Patent ID: 7912660
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting and generally locating arcing at a component of an electrical power distribution or transmission system, said system by means of radio frequency emissions, exhibiting a fundamental a.c. frequency and located within a given geographic region, comprising the steps: providing a mobile receiving assemblage including a wideband antenna, a computer controllable wideband radio receiver capable of receiving said radio frequency emissions having an audio output, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver providing position data; maneuvering said receiving assemblage about said geographic region; converting said audio output to digital form at a sampling rate to provide digital samples; providing a control assemblage including a digital signal processor, a control computer, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) function and a storage function; responding to said digital samples with said FFT function of said control assemblage to derive narrow band signal values that are harmonically related to said fundamental a.c. frequency; and further with said control assemblage, detecting said signal values and classifying them according to arc strength to provide classified signal values, controlling said wideband radio receiver with respect to its detection range, deriving values of maintenance merit from said classified signal values, correlating said values of maintenance merit when greater than a set point, with position data from said GPS receiver to provide position associated maintenance merit values and submitting them to said storage function, further with said control assemblage control computer, comparing a said maintenance merit value with a low setting, when such maintenance merit value is less than such low setting, then when radio receive frequency charge capability is available, said control computer effecting a lowering of the wideband radio receive frequency of said radio receiver, said control computer being responsive when such maintenance merit value is greater than said low setting to effect, when radio receiver frequency change capability is available, a raising of the wideband radio receive frequency of said radio receiver.