Enhanced power transmission tower condition monitoring system for overhead power systems

1. A power transmission tower condition monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned at a plurality of separate locations on a power transmission tower, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one tilt sensor, at least one shock sensor, and at least one vibration sensor;

one or more detectors configured to receive intensity value data from the plurality of sensors; and

a computing device coupled to the one or more detectors, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor executes programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

receive the intensity value data from the one or more detectors; and

determine, based on the received intensity value data, a current operational health for the power transmission tower.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise optical or opto-electronic sensors, or a combination thereof.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

a position locating device configured to be positioned on the power transmission tower and to provide position data for the power transmission tower.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 , where the position location device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device or a Geographic Information System (GIS) device, or a combination thereof.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute additional programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

receive position data for the power transmission tower for the position locating device; and

transmit the position data to a remote monitoring station.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute at least one additional programmed instruction stored in the memory to determine, based on the measured intensity values for each of the plurality of sensors, an angular displacement value, a rotation value, a tilt value, and an incline value for the power transmission tower.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute at least one additional programmed instruction stored in the memory to determine an angular velocity value or an angular acceleration value for the power transmission structure based on the determined angular displacement value over time.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute at least one additional programmed instruction stored in the memory to determine a vibrational frequency based on the determined angular displacement value over time.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute additional programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

compare each of the determined angular displacement value, rotation value, tilt value, and incline value for the power transmission tower to a plurality of corresponding historical displacement values, rotation values, tilt values, and incline values for the power transmission tower; and

determine, based on the compared values, a potential failure state of the power transmission tower.

10. The system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute additional programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

compare each of the determined angular displacement value, rotation value, tilt value, and incline value for the power transmission structure to corresponding standard operating angular displacement values, rotation values, tilt values, and incline values for the power transmission tower;

determine, based on the compared values, whether a difference between the determined values and the corresponding standard values exceeds a threshold value; and

identify a potential failure state of the power transmission tower when the difference between the determined values and the corresponding standard values exceeds the threshold value.

11. A method for monitoring a condition of a power transmission tower, the method comprising:

providing the system of claim 1 ;

coupling the plurality of sensors to the power transmission tower at a plurality of separate locations on the power transmission tower;

measuring the intensity value data for the for each of the plurality of sensors over a period of time;

determining, based on the intensity value data for each of the plurality of optical sensors, a current operational health for the power transmission tower.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise optical or opto-electronic sensors, or a combination thereof.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:

positioning a position locating device on the power transmission tower to provide position data for the power transmission tower.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the position location device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device or a Geographic Information System (GIS) device, or a combination thereof.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising:

receiving position data for the power transmission tower for the position locating device; and

transmitting the position data to a remote monitoring station.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining, based on the measured intensity values for each of the plurality of sensors, an angular displacement value, a rotation value, a tilt value, and an incline value for the power transmission tower.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining an angular velocity value or an angular acceleration value for the power transmission tower based on the determined angular displacement value over time.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining a vibrational frequency based on the determined angular displacement value over time.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

comparing each of the determined angular displacement value, rotation value, tilt value, and incline value for the power transmission tower to a plurality of corresponding historical displacement values, rotation values, tilt values, and incline values for the power transmission; and

determining, based on the compared values, a potential failure state of the power transmission tower.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising;

comparing each of the determined angular displacement value, rotation value, tilt value, and incline value for the power transmission tower to corresponding standard operating angular displacement values, rotation values, tilt values, and incline values for the power transmission tower;

determining, based on the compared values, whether a difference between the determined values and the corresponding standard values exceeds a threshold value; and

identifying a potential failure state of the power transmission tower or pole when the difference between the determined values and the corresponding standard values exceeds the threshold value.