Ampeer Transmission Line Loading Measurement Device

Overview

Induced voltage is a problem for pipelines in the vicinity of transmission lines. Given that the value of this induced voltage is critical for equipment integrity and can be the difference between a slight shock and injury, being able to mitigate these voltages is absolutely critical for equipment integrity and public safety. This problem depends heavily on the currents traveling through the transmission line, but oftentimes an accurate picture of the loading on the line is difficult to obtain from the utility for a variety of reasons, which casts a shadow of doubt on resulting models.

The goal of this project is to passively measure loading conditions on overhead transmission lines over time accurately, then be able to monitor that data in real time from a computer. Using the device can be reduced to simply setting it up on a surveying tripod and plugging in the power. The device has a preloaded code which automatically runs and begins logging data to the SD card as soon as it receives power.

After validation through extensive field testing, this tool can be used at any site with any number of transmission line configurations, eliminating the uncertainty that is often a factor when using utility data and modeling techniques.

The team put a relentless focus early in the project on the building and iteration of a prototype, and had a preliminary device capable of measuring 3 axis magnetic field with an sensitivity of 150nT within the first couple months. The product specifications for this prototype, prototype 1, can be found below:

After building this prototype, the team took a step back to define more clearly what a properly designed device would mean and constructed a specifications sheet of an ideal device to target for the remainder for the project. This sheet can be found below:

The team was then able to iterate and complete a second prototype (V2) which was then moved to the testing phase. Testing of the device included both field and laboratory testing. The field testing consisted of placing the device in the field for 7 days and recording continuous data which was then compared to actual data acquired from a local utility. V2 was able to record data for 4.5 days until the power ran out, this issue was fixed in prototype 3 (V3). Field testing consisted of magnetic field simulation along with sensitivity testing to ensure the device would operate efficiently in the field. The product specifications for V2 can be found below:

In the final months of the project the team completed a second iteration of the device to produce V3. This prototype has not been tested in the field; however, through laboratory simulation and testing the device is predicted to measure data for at least 7 days in the field.