Current Technologies, LLC

S&c Electric Company

Brian J Deaver, Sr

William Radtke

David S Yaney

William H Berkman

Melvin L Barnes, Jr

A system, computer program product and method to provide information related to a power distribution system based on information provided by a plurality of network elements electrically connected to a plurality of power lines of the power distribution system at a plurality of locations is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a notification from a group of network elements that have detected a voltage signature indicating an imminent power outage, determining location information of the power outage, outputting the location information of the power outage, receiving a live notification from a first network element of the group of network elements indicating a first power restoration at a location of the first network element, determining location information of the first power restoration, and outputting the location information of the first power restoration.

System, device and method for providing power outage and restoration notification

A system, method and device for detecting power grid equipment degradation is provided. In one embodiment, a method of using a device comprises measuring a first voltage of a first energized conductor of a power line connected to the output of a distribution transformer supplying power to one or more customer premises, processing data of the measured voltage to detect a trigger condition wherein the trigger condition comprises, at least in part, a change in the first voltage that extends for at least a first duration, and transmitting a notification of a detection of a trigger condition to a remote computer. The method may further include measuring a second voltage of a second energized conductor and wherein the trigger condition comprises detecting concurrently for at least the first duration a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage that exceeds a first threshold, and a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage that is within a predetermined voltage range. In addition, processing data of the measured voltage to detect a trigger condition may include comprise processing the data to determine whether the first voltage changes beyond a first threshold within a first predetermined maximum time period and remains beyond the first threshold for at least a second duration.

System, device and method for determining power line equipment degradation

A system, method and product for modifying the volt-ampere reactive (VARs) in a power distribution system is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining the VARs at a location on the power distribution system and based on the determined VARs, determining whether to modify the VARs. If it is determined to modify the VARs the method includes identifying a plurality a capacitor banks connected to a power line and from the identified plurality of capacitor banks, generating a list of eligible capacitor banks that satisfy inclusion criteria. If the list of eligible capacitor banks includes at least one capacitor bank the method includes selecting a capacitor bank from the list of eligible capacitor banks and transmitting a switching command for the selected capacitor bank. Generating the list of eligible capacitor banks may include one or more of ensuring the voltage at each capacitor bank is not beyond a threshold, ensuring the total harmonic distortion at each capacitor bank is not beyond a threshold, ensuring the capacitor bank has not been switched within a recent predetermined time period, ensuring the capacitor bank has not been switched more than a predetermined number of times within a recent time period, ensuring that communications with each capacitor bank are viable, and other criteria.

System, device and method for regulating volt-ampere reactance in a power distribution system

A system, device and method for regulating the voltage at a customer premises that is supplied power via a first medium voltage power line is provided. In one embodiment, the method of using a computer system comprises determining medium voltage (MV) data comprising data of the voltage supplied to the first medium voltage power line at a plurality of times, storing the MV data for each of the plurality of times in a memory, determining current data comprising data of a current supplied to the medium voltage power line at the plurality of times, storing the current data at each of the plurality of times in memory in association with the voltage data of the same time. In addition, the method includes receiving low voltage data comprising data of a voltage measurement of a low voltage power line conductor at the customer premises at a plurality of times, storing at least some of the low voltage data in memory in association with MV data that corresponds to the voltage supplied to the first medium voltage power line during the voltage measurement of the low voltage power line conductor, and determining a supply voltage to be supplied to the first medium voltage power line based on the current data stored in memory, MV data stored in memory, and the low voltage data stored in memory.

System and method for providing voltage regulation in a power distribution network

A system, device, and method of detecting an overload condition of a distribution transformer that supplies power to one or more customer premises via a low voltage subnet is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining the power output of the transformer; storing in a memory a threshold power value for the transformer; determining whether the power output exceeds the threshold power value; and, if the output power exceeds the threshold power value, providing a notification. Providing the notification may include wirelessly transmitting the notification and/or transmitting the notification over a medium voltage power line. The low voltage subnet may comprise a low voltage feeder that supplies power to a plurality of low voltage supply lines that extend to the customer premises in which case determining the output power may comprise measuring a voltage of the low voltage feeder and measuring a current traversing the low voltage feeder. The method may also comprise storing in the memory a plurality of threshold power values associated with a plurality of transformers, such as different models of transformers; receiving data of the power output of a multitude of transformers; and determining whether the power output of each of the multitude of transformers exceeds the threshold value associated with the transformer, which steps may be performed at a central computer system such as a power line server.

System and method for detecting distribution transformer overload

A device for providing power factor correction of a low voltage subnet that includes a low voltage feeder line that is connected to one or more low voltage power supply lines that supply power to one or more customer premises is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a power factor measurement module configured to measure power parameters for determining a power factor of the power traversing the low voltage subnet; a power factor correction assembly configured to vary a capacitance connected to the low voltage feeder of the low voltage subnet; a controller in communication with the power factor measurement assembly and the power factor correction assembly. The controller may be configured to cause the power factor correction assembly to change the capacitance based on the determined power factor. The controller may form part of a power line communication device configured to provide communications to the one or more customer premises.

Method and system for providing power factor correction in a power distribution system

A system, device and method of determining an efficiency of a distribution transformer that receives power from a medium voltage power line and that provides power to a plurality of customer premises via a low voltage subnet is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining an input power to the transformer from the medium voltage power line, determining an output power from the transformer, determining a transformer efficiency based on the input power and the output power, comparing the transformer efficiency with a threshold efficiency, and providing a notification when the transformer efficiency is below a threshold efficiency. Determining the input power may include measuring the current input and estimating the voltage input based on a voltage measure of the low voltage subnet and the turns ratio of the transformer.

Growing community of inventors

Fallston, MD, United States of America

Brian J Deaver, Sr