Load analysis system for fault detection

US5600526A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM · US

Inventors

• B. Don Russell · College Station, US
• B. Michael Aucoin · College Station, US
• Carl L. Benner · Bryan, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 15, 1993
• Grant date: Feb 4, 1997
• Expiry date: Oct 15, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/52
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

To prevent unnecessary power outages, and to remove feeder lines from service only when certain hazardous fault conditions occur, a load analysis system including an apparatus and method, monitors the load level of a feeder line and determines the presence of any arcing on the feeder line. In a two stage load pattern analysis, the presence of arcing and load current level changes are used to discriminate high impedance, low current conditions including a downed conductor, a broken and dangling conductor, a tree or object contact with the feeder line, overcurrent activities, and normal switching events such as recloser operation. The load analysis system also provides output commands including wait, alarm, trip-ready, trip and normal, depending upon which status is diagnosed.