Non-contact phase identification method and apparatus
OwnerGregory Hubert Piesingerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A phase identification system identifies the unknown phase attribute of any energized conductor within a three-phase power distribution network by comparing remote location non-contact phase identification instrument phase measurements to phase measurements taken at a reference location. The vector sum of three-phase conductor voltages at the remote measurement location are used to determine the near, center, and far conductor phase attributes of the three-phase lines being measured. This allows phase attributes of high overhead conductors to be determined from ground level using a non-contact handheld instrument.
Claims20
A method of identifying three-phase conductor phase attributes in a three-phase power distribution network, said method comprising:
- providing a powerline voltage reference phase at a reference location;
- providing a non-contact phase identification instrument at a field location, said instrument configured to capacitive couple to said powerline voltage on each said three-phase conductor;
- positioning said instrument so that distances between said instrument and each said three-phase conductor are in a near, center, far relationship;
- summing said powerline voltage signal from each said three-phase conductor in said instrument to produce a said powerline voltage signal resultant vector;
- measuring said resultant vector phase;
- and
- identifying said three-phase conductor phase attributes by comparing said resultant vector phase with said reference phase.
An apparatus for identifying three-phase conductor phases in a three-phase power distribution network, said apparatus comprises:
- a base station at a reference location, said base station configured to provide a powerline voltage reference phase;
- a non-contact field probe at a field location, said field probe configured to capacitive couple to said powerline voltage signal on each said three-phase conductor to form a said powerline voltage signal resultant vector;
- a circuit within said field probe, said circuit configured to measure said resultant vector phase;
- and
- computing means to determine said three-phase conductor phases by comparing said resultant vector phase with said reference phase.
A method of identifying a three-phase conductor phase in a three-phase power distribution network, said method comprising:
- providing a powerline voltage reference phase at a reference location;
- providing a non-contact phase identification instrument at a field location, said instrument configured to capacitive couple to said powerline voltage signal on said three-phase conductor;
- positioning said instrument close to a particular said three-phase conductor, said particular three-phase conductor nearer to said instrument than any other said three-phase conductor;
- measuring said powerline voltage signal phase using said instrument;
- and
- identifying said particular three-phase conductor phase by comparing said powerline voltage signal phase with said reference phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.