated signal to the intelligent electronic device;
- wherein upon the detection of a fault, the modulated signal comprises an indication of both a fault condition and an indication of a phase associated with the fault condition.
A system for detecting and isolating a fault in an electric power distribution system, comprising:
- an intelligent electronic device including an input for receiving signals from a feeder of the distribution system and a first receiver and a second receiver for receiving signals corresponding to a power system condition on a branch of the distribution system;
- a first protective equipment on the feeder of the distribution system configured to open upon receiving a signal from the intelligent electronic device;
- a second protective equipment on the branch of the distribution system configured to open the branch;
- and
- a high-speed signaling device in communication with the branch, comprising a sensing circuit configured to detect a power system condition on the branch, a signaling circuit in communication with the sensing circuit configured to produce a modulated signal corresponding to the power system condition, and a first transmitter and a second transmitter in communication with the signaling circuit for transmitting the modulated signal to the intelligent electronic device;
- wherein the intelligent electronic device comprises a protection algorithm that is modified only when both signals from the first transmitter and the second transmitter indicate a fault or no-fault condition.
A method for detecting and isolating faults on a power distribution system comprising:
- a high-speed signaling device generating a modulated signal based on a condition on a first conductor protected by a first protective equipment, the modulated signal comprising an indication of both a fault condition and an indication of a phase associated with the fault condition;
- transmitting the modulated signal;
- an intelligent electronic device obtaining a signal from a second conductor and monitoring the second conductor using a protection algorithm;
- the intelligent electronic device receiving the modulated signal;
- and
- the intelligent electronic device modifying the protection algorithm based on the modulated signal from the high-speed signaling device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.