OVERHEAD POWER LINE SENSOR
A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current values and waveforms, phase voltage, conductor current, phase-to-phase voltage, conductor temperatures, ambient temperatures, vibration, wind speed and monitoring device system diagnostics. The sensing devices can include an equipotential surface configured to reduce incumbent E-field disturbance of the conductor. The sensing devices can include a monitor-device conductor shell sized and shaped to position the equipotential surface at a distance with respect to the conductor regardless of diameter of the conductor. Methods of installing and protecting the system are also discussed.
1 . A monitoring device, comprising:
a connector for coupling the monitor device to a conductor of a power distribution network;
electronics coupled to the connector that, during operation of the monitoring device, obtain sensed data associated with the conductor; and
a housing that houses the connector, the housing including at least one equipotential surface that is configured to reduce incumbent E-field disturbance of the conductor during operation of the monitoring device.
2 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the connector including a clamp.
3 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the electronics being configured to monitor at least one of: phase voltage, current, phase-to-phase voltage, conductor temperature, ambient temperature, vibration, windspeed, or system diagnostics.
4 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the electronics including at least one of: a current sensor, voltage sensor, phase sensor, data acquisition circuitry, power transformer, a wireless communication system, power supply, energy harvesting components, a microprocessor board and CPU, or a GPS receiver.
5 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising power harvesting electronics configured to harvest energy from the conductor or another conductor to provide power to the monitoring device.
6 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising an overmold covering the housing and configured to protect the monitoring device from moisture.
7 . The monitoring device of claim 6 , the overmold being silicon.
8 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the equipotential surface comprising a conductive object having a potential designed to match an incumbent equipotential surface of the conductor.
9 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the equipotential surface comprising a plurality of equipotential surfaces.
10 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , the equipotential surface being semicircular.
11 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising an insulator that encapsulates the equipotential surface.
12 . The monitoring device of claim 11 , the insulator further encapsulating at least a portion of a wire coupled to the monitoring device.
13 . The monitoring device of claim 11 , the insulator being silicon.
14 . A monitor device component, comprising:
a monitor-device conductor shell that is positionable to encircle a minimum and maximum conductor shell of a conductor of a power line distribution system; and
an equipotential surface positioned with respect to the monitor-device conductor shell;
wherein the monitor-device conductor shell is sized and shaped to position the equipotential surface at a distance with respect to the conductor regardless of diameter of the conductor.
15 . The monitor device component of claim 14 , wherein the monitor-device conductor shell comprises a clam shell structure configured to be closed over the conductor.
16 . The monitor device component of claim 14 , wherein the monitor-device conductor shell comprises a semicircular shape with an opening greater than a maximum diameter of the conductor.
17 . The monitor device component of claim 14 , the distance correlating to a 1 kV potential between the equipotential surface and a system local ground of the monitor device.
18 . The monitor device component of claim 17 , the system local ground being conductor potential of the conductor.
19 . The monitor device component of claim 14 , further comprising an insulator that encapsulates the equipotential surface.
20 . The monitor device component of claim 14 , the equipotential surface coupled with a voltage divider.