Locating and isolating grid faults utilizing a fast close-open operation
US11329479B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 2020 |
| Grant date | May 10, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H7/30
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A control system and method for sectionalizing switches and pulse-testing interrupter/reclosers in a distribution grid feeder which enables fault location, isolation and service restoration without requiring an external communications infrastructure to pass information between the switches. The method includes switches entering an armed state when they experience a high fault current during an initial fault event. Then, when the interrupter/recloser runs its test pulse sequence, any armed switch counts all test pulses as fault pulses, while non-armed switches count the test pulses as load pulses. Switches open to isolate the fault based on threshold values of fault pulse count and load pulse count. When an initially active interrupter/recloser completes its test pulse sequence, another interrupter/recloser begins its sequence, and all switches reconfigure their threshold values based on the new interrupter/recloser. Interrupter/reclosers after the initial device use a fast close-open event if necessary to arm some switches for proper fault-count opening.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.