Electrical power line and substation monitoring apparatus and systems

A system for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with each of a plurality of energized electrical power conductors, one of said parameters being conductor voltage, on power system circuits operable over a load range between predetermined minimum and maximum conductor currents in either direction for complete installation and removal while said conductors are energized, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor modules each having a metallic housing, one of said modules being mounted upon each of said energized conductors, said housing being conductively isolated from said conductor at least for frequencies below the highest frequency of conductor voltage to be measured, whereby the surface of said housing continuously collects the charging current due to the electrostatic field associated with said conductor; (b) means connected between said conductor and said housing for measurement of conductor voltage from said charging current; (c) means contained within said housing for continuously sensing the current through said conductor over said entire load range; (d) means carried by each of said modules for establishing the phase relationship between said sensed values of conductor voltage and conductor current; (e) means carried by each of said modules for identifying, processing and storing said sensed values of conductor voltage and conductor current and said established phase relationship; (f) means carried by each of said modules for transmitting a sequence of encoded signals commensurate with each of said sensed values and including said established phase relationship and sensor module identification; and (g) means remote from said modules for receiving said signals from each of said plurality of sensor modules, decoding said signals and calculating voltage, current and power factor of each of said conductors.

A system for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with each of a plurality of energized electrical power conductors for complete installation and removal while said conductors are energized, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor modules, one of said modules being mounted upon each of said energized conductors; (b) means carried by each of said modules for sensing values of a plurality of parameters of the associated power conductor; (c) means carried by each of said modules for identifying, processing and storing said sensed values; (d) means carried by each of said modules for periodically transmitting a sequence of encoded signals in data bursts of predetermined duration from each of said plurality of sensor modules commensurate with each of said sensed values; (e) means carried by each of said modules for controlling the starting times of said data bursts by said transmitting means of each of said modules to avoid simultaneous transmission, with consequent data collisions, by any two of said modules; and (f) means remote from said modules for receiving said signals from each of said plurality of modules and decoding said signals to provide said parameter values at said remote means.

A system for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with each of a plurality of energized electrical power conductors, on power system circuit operable over a load range between predetermined minimum and maximum conductor currents in either direction, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor modules for complete installation and removal while said conductors are energized, one of said modules being mounted upon each of said energized conductor; (b) means carried by each of said modules for measurement of conductor voltage; (c) means carried by each of said modules for measurement of the current through said conductor over said entire load range; (d) means carried by each of said modules for processing and storing said sensed values of conductor voltage and conductor current; (e) means carried by each of said modules for transmitting signals comprising a sequence of data commensurate with said measured values; (f) means for providing power to eachof aid processing means and each of said transmiting means from said conductor current when the latter is above a predetermined value; (g) a rechargeable energy storage device in each of said modules for providing power to its respective processing and transmitting means when said conductor current is below said predetermined value; and (h) means remote from said modules for receiving said signals from said transmitting means of each of said plurality of sensor modules, decoding said signals and calculating voltage and current of each of said conductors.