Patent CA-3113745-A1 (CA)
Title: Fire mitigation and downed conductor detection systems and methods
Inventor: SNOOK W
IPC: G01R1/067
Filed: 2020-11-06
Abstract: A transformer monitoring device has one or more voltage sensors and/or one or more current sensors integral with a housing for detecting voltage and/or current of a power cable of a transformer. The transformer monitoring device can be configured to monitor voltage data, current data, voltage imbalance, phase angle, outage detection and restoration detection, and/or transformer temperature changes, etc., and cause alerts to be issued directly and/or by a remote central computing device if voltage levels drop and/or spike beyond operator-established tolerance(s), and/or if transformer temperature changes occur outside of operator-established tolerance(s), and/or if a power outage or power restoration occurs, and/or if voltage imbalance occurs, along with additional alert messaging capabilities to be provided by the transformer monitoring device where utility operator personnel would find value. The transformer monitoring device further has one or more onboard, and/or external wired and/or wireless environmental and/or transformer conditions sensor(s) and/or sensor packs, including a smoke sensor, ambient temperature sensor, external transformer temperature sensor, a fire/wildfire sensor (e.g., infrared camera, etc.), a humidity sensor, a noxious gases sensor, a nuclear radiation sensor, a seismic or vibration sensor, and/or a surface and/or ground temperature sensor (e.g., infrared camera, etc.) configured to detect smoke, and/or temperature change indicators, and/or other environmental changes in an area surrounding the transformer and/or associated with the transformer, and a processor configured to monitor the smoke sensor, temperature sensors, and/or other environmental change sensors, and/or associated transformer sensors; the processor being configured to transmit data indicative of conditions concerning the transformer and/or surrounding the transformer, and/or issue an alert or critical alert if certain smoke, temperature and/or other environmental conditions are detected surrounding the transformer and/or occurring at or near the transformer. The transformer monitoring device, when used for voltage drops and/or voltage spikes monitoring or detection indicative of broken, down, and/or faulty conductors (e.g., high-impedance faults), and/or when coupled with one or more environmental surroundings sensors (i.e., internal and/or external to the transformer monitoring device), wired and/or wirelessly coupled to the transformer monitoring device, and/or for monitoring transformer and/or intra-grid conditions, becomes a fire mitigation device. The fire mitigation device(s) is used singly or in aggregate to help detect public safety events and/or fire/wildfire conditions, and/or to provide event prevention data to utility operators. When used in aggregate, the fire mitigation devices serve to create an electric distribution grid and/or environmental surroundings monitoring solution. The added implementation of alerts and critical alert messages, in combination with or separately from event prevention data, help to facilitate accelerated awareness and response efforts by operators, first responders, and/or authorities concerning present and/or emerging public safety events and/or fires/wildfires, separately and/or in addition to useful event prevention information.