Patent ID: 9746512
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: G01R

Claim:
1. A system for detecting the location of arc faults in an aircraft electrical wiring arrangement, the system comprising: a controller that generates a test signal; and a non-invasive or non-intrusive directional coupler comprising a parallel coupling capacitor for coupling the test signal into aircraft electrical wiring and for coupling reflected test signals from the aircraft electrical wiring to the controller, the aircraft electrical wiring comprising one or more wire under test, the directional coupler further comprising a series blocking inductor being formed by a magnetic material provided in two or more parts that together form a first split cylinder connectable around a first portion of the one or more wire under test, and the parallel coupling capacitor being formed by a conductive layer provided in two or more parts that together form a second split cylinder connectable around a second portion of the one or more wire under test, each of the parallel coupling capacitor and the series blocking inductor being coupled to the wire under test without a physical connection thereto; wherein the controller detects test signals reflected from arc faults in the wire under test and to analyse reflected test signals in order to determine one or more arc fault positions therefrom.