초록 ▼

An overhead power transmission line system includes detector circuitry to detect a flashover event on a power line conductor in response to test over voltage excitations applied to the power line conductor applied. Processing circuitry establishes an operational voltage level for the power line cond

An overhead power transmission line system includes detector circuitry to detect a flashover event on a power line conductor in response to test over voltage excitations applied to the power line conductor applied. Processing circuitry establishes an operational voltage level for the power line conductor taking into account the lowest applied test over voltage excitation that causes a flashover event.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system, comprising: a voltage excitation source configured to apply test over voltage excitations to an overhead power line conductor; detector circuitry configured to detect a flashover event on the overhead power line conductor in response to the applied test over voltage excitations; and pro

1. A system, comprising: a voltage excitation source configured to apply test over voltage excitations to an overhead power line conductor; detector circuitry configured to detect a flashover event on the overhead power line conductor in response to the applied test over voltage excitations; and processing circuitry configured to establish an operational voltage level lower than an applied test over voltage excitation that causes a flashover event on the power line conductor, wherein a controller configured to dynamically operate the power line conductor at or below the operational voltage level. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish an operational voltage level lower than a lowest applied test over voltage excitation that causes a flashover event on the power line conductor. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector circuitry configured to detect a flash over event comprises a time-delay reflectometry arrangement. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply the test over voltage excitations to an open power line conductor. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply the one or more test over voltage excitations to the power line conductor in an operational state. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to increase the voltage levels of the over voltage excitations, and wherein the detector circuitry is configured to identify the first voltage level at which a flash over event occurs. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to decrease the magnitude of the one or more over voltage excitations below that of the first over voltage excitation to identify a possibly lower over voltage excitation at which a flash over event occurs. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to iteratively apply an over voltage excitation having a magnitude V0 lying between a lower sampling value V1 and an upper sampling value V2, and replace either the upper sampling value V2 or the lower sampling value V1 with V0 according to whether applying the over voltage excitation having a magnitude V0 does or does not cause a flashover event. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector circuitry is configured to detect one or more high frequency pulses associated with the flashover event. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the detector circuitry is configured to determine a location of the flashover event. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the detector circuitry is configured to detect pulses reflected by an end, an impedance discontinuity, and/or electrical obstruction in the power line conductor. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply DC voltage excitations. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply AC voltage excitations. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply an AC voltage excitation having a frequency substantially greater than a line frequency. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply the AC voltage excitation when the line voltage is about its maximum at about a test location. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply a low frequency excitation so that a plurality of insulators supporting the power line conductor is stressed substantially simultaneously. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply a high frequency excitation so that only one or a limited number of insulators supporting the power line conductor are stressed at a time. 18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a current limiter coupled to the power line conductor. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply two or more differentially propagating voltage pulses to the power line conductor. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the two or more differentially propagating pulses comprise a pair of co-propagating pulses. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the two or more differentially propagating pulses comprise a pair of counter-propagating pulses. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to vary the relative timing of a pair of differentially propagating voltage pulses so that they intersect at or about a specified location along the power line conductor. 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to vary the relative timing of a pair of differentially propagating voltage pulses to controllably move the location of their intersection or collision along the power line conductor. 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to vary the relative timing of a pair of differentially propagating voltage pulses so that they collide or intersect at about a zero crossing in the AC voltage. 25. The system of claim 19, wherein the power line conductor is in AC service, and wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to vary the relative timing of a pair of differentially propagating voltage pulses so that they collide or intersect just before a zero crossing in the AC voltage. 26. The system of claim 19, wherein the power line conductor is in AC service, and wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply differentially propagating voltage pulses P1 and P2 having voltage levels V1 and V2, respectively, such that a sum of the pulse voltage levels (V1+V2) is greater than the sum of the AC line voltage and either of the individual pulse voltage level (V1 or V2). 27. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to apply two or more differentially propagating voltage pulses have different propagation speeds on the power line conductor. 28. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to propagate a pair of voltage pulses on the power line conductor and vary the relative phases and/or relative velocities of the pair of voltage pulses to control a location where a pair of voltage pulses intersect or collide. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the voltage excitation source is configured to stress insulators supporting the power line conductor tower-by-tower by controlling the location along the power line conductor where the pair of voltage pulses intersect or collide.