Patent Description:
<CIT> relates to a method and an arrangement for recognizing potential overheating of an object. It is described that for this purpose the temperature of the object is measured by means of temperature sensors. It is described that a signal processing arrangement determines the temperature gradient from the measured temperature values. It is described that a comparator compares the determined value of the temperature gradient with a threshold value generated by a threshold value generator, and when the threshold value is exceeded, a warning signal generator triggers a warning signal. It is described that this warning signal can be an acoustical or optical signal, and that in addition or alternatively, the warning signal can activate a protective measure arrangement.

<CIT> relates to a system for monitoring a switchgear. It is described that the system comprises at least one sensor, a processing unit, and an output unit. It is described that the at least one sensor is configured to acquire temperature information data for at least two locations of a switchgear. It is described that the at least one sensor is configured to provide the processing unit with the temperature information data for the at least two locations. It is described that the processing unit is configured to determine e.g. a temperature at a new location of the switchgear different to the at least two locations, and that the determination comprises utilization of the temperature information data for the at least two locations and the relative positions of the new location and the at least two locations. It is describe that the output unit is configured to output the temperature at the new location and/or information based on the temperature at the new location.

<CIT> describes that a temperature sensing device includes a first temperature sensor configured for mounting to a structure at a first distance relative to the structure. It is described that the temperature sensing device also includes a second temperature sensor configured for mounting to the structure at a second distance relative to the structure. It is described that the temperature sensing device also includes a processor coupled to the first and second temperature sensors and configured to estimate a third temperature based on the first and second temperatures and the distance separating the first and second temperature sensors.

The temperature of a device (e.g. Medium Voltage MV Switchgear or motor) often needs to stay within device specific limits to avoid damage from thermal stress. Temperature measurements (e.g. with IR sensors, thermocouple sensors, SAW or RFID sensors) are used to control that these limits are kept. The measurement gives only information about the status of the temperature at the moment of the measurement and at the position of the measurement.

However, situations can arise, where damage occurs. For example, there can be a situation where a service task for a MV switchgear has been completed, and the device is put back into operation. The device then starts to heat up from the temperature of the environment when the power is switched on. If a mistake happened during the maintenance task, e.g. a screw that closes an electrical contact was forgotten to be fully tightened, then the contact resistance can be so high (and consequently the electrical losses high) that the device will overheat after some time. The highest temperature at the hotspot of the device is reached in the stationary state. It is desired to detect such faults that will lead to overheating before the critical temperature is reached. The hotspot is usually close to the fault, i.e. near to the lose screw and might be invisible for to the IR cameras or be at a position where thermocouples or other sensors cannot easily be attached to the device.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved system for detecting a fault in a device such as a switchgear or motor before that fault leads to an unwanted temperature rise that can for example damage the device.

Appended claim <NUM> defines a fault detection system. Appended claim <NUM> defines a fault detection method. The invention and its scope of protection is defined by these independent claims.

In an aspect, there is provided a fault detection system, comprising:.

The sensor is configured to acquire temperature data at a sensor location of a device. The temperature data comprises first temperature data and second temperature data acquired a first time period after the first temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the first temperature data and/or the second temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a rate of change of temperature comprising utilization of the first temperature data and the second temperature data and the first time period. The processing unit is configured to predict a temperature at a location of the device comprising utilization of: the temperature magnitude; the rate of change of temperature; and a correlation. The correlation is a correlation of a plurality of temperature magnitudes and a plurality of rate of change of temperatures at the sensor location with a plurality of hotspot temperatures at the location. The processing unit is configured to determine if the device has a fault comprising utilization of the predicted temperature. The output unit is configured to output an indication that the device has a fault.

In this manner, early detection of a part of a device such as a part of a switchgear or motor that has a fault, such as a loose connection, that will lead to overheating is provided before the device overheats.

In other words, the system detect faults and avoids overheating by using measurements of the temperature and the temperature rise rate in combination with their correlation to the hotspot temperature. This enables the early detection of future overheating of a device, a significant time before overheating occurs, and thus can be used to avoid this overheating.

It is to be noted that a "fault" being detected can be a detection of fault such as a loose connection determined from temperatures or could be detection of a hotspot as such. In an example, the processing unit is configured to determine if the device has a fault comprising a determination that the predicted temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.

Thus, a flag can be raised if the temperature into the future is predicted to rise above a critical temperature and remedial action, such as reducing power, or even switching off the device can be undertaken.

In an example, the processing unit is configured to select the correlation from a plurality of correlations of different operational scenarios for the device. Each of the plurality of correlations is a correlation of a plurality of temperature magnitudes and a plurality of rate of change of temperatures at the sensor location with a plurality of hotspot temperatures at the location.

Thus, a series of correlations of temperatures and rate and change of temperatures can be correlated with a temperature at a hotspot location, undertaken by measurement or simulation. It can then have been established by measurement or simulation that under steady state conditions, in other words if nothing changes, that the temperature at the hot spot will rise above a critical temperature and it can be determined that the device has a fault that is leading to the heating. Then remedial action can be taken well before the overheating, that would inevitably happen if no action were to be taken, actually occurs. Each of these correlations can apply for example to different power operating situations, with and without different faults, in order that it can be established if overheating will occur due to a fault or if everything is in order and no overheating will occur.

In an example, each of the plurality of correlations is determined through experiments or through simulations.

In an example, the system comprises at least one further sensor configured to measure current and/or power. The current and/or the power comprises a current through the device and/or a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data and/or at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data. The prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of the current and/or power.

Thus, the accuracy of the fault determination through a predicted temperature is increased by taking into account other relevant operational data for the device.

In an example, selection of the correlation comprises utilization of the current and/or power.

Thus, the accuracy of the selecting the correlation is increased by taking into account other relevant operational data for the device.

In an example, the temperature data comprises third temperature data and fourth temperature data acquired a second time period after the third temperature data, and where the second time period is over a different time period to the first time period. The processing unit is configured to determine a second temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the third temperature data and/or the fourth temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a second rate of change of temperature comprising utilization of the third temperature data and the fourth temperature data and the second time period. The prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of: the second temperature magnitude; and the second rate of change of temperature.

In other words, in effect a "single" data point of temperature at a location and a rate of change of temperature at that location can be utilized to determine temperatures into the future at that location or at other locations, but the accuracy of the prediction into the future can be improved by taking into a temporal profile of the temperatures and rate of change of temperatures at that location.

In an example, selection of the correlation comprises utilization of the second temperature magnitude, and the second rate of change of temperature.

In other words, in effect a "single" data point of temperature at a location and a rate of change of temperature at that location can be utilized to select the correlation relating to what is occurring in the device to predict a future temperature, but the accuracy of the selection can be improved by taking into a temporal profile of the temperatures and rate of change of temperatures at that location.

In an example, the location is a different location to the sensor location.

In an example, the location is thermally connected to the sensor location.

In an example, the location is the sensor location.

In an example, the sensor is an infrared camera or thermocouple sensor or surface acoustic wave sensor or RFID temperature sensor.

In an example, the device comprises a part of a medium voltage switchgear or a motor.

In a second aspect, there is provided a fault detection method, comprising:.

In an example, the method comprises selecting by the processing unit the correlation from a plurality of correlations of different operational scenarios for the device, and where each of the plurality of correlations is a correlation of a plurality of temperature magnitudes and a plurality of rate of change of temperatures at the sensor location with a plurality of hotspot temperatures at the location.

<FIG> relate to a fault detection system and a fault detection method.

In an example, the fault detection system comprises a sensor, a processing unit, and an output unit. The sensor is configured to acquire temperature data at a sensor location of a device. The temperature data comprises first temperature data and second temperature data acquired a first time period after the first temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the first temperature data. Alternatively or additionally the processing unit is configured to determine a temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the second temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a rate of change of temperature comprising utilization of the first temperature data and the second temperature data and the first time period. The processing unit is configured to predict a temperature at a location of the device comprising utilization of the temperature magnitude and the rate of change of temperature and a correlation. The correlation is a correlation between (or of):.

It is to be noted that the device can be equipped with many temperature sensors at the thermally critical positions. A problem/fault can then be signalized if any of these sensors provides data that enables it to be determined that a temperature will develop that is too close to a critical temperature.

In an example, the temperature magnitude is the first temperature.

In an example, the temperature magnitude is the second temperature.

In an example, the temperature magnitude is an average of the first temperature and the second temperature.

According to an example, the processing unit is configured to determine if the device has a fault comprising a determination that the predicted temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.

According to an example, the processing unit is configured to select the correlation from a plurality of correlations of different operational scenarios for the device. Each of the plurality of correlations is a correlation between (or of).

According to an example, each of the plurality of correlations is determined through experiments or through simulations.

According to an example, the system comprises at least one further sensor configured to measure current. The current comprises a current through the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data. Alternatively or additionally the current comprises a current through the device at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data. The prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of the current.

According to an example, the system comprises at least one further sensor configured to measure power. The power comprises a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data. Alternatively or additionally the power comprises a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data. The prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of the power.

According to an example, the system comprises at least one further sensor configured to measure current and power. The current and the power comprises a current through the device and a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data. Alternatively or additionally the current and the power comprises a current through the device and a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data. The prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of the current and the power.

According to an example, selection of the correlation comprises utilization of the current and/or power.

According to an example, the temperature data comprises third temperature data and fourth temperature data acquired a second time period after the third temperature data. The second time period is over a different time period to the first time period. The processing unit is configured to determine a second temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the third temperature data and/or the fourth temperature data. The processing unit is configured to determine a second rate of change of temperature comprising utilization of the third temperature data and the fourth temperature data and the second time period. the prediction of the temperature at the location comprises utilization of the second temperature magnitude and the second rate of change of temperature.

In an example, the second temperature magnitude is the third temperature.

In an example, the second temperature magnitude is the fourth temperature.

In an example, the second temperature magnitude is an average of the third temperature and the fourth temperature.

In an example, the third temperature was acquired at the time of acquisition of the second temperature and is equal to the second temperature. Thus, the second time period is immediately after the first time period.

In an example, the fourth temperature was acquired at the time of acquisition of the first temperature and is equal to the first temperature. Thus, the second time period is immediately before the first time period.

In an example, the second time period is temporally spaced before the first time period.

In an example, the second time period is temporally spaced after the first time period.

In an example, the third temperature was not acquired at the time of acquisition of the second temperature.

In an example, the fourth temperature was not acquired at the time of acquisition of the first temperature.

According to an example, selection of the correlation comprises utilization of the second temperature magnitude, and the second rate of change of temperature.

According to an example, the location is a different location to the sensor location.

According to an example, the location is thermally connected to the sensor location.

According to an example, the location is the sensor location.

According to an example, the sensor is an infrared camera or thermocouple sensor or surface acoustic wave sensor or RFID temperature sensor.

According to an example, the device comprises a part of a medium voltage switchgear or a motor.

In an example, a fault detection method comprises:.

In an example, the processing unit is configured to determine if the device has a fault comprising a determination that the predicted temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.

According to an example, the method comprises selecting by the processing unit the correlation from a plurality of correlations of different operational scenarios for the device. Each of the plurality of correlations is a correlation of a plurality of temperature magnitudes and a plurality of rate of change of temperatures at the sensor location with a plurality of hotspot temperatures at the location.

In an example, the method comprises measuring by at least one further sensor current, wherein current comprises a current through the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data and/or at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data, and wherein predicting the temperature at the location comprises utilizing the current.

In an example, the method comprises measuring by at least one further sensor power, wherein power comprises a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data and/or at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data, and wherein predicting the temperature at the location comprises utilizing the power.

In an example, the method comprises measuring by at least one further sensor current and power, wherein current and power comprises a current through the device and a power drawn by the device at a time of acquisition of the first temperature data and/or at a time of acquisition of the second temperature data, and wherein predicting the temperature at the location comprises utilizing the current and the power.

In an example, selection of the correlation comprises utilizing the current and/or power.

In an example, the temperature data comprises third temperature data and fourth temperature data acquired a second time period after the third temperature data. The second time period is over a different time period to the first time period, and the method comprises:.

In an example, selecting the correlation comprises utilizing the second temperature magnitude and the second rate of change of temperature.

The fault detection system and the fault detection method are described in specific further detail with respect to monitoring a medium voltage switchgear with infrared camera sensors, but other sensors can be utilized and other devices can be monitored with infrared cameras and with these other sensors.

As discussed above, a prediction to the future, or a conclusion on the temperature at the hotspot that is spatially separated from the measurement position, cannot be done with the temperature alone.

The inventors therefore realised that a new technology was required. In this new technology, the temperature T is measured at an accessible point by a sensor, e.g. an infrared camera or other sensing methods like SAW, RFID. The temporal derivative dT/dt of this temperature i.e. the temperature rise rate is calculated by using former of these measurements. If T and dt/dt are high, it has been established that then the device will exceed a critical temperature at the hottest spot of the device. This overheating can however be avoided by reducing the power that heats up the device, when it has been determined that overheating will occur. The position of the hotspot and the position of the temperature measurements do not have to be the same, if the thermal connection between these two points is good. An important element is the correlation: here dangerous pairs of T and dT/dt that lead to overheating are determined in advance, by measurements or simulations.

In other words, the inventors realised that to determine temperatures into the future the correlation between the measured temperature by the sensor at the moment of the measurement and the future temperature at the hotspot position is important to overcome the problem. Once this correlation is known, it is possible to predict the future hotspot temperature from the online (live) temperature-measurement at the sensor position and its temporal derivative. It is to be noted that the correlation can be determined by prior simulations or by prior experiments.

<FIG> shows a new fault detection system, also termed a thermal monitoring system, for a MV switchgear. The new thermal classification method is described for the example of an IR-camera based monitoring system of a MV switchgear. It is however clear, that the new monitoring method can also be applied to other devices, e.g. motors, with other types of temperature sensor, e.g. PT100 temperature sensors.

The novel monitoring system consists of the following elements:.

The pictures of the IR-camera comprise an array of temperatures that corresponds to the number of pixels of the optics of the IR-camera.

<FIG> plots the two features T and dT/dt for the hottest pixel only. In a particular scenario if a temperature of <NUM> C is determined with a rate of change of temperature of <NUM> then it has been determined that under steady state conditions, with nothing else happening, the temperature will not develop into a critical temperature. However, if a temperature of 65C has been measure with a rate of change of temperature of <NUM>, even though the temperature at the moment is not critical, it has been established that under steady state conditions with no change, the temperature at this location will develop into a critical temperature and remedial action should be taken before that critical temperature develops. The different lines are shown in <FIG> to enable the different correlations for different scenarios to be viewed more easily. Thus in <FIG> for each correlation centred around a line the temperature and its rise rate in the hottest pixel of the IR camera is shown, where different lines represent several scenarios. For each scenario at the lower temperature range a developed temperature of a hotspot T_HS will be uncritical. However, at the higher temperature range for each correlation the hotspot temperature T_HS will develop to a temperature above threshold and overheating will occur, and mitigating actions need to be taken to stop this happening. In the centre temperature section the hot spot temperature T_HS will develop to a temperature that is close to the threshold and an appropriate warning can be issued to more closely monitor the situation for example, or take mitigating actions.

Thus, it is enabled to distinguish between a dangerous situation into the future (here to a steady state) with a hotspot temperature T_HS above a threshold from uncritical situations. It is to be noted that the data in <FIG> has been generated by simulations but it has been established that the data can also generated by experiments.

As detailed above, dangerous cases and uncritical cases occupy distinct regions in this so-called <NUM>-Feature-Graph-(2FG). An algorithm to classify a new IR picture in a specific example can then works as follows:.

As mentioned above, this classification method can be generalized to different types of devices, and different types of temperature sensors.

The properties of the 2FG graph is very well understood by the inventors, in for example the case of the IR-monitoring system for the MV switchgear. It has been demonstrated for example cases that this classification method is to some extent:.

It is to be noted that although other sensors and/or temporal history of T and dT/dt are not required, the combination of T and dT/dt with other measured features of the device such as current/voltage/power and a temporal history of T and dT/dt can increase the accuracy of the classification.

In summary, the incorporation of the rise rate of the temperature enables the early prediction of a possible future overheating when it is combined with the temperature itself, as well as with the correlation of the measured T and dT/dt at the sensors position with the hotspot temperature.

Claim 1:
A fault detection system, comprising:
- a sensor;
- a processing unit; and
- an output unit;
wherein the sensor is configured to acquire temperature data at a sensor location of a device, wherein the temperature data comprises first temperature data and second temperature data acquired a first time period after the first temperature data;
wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a temperature magnitude comprising utilization of the first temperature data and/or the second temperature data;
wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a rate of change of temperature comprising utilization of the first temperature data and the second temperature data and the first time period;
wherein the processing unit is configured to predict a temperature at a location of the device comprising utilization of the temperature magnitude, the rate of change of temperature, and a correlation, wherein the correlation is a correlation of a plurality of temperature magnitudes and a plurality of rate of change of temperatures at the sensor location with a plurality of hotspot temperatures at the location;
wherein the processing unit is configured to determine if the device has a fault comprising utilization of the predicted temperature; and
wherein the output unit is configured to output an indication that the device has a fault when it is determined that the device has a fault.