Systems and methods for managing voltage event alarms in an electrical system are provided. In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for managing voltage event alarms in an electrical system includes processing electrical measurement data from, or derived from, energy-related signals captured by at least one intelligent electronic device (IED) to identify an anomalous voltage condition at a point of installation in the electrical system. The anomalous voltage condition may correspond, for example, to a measured IED voltage being above or greater than one or more upper alarm thresholds or below or less than one or more lower alarm thresholds. The method also includes determining if the electrical system is affected by the identified anomalous voltage condition. In response to determining that the electrical system is affected by the identified anomalous voltage condition, at least one of a plurality of criteria may be chosen to adjust at least one of the upper alarm thresholds and/or at least one of the lower alarm thresholds.

A fault interrupting switching device that is part of a transformer in an underground residential power distribution circuit and provides fault isolation and restoration. The switching device includes a vacuum interrupter having a fixed terminal and a movable terminal, where the fixed terminal is electrically coupled to a transformer interface and the movable terminal is electrically coupled to a connector interface. A control rod is coupled to the movable terminal and an actuator assembly is coupled to the control rod and is operable to move the control rod to open and close the vacuum interrupter. An electronics assembly electrically is coupled to the movable terminal, and includes a high voltage capacitor and an energy storage capacitor, where the high voltage capacitor provides power to operate the actuator when the vacuum interrupter is open and the energy storage capacitor provides power to the electronics assembly when the vacuum interrupter is closed.

A switching device that is part of a transformer in an underground residential power distribution circuit and provides fault isolation and restoration. The switching device includes a transformer interface for coupling the device to the transformer and a connector interface for coupling the device to a connector. The device also includes a vacuum interrupter having a fixed terminal and a movable terminal, where the fixed terminal is electrically coupled to the connector interface and the movable terminal is electrically coupled to the transformer interface. A control rod is coupled to the movable terminal, an actuator assembly is coupled to the control rod and is operable to move the control rod to open and close the vacuum interrupter. A capacitor is electrically coupled to the fixed terminal, and provides an interface for power line communications signals, voltage sensing, help determine power flow direction and help determine the distance to a fault.

A switch assembly that is part of a transformer in an underground residential power distribution circuit and that provides fault isolation and restoration. The switch assembly includes first and second switching devices each having an outer housing, a transformer interface electrically coupled to the transformer, a connector interface electrically coupled to a first connector and a first vacuum interrupter having a fixed contact and a movable contact, where the fixed contact is electrically coupled to the connector interface and the movable contact is electrically coupled to the transformer interface. A control board controls the first and second switching devices, where the control board is responsive to voltage signals from capacitors in the first and second switching devices.

A method for isolating a fault in an underground power distribution network. The network includes a power line, a plurality of transformers electrically coupled to and positioned along the power line, a first recloser connected to one end of the power line and a second recloser connected to an opposite end of the power line, where each transformer includes an upstream switching device and a downstream switching device, and where power is provided to both ends of the power line through the first and second reclosers and one of the switching devices is a normally open switching device. The method includes detecting overcurrent by some of the switching devices, detecting loss of voltage by some of the switching devices and sending clear to close messages to some of the switching devices to open and close certain ones of the switching devices to isolate the fault.

A transformer assembly including a transformer that is part of an underground residential power distribution circuit and that provides fault isolation and restoration. The transformer assembly includes an enclosure enclosing a primary winding and a secondary winding. The transformer assembly also includes first and second switching devices mounted to a panel of the enclosure, where each switching device includes an outer housing, a transformer interface electrically coupled to the primary winding, a connector interface electrically coupled to a first connector and a vacuum interrupter having a fixed contact and a movable contact. The fixed contact is electrically coupled to the connector interface or the transformer interface and the movable terminal is electrically coupled to the other connector interface or the transformer interface.

A method for isolating a fault in an underground power distribution network. The network includes a power line, a plurality of transformers electrically coupled to and positioned along the power line, a first end switch connected to one end of the power line and a second end switch connected to an opposite end of the power line, where each transformer includes an upstream switching device and a downstream switching device, and where source power is provided to both ends of the power line through the first and second end switches and one of the switching devices is a normally open switching device. The method includes detecting overcurrent in the network from the fault, opening certain ones of the switching devices in response thereto, detecting loss of voltage as a result of the open switching devices and opening or closing certain ones of the switching devices to isolate the fault.

The present invention provides a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system (300, 600) comprising: a first station (102) comprising series-connected first and second HVDC converters (110, 130); a second station (104) comprising series-connected third and fourth HVDC converters (150, 170), wherein a neutral node (164) coupling the third HVDC converter (150) to the fourth HVDC converter (170) is coupled to earth; a first transmission line (200) connecting a positive node (114) of the first HVDC converter (110) to a corresponding positive node (154) of the third HVDC converter (150), wherein a first pole (240) of the system (300, 600) comprises the first HVDC converter (110), the third HVDC converter (150) and the first transmission line (200); a second transmission line (210) connecting a negative node (138) of the second HVDC converter (130) to a corresponding negative node (178) of the fourth HVDC converter (170), wherein a second pole (250) of the system (300, 600) comprises the second HVDC converter (130), the fourth HVDC converter (170) and the second transmission line (210); characterised in that: a neutral node (124) connecting the first HVDC converter (110) to the second HVDC converter (130) is coupled to a parallel combination of a resistance (310) and a neutral bus ground switch (312) for coupling the neutral node (124) to earth.

An impedance injection unit (IIU) system is coupled to a high-voltage (HV) transmission line. The IIUs are activated in sequences of activation in successive time periods. This injects an impedance waveform onto the HV transmission line. The ordering of IIUs in the sequences of activation is repeatedly changed in successive time periods. This equalizes electrical stress across the IIUs used, leading to overall improvement in IIU system lifetimes.

The present disclosure provides a method for planning a distribution network with reliability constraints based on a feeder corridor, including determining installation states of respective elements in the distribution network; determining an objective function, the objective function being an objective function of minimizing a total investment cost of the distribution network; obtaining fault-isolation-and-load-transfer time and fault recovery time in a case where the feeder segment of each feeder line that is contained in each feeder corridor fails; determining constraint conditions including reliability constraints; building a distribution network planning model according to the objective function and the constraints; and solving the distribution network planning model built to obtain optimal solutions as planning states and reliability indexes to plan the distribution network.