Systems and methods for grounding power line sections to clear faults
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for dynamically clearing faults in a power transmission line involve automatically terminating ends of a section of the power line while preserving electrical and/or physical continuity of the power line. The terminating of the ends is reversed at about voltage zero-crossings in the power line to clear a fault.
1. A three phase electrical power system, comprising:
a three phase power transmission line network, including one or more transmission lines having at least three conductors for carrying electrical power;
a sensor network in communication with at least one transmission line and arranged to detect one or more faults on the transmission line, wherein the sensor network includes circuitry configured to predict a line fault and a location of the line fault;
a circuit breaker electrically coupled to one of the three conductors; a grounding switch coupled to the conductor having the circuit breaker of the three conductors; and
a controller receiving information from the sensor network and configured to control the switching of the grounding switch in response to the information in order to effectuate reclosing of the circuit breaker.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor network includes a circuit configured to measure power line characteristics including voltages, currents, phases and/or frequencies.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor network includes circuitry configured to detect and locate a line fault and/or an impending line fault.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict a line fault and its location based at least in part on rising line voltages or currents, rising fields, and/or leakage currents across an insulator.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics between the first and second ends of the section.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics outside the first and second ends of the section.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured predict a line fault and its location based on values of line voltages or currents, proximate electromagnetic fields, and/or leakage currents across an insulator.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict a line fault and its location based on environmental events or anticipated events proximate to the transmission line.
10. A method, comprising:
detecting one or more faults on a transmission line with one or more devices in a sensor network; receiving information related to a fault from the sensor network;
sending a signal to affect the switching of a circuit breaker in response to the information to open the circuit of one conductor of a three phase power transmission line;
opening a ground switch in response to the information;
reclosing the ground switch; and
reclosing the circuit breaker.
11. A system, comprising:
a means for detecting one or more faults on a transmission line with one or more devices in a sensor network;
a means for receiving information related to a fault from the sensor network;
a means for sending a signal to affect the switching of a circuit breaker in response to the information to open the circuit of one conductor of a three phase power transmission line;
a means for opening a ground switch in response to the information;
a means for reclosing the ground switch; and
a means for reclosing the circuit breaker.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the means for detecting includes a circuit configured to measure power line characteristics including voltages, currents, phases and/or frequencies.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the means for detecting includes circuitry configured to detect and locate a line fault and/or an impending line fault.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict a line fault and its location based at least in part on rising line voltages or currents, rising fields, and/or leakage currents across an insulator.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the means for detecting includes circuitry configured to predict a line fault and its location.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics between the first and second ends of the section.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict the line fault and its location based on line events and line characteristics outside the first and second ends of the section.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured predict a line fault and its location based on values of line voltages or currents, proximate electromagnetic fields, and/or leakage currents across an insulator.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured to predict a line fault and its location based on environmental events or anticipated events proximate to the transmission line.