AIR-CORE INDUCTOR WITH TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

An air-core inductor with a temperature measurement system. The temperature measurement system uses a thermographic sensor, an energy harvesting device configured for obtaining electrical energy from the electromagnetic field and a transmitter configured for contactless data transmission arranged on the air-core inductor. The energy harvesting device may include a coil, a rectifier element, and a storage.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. An air-core inductor with a temperature measurement system, comprising: a thermographic sensor; an energy harvesting device configured for obtaining electrical energy from the electromagnetic field; and a transmitter configured for contactless data transfer.

13. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein said thermographic sensor is a thermal imaging camera.

14. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein said thermographic sensor is arranged on a top side of the air-core inductor.

15. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein said energy harvesting device comprises a coil, a rectifier element, and a storage element.

16. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein said transmitter is configured to operate according to a radio network standard in accordance with IEEE-802.11.

17. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein said transmitter is configured to operate according to a mobile radio standard in accordance with 3GPP.

18. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein the temperature measurement system is linked into a SCADA system.

19. The air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein the temperature measurement system is linked into a cloud-based database system.

20. A method, comprising: providing an air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein the thermographic sensor is a thermal imaging camera, and the transmitter is configured to operate according to a mobile radio standard in accordance with 3GPP; analyzing infrared images obtained by the thermal imaging camera using artificial intelligence; identifying critical operating states; and generating alarms.

21. A method, comprising: providing an air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein the thermographic sensor is a thermal imaging camera, and the transmitter is configured to operate according to a mobile radio standard in accordance with 3GPP; analyzing infrared images obtained by the thermal imaging camera using a simulation; and determining an expected remaining service life of the air-core inductor and a proposal for an exchange date.

22. A method, comprising: providing an air-core inductor according to claim 12, wherein the thermographic sensor is a thermal imaging camera, and the transmitter is configured to operate according to a mobile radio standard in accordance with 3GPP; inserting the data of infrared images obtained by the thermal imaging camera into a virtual, digital representation of the air-core inductor.

Description

[0030] The invention is explained in greater detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the FIGURE.

[0031] The air-core inductor 1 illustrated by way of example in the FIGURE comprises, in a conventional manner, concentric winding layers electrically connected in parallel and spaced apart from one another by spacers, such that cooling air gaps are formed therebetween.

[0032] The winding layers are held together at their upper and lower ends by multi-arm spiders tensioned relative to one another by way of tensioning straps. The conductors of the winding layers are electrically connected to the spiders and the latter have connection lugs forming the connections of the air-core inductor 1.

[0033] The air-core inductor 1 is supported in a vertically standing position by way of insulators 2 and base securing elements with respect to ground. During operation, the air-core inductor is at a high electrical potential relative to ground, for example 500 to 800 kV, and carries a current of up to a few kiloamperes. The voltage drop across the air-core inductor 1, i.e. between the connections thereof, is small in comparison therewith and corresponds to the voltage drop as a result of the impedance at the respective frequency of the operating currents, generally a few kilovolts.

[0034] According to the invention, the alternating electromagnetic field that arises as a result is utilized, by means of coil, rectifier element and storage element, to ensure the electrical energy supply for a thermal imaging camera and a radio module on the basis of a radio network standard in accordance with IEEE-802.11 or a GSM network in accordance with 3GPP for contactless data transfer.

[0035] A permanent, maintenance-free and reliable supply is thus provided.

[0036] The thermal imaging camera is secured to a spider at the top side of the air-core inductor and is directed at the interior of the coil. It may be expedient to provide a plurality of thermal imaging cameras having different orientations.

[0037] For reliable measurement results it is necessary beforehand to determine the emissivities of the coil components and to avoid reflection of extraneous radiation.

[0038] If all disturbing influences are minimized, measurement accuracies or contrasts down to temperature differences of 0.1 K are possible.

[0039] As illustrated schematically in the FIGURE, the temperature measurement system is linked into a SCADA system 4 or a cloud-based database system and also serves as a basis for further data processing on the basis of cloud-based technologies known as the Internet of Things (IoT). A suitable IoT operating system for this purpose is, in particular, MindSphere from Siemens, but also AWS and Azure platforms, or the like, which makes it possible to utilize the wealth of data from the Internet of Things with comprehensive applications 5.

[0040] In this case, the physical air-core inductor is linked with a virtual representation, the “digital twin” 6, and the information determined by the temperature measurement system is acquired, combined with further relevant information and made available in the network.

[0041] The use and the utilization of the digital twin 6 entail a series of advantages.

[0042] It can serve for analyzing and evaluating operating data of the air-core inductor. It can alternatively be used as a design model of future inductors or for simulating the behavior, the functionality and the quality of the real air-core inductor 1 from any relevant standpoint.

[0043] This value can be utilized for all parts of the creation of value over the entire lifecycle.

[0044] The digital twin 6 can have various forms. It can be based on a behavior model of the system development, a 3D model or a function model, for example, which represents mechanical, electrical and other properties and performance features of the real coil in the course of a model-based configuration as realistically and comprehensively as possible.

[0045] The different digital twins 6 can be combined with one another and also allow extensive communication and interaction with the real coils. This is then referred to as a digital thread, which can run through the entire product lifecycle and include even further product-relevant information. Such a continuous digital thread actually provides a company with the greatest benefit. It allows optimization across various value creating processes and exploitation of the greatest range of possibilities for digital business models and services offered by way of products.

[0046] Through the combination of physics-based simulations with data analyses in a completely virtual environment, the digital twin leads to new findings. Since fewer real prototypes are necessary, innovations can be introduced more rapidly and more reliably.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0047] 1 air-core inductor [0048] 2 insulators [0049] 3 top side of the air-core inductor [0050] 4 SCADA system or cloud-based system [0051] 5 applications [0052] 6 digital twin