US5495384A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for detecting a fault in a distributed line network
Assignee: Schneider Electric USA Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-06
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Granted: 1996-02-27
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Expires: 2014-05-06
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an arrangement for automatic selective circuit interruption in response to detection of a fault in a multi-phase distribution system feeding a plurality of network branches. The arrangement includes a plurality of line monitoring devices which are programmed to alarm a control station in response to detection of a fault in the system. In response to being alarmed by one or more line monitoring devices, the control station activates a specialized signal generator which produces a specialized signal along one of the lines of the multi-phase system. Each line monitoring device is co-located with and communicatively coupled to a circuit interrupter which, when actuated, prevents the flow of current in lines of the system positioned downstream from the actuated circuit interrupter. Each line monitoring device automatically actuates the coupled circuit interrupter within a prescribed period of time following detection of the specialized signal. By making the prescribed actuation time period longer for upstream circuit interrupters than downstream circuit interrupters, the network may continue providing power less an isolated section having the ground fault. The one or more line monitoring devices which detect the specialized signal inform the control station of the location of the fault.
Inventors
- 👤 Lee D. Wallis
- 👤 Robert A. Kennedy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/08; G01R31/088; G01R13/00; G01R13/04; G01R13/06; H; H02; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/12; H02J13/13; H02J13/1311; H02J13/1313; H02J13/1321; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y04; Y04S; Y04S10/00; Y04S10/30; Y04S40/00; Y04S40/12; Y04S40/121; Y04S40/124
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A ground fault isolation arrangement for monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, the arrangement providing automatic circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system, comprising: a circuit interrupter actuated to interrupt the flow of current in the system; a specialized signal generator activated in response to a fault being detected in the power line and producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the multi-phase system; and a line monitoring device, disposed adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and at least one of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the circuit interrupter, for automatically actuating the circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal in any one phase so as to isolate a section of the system having a ground fault.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A ground fault isolation arrangement for monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, the arrangement providing automatic circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system, comprising: a circuit interrupter actuated to interrupt the flow of current in the system; a specialized signal generator activated in response to a fault being detected in the power line and producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the multi-phase system; and a line monitoring device, disposed adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and at least one of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the circuit interrupter, for automatically actuating the circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal in any one phase so as to isolate a section of the system having a ground fault.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ground fault isolation arrangement of claim 1, wherein the specialized signal generator produces the specialized signal along one of the lines of the system using a transformer which interacts with that line of the system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The ground fault isolation arrangement of claim 1, wherein the line monitoring device detects the specialized signal by filtering out all signal frequencies except the frequency of the specialized signal; and wherein the frequency of the specialized signal is not a multiple of the phase line frequencies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ground fault isolation arrangement of claim 1, wherein said one of the lines is a neutral line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ground fault isolation arrangement of claim 4, wherein the line monitoring device determines a ground-faulted phase by determining on which of the phases the specialized signal is present.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
167 words
An alarm arrangement for automatic alarm in response to detection of a specialized signal in a multi-phase distribution system monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a control station for indicating that a specialized signal has been detected; and a plurality of line monitoring devices dispersed at respective locations adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and respective ones of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the control station, each of the line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station in response to detection of the specialized signal at said respective location along at least one of the lines of the system, thereby identifying at the control station the location of the fault.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
167 words
An alarm arrangement for automatic alarm in response to detection of a specialized signal in a multi-phase distribution system monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a control station for indicating that a specialized signal has been detected; and a plurality of line monitoring devices dispersed at respective locations adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and respective ones of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the control station, each of the line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station in response to detection of the specialized signal at said respective location along at least one of the lines of the system, thereby identifying at the control station the location of the fault.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 6, wherein the specialized signal generator is activated in response to the control station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 6, wherein the line monitoring device detects the specialized signal by filtering out all signal frequencies except the frequency of the specialized signal; and wherein the frequency of the specialized signal is not a multiple of the phase line frequencies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 6, further comprising at least one circuit interrupter constructed and arranged to interrupt the power in a segment of the power line in response to one of the plurality of line monitoring devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 9, wherein the specialized signal generator produces the specialized signal along one of the lines of the system by operation of a transformer which interacts with that line of the system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 6, wherein said one of the lines of the system is a neutral line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The alarm arrangement of claim 11, wherein the line monitoring device detects which at least one of the individual phases is ground faulted by detecting the specialized signal along said at least one of the individual phases.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
179 words
An arrangement for automatic selective circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system feeding power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment through a plurality of network branches, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a plurality of circuit interrupters located throughout the networked system, each of the circuit interrupters actuated to prevent the flow of current in lines of the system positioned downstream from the actuated circuit interrupter; and a plurality of line monitoring devices, each communicatively coupled to a circuit interrupter co-located with the line monitoring device, such that each line monitoring device automatically actuates the coupled circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal so as to isolate a section of the networked system having the ground fault.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
179 words
An arrangement for automatic selective circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system feeding power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment through a plurality of network branches, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a plurality of circuit interrupters located throughout the networked system, each of the circuit interrupters actuated to prevent the flow of current in lines of the system positioned downstream from the actuated circuit interrupter; and a plurality of line monitoring devices, each communicatively coupled to a circuit interrupter co-located with the line monitoring device, such that each line monitoring device automatically actuates the coupled circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal so as to isolate a section of the networked system having the ground fault.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the specialized signal generator produces the specialized signal along one of the lines of the system by operation of a transformer which interacts with that line of the system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the circuit interrupter interrupts the flow of current by opening a metal contact.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the line monitoring devices detect the specialized signal by filtering out all signal frequencies except the frequency of the specialized signal; and wherein the frequency of the specialized signal is not a multiple of the phase line frequencies.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
80 words
The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the actuation of a circuit interrupter by a coupled line monitoring device in response to detection of the specialized signal is delayed for a prescribed period, set according to the location of the circuit interrupter in the networked system, such that downstream circuit interrupter is more rapidly actuated than an upstream circuit interrupter, thereby allowing the circuit interrupter closest to a fault to engage and isolate a section of the system having the fault.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The arrangement of claim 13, further including a control station which activates the specialized signal generator in response to being alarmed that a fault has been detected in the system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The arrangement of claim 18, wherein each line monitoring device is directly coupled to the control station such that a separate communication link runs from each line monitoring device to the control station.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
The arrangement of claim 18, wherein a furthest most upstream line monitoring device of the networked system is directly coupled to the control station and the remaining line monitoring devices are indirectly coupled to the control station via the directly coupled line monitoring device, such that the directly coupled line monitoring device is a central communication node for the remaining line monitoring devices.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the line monitoring devices are communicatively coupled in a chainlike configuration with a communication link passing from the control station to the furthest most upstream line monitoring device, then passing to the next most upstream line monitoring device, and so on until the communication link terminates at the furthest most downstream line monitoring device, such that information communicated from the furthest most downstream line monitoring device to the control station must traverse a path passing through all the other line monitoring devices.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
81 words
The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the actuation of a circuit interrupter by a coupled line monitoring device in response to detection of the specialized signal is delayed for a prescribed period, set according to the location of the circuit interrupter in the networked system, such that a downstream circuit interrupter is more rapidly actuated than an upstream circuit interrupter, thereby allowing the circuit interrupter closest to the fault to engage and isolate a section of the system having the fault.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The arrangement of claim 22, wherein the specialized signal generator produces the specialized signal along one of the lines of the system by operation of a transformer which interacts with that line of the system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The arrangement of claim 22, wherein the circuit interrupter interrupts the flow of current by opening a metal contact.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
The arrangement of claim 22, wherein the line monitoring devices detect the specialized signal by filtering out all signal frequencies except the frequency of the specialized signal; and wherein the frequency of the specialized signal is not a multiple of the phase line frequencies.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of automatically interrupting a circuit in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system monitoring power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, which comprises the steps of: detecting a ground fault in the system; in response to the step of detecting a fault, producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the multi-phase system; detecting the specialized signal in the faulted phase of the system; and in response to the step of detecting the specialized signal, automatically interrupting the flow of current in a section of the system having the fault so as to isolate the section the system having the fault.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of automatically interrupting a circuit in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system monitoring power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, which comprises the steps of: detecting a ground fault in the system; in response to the step of detecting a fault, producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the multi-phase system; detecting the specialized signal in the faulted phase of the system; and in response to the step of detecting the specialized signal, automatically interrupting the flow of current in a section of the system having the fault so as to isolate the section the system having the fault.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 26, wherein the system includes a control station; and further comprising the step of communicating to the control station the location of the fault in the system in response to the step of detecting the specialized signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 26, wherein the system includes a control station; further comprising the step of alarming the control station that a fault has been detected in the system in response to the step of detecting a fault; and wherein the step of producing a specialized signal is performed in response to an indication by the control station that a fault has been detected in the system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 26, wherein the specialized signal is produced on a neutral line and wherein the step of detecting the specialized signal in the faulted phase includes the step of determining on which of the phases the specialized signal is present.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
206 words
An alarm arrangement for automatic alarm in response to detection of a specialized signal in a multi-phase distribution system monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated by the control station in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a control station for indicating that a specialized signal has been detected; and a plurality of line monitoring devices dispersed at respective locations adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and respective ones of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the control station, each of the line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station in response to detection of the specialized signal at said respective location along at least one of the lines of the system, thereby identifying at the control station the location of the fault; at least one circuit interrupter constructed and arranged to interrupt the power in a segment of the power line in response to one of the plurality of line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
206 words
An alarm arrangement for automatic alarm in response to detection of a specialized signal in a multi-phase distribution system monitoring a power-related waveform in a power line distributed from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated by the control station in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a control station for indicating that a specialized signal has been detected; and a plurality of line monitoring devices dispersed at respective locations adjacent the power line and between the loadcenter and respective ones of said power equipment and communicatively coupled to the control station, each of the line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station in response to detection of the specialized signal at said respective location along at least one of the lines of the system, thereby identifying at the control station the location of the fault; at least one circuit interrupter constructed and arranged to interrupt the power in a segment of the power line in response to one of the plurality of line monitoring devices automatically alarming the control station.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
202 words
An arrangement for automatic selective circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system feeding power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment through a plurality of network branches, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a plurality of circuit interrupters located throughout the networked system, each of the circuit interrupters actuated to prevent the flow of current in lines of the system positioned downstream from the actuated circuit interrupter; a control station which activates the specialized signal generator in response to being alarmed that a fault has been detected in the system; and a plurality of line monitoring devices, each communicatively coupled to a circuit interrupter co-located with the line monitoring device, such that each line monitoring device automatically actuates the coupled circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal so as to isolate a section of the networked system having the ground fault.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
202 words
An arrangement for automatic selective circuit interruption in response to detection of a ground fault in a multi-phase, ungrounded or high-impedance grounded distribution system feeding power in a power line distributed via a power-related waveform from a non-residential loadcenter to each of a plurality of powered equipment through a plurality of network branches, comprising: a specialized signal generator, activated in response to a fault being detected in the system, for producing a specialized signal that is unique with respect to the power-related waveform along one of the lines of the system; a plurality of circuit interrupters located throughout the networked system, each of the circuit interrupters actuated to prevent the flow of current in lines of the system positioned downstream from the actuated circuit interrupter; a control station which activates the specialized signal generator in response to being alarmed that a fault has been detected in the system; and a plurality of line monitoring devices, each communicatively coupled to a circuit interrupter co-located with the line monitoring device, such that each line monitoring device automatically actuates the coupled circuit interrupter in response to detection of the specialized signal so as to isolate a section of the networked system having the ground fault.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
38 words
The arrangement of claim 31, wherein the specialized signal generator produces the specialized signal along one of the lines of the system by operation of a transformer which interacts with said one of the lines of the system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3558981A
Cited
US4620257A
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-02-26 | 2003-08-28 | 2004-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-02-26 | 2007-08-28 | 2008-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |