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EP-4741857-A1 - METHOD OF DETERMINING A FUNCTIONALITY STATE OF AN ELECTRIC CONNECTION

EP4741857A1EP 4741857 A1EP4741857 A1EP 4741857A1EP-4741857-A1

Abstract

A method (200) of determining a functionality state of an electric power supply to one or more of a plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) in an electric circuitry (E) comprises receiving (205), by means of a control unit (110) of an electric monitoring system (100), at least one peripheral voltage signal from at least one peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6), the at least one peripheral voltage signal indicative of a voltage in an electric conductor (C1 - C6) of a plurality of electric conductors of an electric circuitry (E). The method (200) further comprises receiving (210), by means of the control unit (110), a supply voltage signal from at least one supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3), the supply voltage signal indicative of a voltage of a supply line (S) which the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to in the electric circuitry (E); determining (220), by means of the control unit (110) and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a voltage amount difference (ΔA) between a voltage amount of the voltage in the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and a voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line (S); comparing (225), by means of the control unit (110), the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with a threshold voltage amount difference (T1); and, when the comparing (225) of the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) yields that the voltage amount difference (ΔA) exceeds the threshold voltage amount difference (T1), determining (230), by means of the control unit (110), that an electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S) is in a dysfunctional state. The method (200) further comprises, when the comparing (225) of the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) yields that the voltage amount difference (ΔA) does not exceed the threshold voltage amount difference (T1): determining (235), by means of the control unit (110) and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a phase angle difference (ΔP) between a phase angle of the voltage in the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and a phase angle of the voltage of the supply line (S); comparing (240), by means of the control unit (110), the phase angle difference (ΔP) with a threshold phase angle difference (T2), and, when the comparing (240) of the phase angle difference (ΔP) with the threshold phase angle difference (T2) yields that the phase angle difference (ΔP) does not exceed the threshold phase angle difference (T2), determining (245), by means of the control unit (110), that an electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S) is in a functional state.

Inventors

  • Weiss, Lukas
  • HAMEL, Torben

Assignees

  • Janitza electronics GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (15)

  1. Method (200) of determining a functionality state of an electric connection between one or more of a plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) and a power supply in an electric circuitry (E), wherein the method (200) comprises: - receiving (205), by means of a control unit (110) of an electric monitoring system (100), at least one peripheral voltage signal from at least one peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6), the at least one peripheral voltage signal indicative of a voltage in an electric conductor (C1 - C6) of a plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) of an electric circuitry (E); - receiving (210), by means of the control unit (110), a supply voltage signal from at least one supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3), the supply voltage signal indicative of a voltage of a supply line (S) which the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to in the electric circuitry (E); - determining (220), by means of the control unit (110) and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a voltage amount difference (ΔA) between a voltage amount of the voltage in the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and a voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line (S); - comparing (225), by means of the control unit (110), the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with a threshold voltage amount difference (T1); - when the comparing (225) of the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) yields that the voltage amount difference (ΔA) exceeds the threshold voltage amount difference (T1), determining (230), by means of the control unit (110), that an electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S) is in a dysfunctional state, and - when the comparing (225) of the voltage amount difference (ΔA) with the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) yields that the voltage amount difference (ΔA) does not exceed the threshold voltage amount difference (T1): ∘ determining (235), by means of the control unit (110) and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a phase angle difference (ΔP) between a phase angle of the voltage in the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and a phase angle of the voltage of the supply line (S); ∘ comparing (240), by means of the control unit (110), the phase angle difference (ΔP) with a threshold phase angle difference (T2), and ∘ when the comparing (240) of the phase angle difference (ΔP) with the threshold phase angle difference (T2) yields that the phase angle difference (ΔP) does not exceed the threshold phase angle difference (T2), determining (245), by means of the control unit (110), that an electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S) is in a functional state.
  2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising: when the comparing (240) of the phase angle difference (ΔP) with the threshold phase angle difference (T2) yields that the phase angle difference (ΔP) exceeds the threshold phase angle difference (T2), determining (250), by means of the control unit (110), that the electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S) is in a dysfunctional state.
  3. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising: outputting (255), by means of the control unit (110), a control signal indicative of the determined state of the electric connection between the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and the supply line (S).
  4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) is larger than 30%, preferably larger than 50%, more preferably larger than 70%, of the voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line (S), and/or wherein the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) is smaller than 95%, preferably smaller than 90%, more preferably smaller than 85%, of the voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line (S).
  5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) is variable, and wherein the method (200) further comprises setting (215) the threshold voltage amount difference (T1) based on the determined voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line (S).
  6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply line (S) is a multi-phase supply line having a plurality of electric phases (L1 - L3), the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to an electric phase (L1 - L3) of the plurality of electric phases, and the supply voltage signal is indicative of a voltage of the electric phase (L1 - L3) of the supply line (S) which the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to.
  7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) are arranged adjacent each other in the electric circuitry (E), and pairwise adjacent ones of the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) are configured to be electrically connected to different electric phases (L1 - L3) of the multi-phase supply line (S).
  8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the threshold phase angle difference (T2) is equal to or larger than 50% of a phase angle difference between the electric phase (L1 - L3) which the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to and at least one other electric phase (L1 - L3) of the multi-phase supply line (S) which at least one other of the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6), which is arranged adjacent the electric conductor (C1 - C6), is configured to be connected to.
  9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6) is arranged at the electric conductor (C1 - C6) and is configured to detect an electric field which is produced by an electric potential of the electric conductor (C1 - C6) in a proximity of the electric conductor (C1 - C6), and/or wherein the supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3) is arranged at the supply line (S) and is configured to detect a voltage applied to the supply line (S).
  10. Computer program product comprising portions of program code which, when executed by a processor of a control unit for an electric monitoring system, configure the control unit to perform the method according to any one of the preceding claims.
  11. Control unit (110) for an electric monitoring system (100), the control unit (110) comprising: - a processor (112), and - a data storage device (114) operatively coupled to the processor (112) and storing portions of program code which, when executed by the processor (112), configure the control unit (110) to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
  12. Electric monitoring system (100) comprising: - a control unit (110) according to claim 11, - at least one peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6) operatively coupled to the control unit (110), the peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6) configured to provide a peripheral voltage signal indicative of a voltage in an electric conductor (C1 - C6) of a plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) of an electric circuitry (E), and - at least one supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3) operatively coupled to the control unit (110), the supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3) configured to provide a supply voltage signal indicative of a voltage of a supply line (S) which the electric conductor (C1 - C6) is configured to be connected to in the electric circuitry (E).
  13. Electric monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the electric monitoring system (100) comprises a plurality of peripheral voltage sensors (122-1 - 122-6), each of the peripheral voltage sensors (122-1 - 122-6) configured to provide a peripheral voltage signal indicative of a voltage in a respective different one of the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) of the electric circuitry (E), wherein, preferably, the plurality of peripheral voltage sensors (122-1 - 122-6) are arranged in a sensor module (120) of the electric monitoring system (100), the sensor module (120) operatively coupled to the control unit (110) and configured to be positioned on the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6).
  14. Electric monitoring system according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein: - the supply line (S) is a multi-phase supply line having a plurality of electric phases (L1, L2, L3); - the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) are arranged adjacent each other in the electrical circuitry (E); - pairwise adjacent ones of the plurality of electric conductors (C1 - C6) are configured to be electrically connected to different ones of the plurality of electric phases (L1, L2, L3) of the supply line (S), and - the electric monitoring system (100) comprises a plurality of supply voltage sensors (116-1 - 116-3), each of the supply voltage sensors (116-1 - 116-3) configured to provide a supply voltage signal indicative of a voltage of a respective different one of the plurality of electric phases (L1, L2, L3) of the supply line (S).
  15. Electric monitoring system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the control unit (110) and the at least one supply voltage sensor (116-1 - 116-3) are parts of a base module (118) of the electric monitoring system (100), wherein the at least one peripheral voltage sensor (122-1 - 122-6) is operatively coupled to the base module (118).

Description

The disclosure relates to a method of determining a functionality state of an electric connection between one or more of a plurality of electric conductors and a power supply in an electric circuitry. The disclosure further relates to a computer program product, a control unit, and an electric monitoring system. Background Electric monitoring is vital for the secure operation of many, especially large-scale and/or complex, electric systems, such as electric networks. Moreover, in network server plants, but also in other complex electric systems, a plurality of electric appliances, for example, a plurality of server blades, is normally powered via a shared supply line, whereas a power demand of each appliance varies frequently, and a secure operation of each appliance depends sensitively on a stable provision of an electric power via the supply line. In such scenarios, but also in many others, reliable and precise monitoring of an electric power circuitry is vital to maintaining a secure operation of the electric system. Suitable electric monitoring facilitates, for example, an early detection of functionality states in the monitored electric system. This can include anomalies in electric parameters, which can be caused by false wiring, tripping of a power switch, excessive system load, 'worn-down' electric components or appliances, etc. Detecting one or more functionality states of the electric system, or of individual portions or components thereof, enables in some cases that one or more compensation and/or protection functionalities of the electric system are automatically initiated. Alternatively, in some cases, a signal indicative of the functionality state is output towards an operator of the electric system. The output signal enables the operator to take a decision, for example, about manual maintenance actions, or to identify a need to modify or adapt the electric system according to changing operational conditions, etc., based on the indicated functionality state(s). There is a continuing demand for improved monitoring of electric power circuitry. Summary of the Disclosure Accordingly, there is provided a method according to claim 1, a computer program product according to claim 10, a control unit according to claim 11, and an electric monitoring system according to claim 12. According to an aspect, a method of determining a functionality state of an electric connection between one or more of a plurality of electric conductors and a power supply in an electric circuitry is provided. The method comprises receiving, by means of a control unit of an electric monitoring system, at least one peripheral voltage signal from at least one peripheral voltage sensor, the at least one peripheral voltage signal indicative of a voltage in an electric conductor of a plurality of electric conductors of an electric circuitry. The method further comprises receiving, by means of the control unit, a supply voltage signal from at least one supply voltage sensor, the supply voltage signal indicative of a voltage of a supply line which the electric conductor is configured to be connected to in the electric circuitry; determining, by means of the control unit and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a voltage amount difference between a voltage amount of the voltage in the electric conductor and a voltage amount of the voltage of the supply line; and, comparing, by means of the control unit, the voltage amount difference with a threshold voltage amount difference. The method further comprises, when the comparing of the voltage amount difference with the threshold voltage amount difference yields that the voltage amount difference exceeds the threshold voltage amount difference, determining, by means of the control unit, that an electric connection between the electric conductor and the supply line is in a dysfunctional state. The method further comprises, when the comparing of the voltage amount difference with the threshold voltage amount difference yields that the voltage amount difference does not exceed the threshold voltage amount difference: determining, by means of the control unit and based on the received peripheral voltage signal and the received supply voltage signal, a phase angle difference between a phase angle of the voltage in the electric conductor and a phase angle of the voltage of the supply line, comparing, by means of the control unit, the phase angle difference with a threshold phase angle difference, and, when the comparing of the phase angle difference with the threshold phase angle difference yields that the phase angle difference does not exceed the threshold phase angle difference, determining, by means of the control unit, that an electric connection between the electric conductor and the supply line is in a functional state. By determining that an electric connection between the electric conductor and the supply line is in a functional state w