Method and Device for Spatially Resolved Diagnosis

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This invention provides a method and device for assessing the electrical condition of elongated hardware components, primarily electrical power cables, with high spatial resolution. It works by injecting pairs of electrical pulses into the cable, analyzing how the pulses interfere with each other at varying time intervals, and detecting local energy losses along the length of the cable. The analysis uses sophisticated signal processing to identify sections with degraded electrical properties, enabling precise diagnosis and localization of cable faults or wear. The system is designed to be mobile, non-destructive, and can be used in the field.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Regular preventive diagnostics of underground or overhead high-voltage power cables to assess condition and predict failures.
• Field assessment of cable segments to identify precisely where faults or degradation have occurred, enabling targeted repairs.
• Evaluation of newly installed cables to ensure integrity before energization.
• Asset management for utility companies to optimize maintenance schedules and replacement planning.
• Diagnostics for mixed-type cable runs, including sections of different insulation materials (e.g., paper and plastic combined cables).
• Integration into broader monitoring solutions for smart grids to enhance reliability and reduce outage risks.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables high-resolution, location-specific diagnostics instead of just overall cable assessment.
• Non-destructive and causes minimal electrical stress on equipment during testing, reducing risk of further damage.
• Allows for early fault detection, supporting proactive maintenance and reducing the likelihood of costly outages.
• Mobile and field-usable, making it practical for on-site evaluations without elaborate laboratory setups.
• Improves asset management, making it possible to precisely plan repairs or replacements.
• Works even for cables with complex structures or heterogeneous segments, enhancing diagnostic reliability.
• Reduces maintenance costs by identifying only those sections truly in need of intervention rather than replacing entire cable runs.

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Patent Abstract

The method and the device are used for diagnosing the electrical condition of a spatially extended hardware component, in particular a cable for transmitting electrical power, in a spatially resolved manner by means of interference between pulses fed in into the component by a signal generator. In these, the following method steps are in principle provided: feeding of at least two pulses into the component which are offset by a pulse interval [Delta]t, detection of the interfered pulses and echoes by means of an analysis unit, c) variation of the pulse interval [Delta]t for the spatially resolved scanning of the hardware component along its length l, d) repetition of the steps a) to c) until the component has been scanned at least in some sections, and e) analysis of the detected interfered pulses in the analysis unit. For a device for implementing the method it is provided that at least one signal generator is connected to the component and to an analysis unit to generate the pulses, wherein to provide a spatially resolved diagnosis local energy losses eW(x) can be mathematically determined over the length l of the component on the basis of a plurality of interference voltage waveforms and voltage waveforms induced by the pulses.