Circuit breaker interrupter travel curve estimation

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores pre-determined high voltage circuit breaker contact travel distance information; and

a processor that estimates a travel curve that graphically represents a position over time for at least one of a closed, an open or a combination of closed and open operations for contacts of a high voltage circuit breaker based on both one or more of the pre-determined travel distances of the stored travel distance information and one or more time values corresponding to state transitions of first and second switches, wherein the first and second switches are affixed to the contacts so as to transition between closed and open states as the contacts move between closed and open positions, the breaker does not include a contact travel sensor that measures actual travel distances of the contacts during breaker operations, and the processor extends via extrapolation the travel curve to a fully open position of the contacts from a first point in time on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the first switch transitions from closed to open as determined by a first switch indicator, and to a fully closed position of the contacts from a second point on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the second switch transitions from open to closed as determined by a second switch indicator.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more binary indicators that sense the one or more time values.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the travel distances include one or more of a travel distance of the contacts between fully closed and fully open positions, a travel distance of the contacts from the fully open position until a closed first switch opens, a travel distance of the contacts from the fully open position until an open second switch closes, a travel distance of the contacts from the fully closed position until a closed first switch opens, and a travel distance of the contacts from the closed position until an open first switch closes.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the breaker operation is a close operation and a first time value of the time values corresponds to the closed first switch opening and a second time value of the time values corresponds to the open second switch closing.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor determines: a first pair value including the travel distance of the contacts from the fully open position until the closed first switch opens and the first time value and a second pair value including the travel distance of the contacts from the fully open position until the open second switch closes and the second time value, and estimates a close operation travel curve by fitting a curve to the first and second pairs values.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the breaker operation is an open operation and a first time value of the time values corresponds to the closed second switch opening and a second time value of the time values corresponds to the open first switch closing.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor determines: a first pair value including the travel distance of the contacts from the fully closed position until the closed first switch opens and the first time value and a second pair value including the travel distance of the contacts from the fully closed position until the open first switch closes and the second time value, and estimates a trip operation travel curve by fitting a curve to the first and second pairs values.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor extends the close operation travel curve to the fully open and closed contact positions via extrapolation by estimating a first smooth function portion of the travel curve as extending from the first point and concluding with a first point of tangency at a point in time at which a close command is received, and as a second smooth function portion of the travel curve extending from the second point and concluding with a second point of tangency at the fully closed position.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is a physical component of an on-line monitor integrated with the breaker.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is a physical component of a computing device that is separate from the breaker.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates at least one of reaction time, contact velocity, mechanism time, or interrupter wear based on the estimated travel curve.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated travel curve is continuous and differentiable.

13. A method, comprising:

estimating, via a processor, a travel curve that graphically represents a position over time for at least one of a closed, an open or a combination of closed and open operations of circuit interrupter contacts of a high voltage circuit breaker based on both one or more predetermined travel distances of the contacts that are stored in a memory with respect to each other and one or more time values corresponding to state transitions of first and second switches between closed and open states during a breaker operation, wherein the first and second switches are affixed to the contacts so as to transition between closed and open states as the contacts move between closed and open positions, the breaker does not include a contact travel sensor that measures actual travel distances of the contacts during breaker operations, and the processor extends via extrapolation the travel curve to a fully open position of the contacts from a first point in time on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the first switch transitions from closed to open as determined by a first switch indicator, and to a fully closed position of the contacts from a second point on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the second switch transitions from open to closed as determined by a second switch indicator.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

estimating the travel curve based on both a first pair value including a travel distance of the contacts from a fully open position until a closed first switch opens and a first time value of the time values corresponding to the closed first switch opening and a second pair value including a travel distance of the contacts from the fully open position until an open second switch closes and a second time value of the time values corresponding to the open second switch closing.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

estimating the travel curve based on both a first pair value including a travel distance of the contacts from a fully closed position until a closed second switch opens and a first time value of the time values corresponding to the closed second switch opening and a second pair value including a travel distance of the contacts from the fully closed position until an open first switch closes and a second time value of the time values corresponding to the open first switch closes, and extending the travel curve to the fully open and closed contact position via extrapolation by estimating a first smooth function portion of the travel curve as extending from the first point and concluding with a first point of tangency at a point in time at which a close command is received, and as a second smooth function portion of the travel curve extending from the second point and concluding with a second point of tangency at the fully closed position.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

estimating the travel curve for combinations of open and close operations by combining estimated travel curves for open operations and close operations.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

estimating the travel curve by mapping the travel distances and switch state time values as a function of time.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

calculating at least one of reaction time, contact velocity, mechanism time, or interrupter wear parameters based on the estimated travel curve.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the parameters are calculated via an on-line condition monitor integrated with the breaker.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the parameters are calculated via a computing device located remote from the breaker.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the estimated travel curve is continuous and differentiable.

22. A method, comprising:

determining, via a processor, one or more parameters for a high voltage circuit breaker based on a travel curve that graphically represents a position over time for at least one of a closed, an open or a combination of closed and open operations of circuit interrupter contacts of the high voltage circuit breaker as a function of time, wherein the travel curve is estimated based on both one or more predetermined travel distances of the contacts that are stored in a memory with respect to each other and one or more time values corresponding to state transitions of first and second switches between closed and open states, wherein the first and second switches are affixed to the contacts so as to transition between closed and open states as the contacts move between closed and open positions, the breaker does not include a contact travel sensor that measures actual travel distances of the contacts during breaker operations, and the via extrapolation the travel curve to a fully open position of the contacts from a first point in time on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the first switch transitions from closed to open as determined by a first switch indicator, and to a fully closed position of the contacts from a second point on the travel curve that is stored in the memory where a state of the second switch transitions from open to closed as determined by a second switch indicator.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the one or more parameters includes one or more of a reaction time, a contact velocity, a mechanism time, or an interrupter wear.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the processor extends the close operation travel curve to the fully open and closed contact positions via extrapolation by estimating a first smooth function portion of the travel curve as extending from the first point and concluding with a first point of tangency at a point in time at which a close command is received, and as a second smooth function portion of the travel curve extending from the second point and concluding with a second point of tangency at the fully closed position.