Title of Invention

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT .

Abstract The invention relates to a method which is used to measure voltage at a point of a current distribution network by means of a measuring circuit (MS). Said measuring circuit comprises a voltage transmitter (SG) which is coupled to a current conducting conductor (1) of the network, and a further processing system (WA) which is connected to the voltage transmitter (SG) and which outputs a voltage measuring value as an output signal at the output thereof. According to the invention, the output signal of the measuring circuit (MS) is corrected by means of a correction element (KG) having a transmission function which is inverse to the transmission function of the measuring circuit (MS) in order to obtain precise voltage measuring values which are independent from the type of the selected voltage transmitter (SG). The invention also relates to a measuring device (MV) for carrying out said method.
Full Text Description
Method and apparatus for voltage measurement
The invention relates to a method for measuring the voltage at
a point in a power distribution network by means of a measuring
circuit, which has a voltage sensor, which is coupled to a
current-carrying conductor of the network, and a
further-processing arrangement, which is connected to the
voltage sensor, and outputs a measured voltage value as the
output signal at its output, and to an apparatus for carrying
out this method.
In power distribution networks, preferably in the voltage range
of 6-20 kV, at present devices are still predominantly used for
protection and control purposes which represent directionally
independent overcurrent protection. This is sufficient in
networks having a central supply and in which the current
direction is predetermined. In the case of a decentralized
supply, however, it is also necessary, for the response of
protective devices, for the direction of a current to also be
detected, in addition to the level of the current. This can be
determined by additional voltage measurements in the network.
For this purpose, inductive voltage transformers are generally
used today as the voltage sensors. They make it possible to
measure the voltage accurately, but represent a considerable
cost factor, in particular if they are installed
retrospectively in existing networks.
The German laid-open specification DE 23 25 449 Al describes
the use of a capacitive voltage transformer as a voltage sensor
for the purpose of measuring the voltage in high-voltage
switchgear assemblies, said voltage transformer being formed
from a current-carrying conductor of the

high-voltage network and an electrode embedded in a post
insulator of the conductor. Such capacitive voltage
transformers are generally used today, however, merely for
establishing the presence of a voltage having a specific
minimum level on a line of a power distribution network the
displacement current of a high-voltage coupling capacitor,
since the measurement result obtained is sometimes relatively
inaccurate, with the result that it can only be used to
establish the presence of the voltage but not to determine its
precise value.
The object of the present invention is to specify a method and
an apparatus of the abovementioned type, by means of which
accurate voltage measurement can be carried out irrespective of
the type of voltage sensor.
In terms of the method, this object is achieved according to
the invention by the fact that, in a method of the mentioned
type, the output signal from the measuring circuit is corrected
so as to achieve a correct measured value by means of a
correction element having a transfer function which is inverse
to the transfer function of the measuring circuit. As a result
of the fact that the output signal from the measuring circuit
is corrected so as to achieve a correct measured value by means
of a correction element having a transfer function which is
inverse to the transfer function of the measuring circuit, it
is possible, using comparatively simple means, for sufficiently
accurate voltage measurement to be carried out irrespective of
the type of voltage sensor.
The method according to the invention can advantageously
provide for a capacitor device to be used as the voltage sensor
of the measuring circuit. The use of a capacitor device - i.e.
a capacitive voltage

transformer - as the voltage sensor represents a comparatively
cost-effective possibility for voltage measurement.
In this context, it is also regarded as advantageous if a
coupling capacitor, formed from the current-carrying conductor
of the network and an electrode which is DC-isolated from said
current-carrying conductor, is used as the capacitor device.
Such capacitor devices have a comparatively simple design; in
addition, capacitor devices of this type are already often
provided, for example, in high-voltage bushings of switchgear
cells.
As an alternative, however, it is also advantageously possible
to provide for an inductive voltage transformer, which is
connected on the primary side to the current-carrying
conductor, to be used as the voltage sensor. This is regarded
as being particularly advantageous because such an inductive
voltage transformer generally makes very accurate voltage
measurement possible. Since, however, the measuring circuit can
also have a transfer function which slightly falsifies the
measured voltage value when an inductive voltage transformer is
used, even more accurate measured voltage values can be
achieved in this case too when using the correction by means of
the correction element in accordance with the method according
to the invention.
In this case, however, it is also regarded as advantageous if a
correction element is used which can optionally be bypassed via
a switch. In this manner, the correction element can easily be
bypassed if the measured voltage values achieved using the
inductive voltage transformer are sufficiently accurate; in
such a case no correction of the measured voltage values
therefore takes place.

Depending on whether the output signal from the measuring
circuit is analog or digital, an analog or digital filter
having a transfer function which is inverse to the transfer
function of the measuring circuit can be used as the correction
element. The analog filter expediently simulates a transfer
function having a PID characteristic.
When using a digital filter, a temporally discrete transfer
function is suitable as the inverse transfer function. This can
be generated in a manner known per se by means of a bilinear
transformation.
In this context, it is also regarded as advantageous if, in the
case of the digital filter, the coefficients of the temporally
discrete transfer function can be altered. In this case, the
transfer function of the correction element can be matched in a
particularly simple manner to transfer functions of the
measuring circuit brought about by different voltage sensors.
One further advantageous development of the method according to
the invention also provides for a further-processing
arrangement to be used which has a DC isolating element in its
input region. The further-processing arrangement and the
correction element can thus be DC-isolated from the
high-voltage side without any problems.
In terms of the apparatus, the object on which the invention is
based is achieved by a measuring apparatus for measuring the
voltage at a point in a power distribution network by means of
a measuring circuit, which has a voltage sensor, which is
coupled to a current-carrying conductor of the network, and

a further-processing arrangement, which is connected to the
voltage sensor, and outputs a measured voltage value as the
output signal at its output, a correction element being
connected to the measuring circuit on the output side in
accordance with the invention so as to achieve a correct
measured value from the output signal from the measuring
circuit, said correction element having a transfer function
which is inverse to the transfer function of the measuring
circuit. Owing to the use of a correction element having a
transfer function which is inverse to the transfer function of
the measuring circuit, it is possible to achieve accurate
measured voltage values with such a measuring apparatus using
any desired measuring sensors.
For reasons of cost, provision can advantageously be made for
the voltage sensor to be a capacitor device. In accordance with
one preferred embodiment, such a capacitor device may also be a
coupling capacitor formed from the current-carrying conductor
of the network and an electrode which is DC-isolated from said
current-carrying conductor. An electrode having this design may
preferably be a so-called ring electrode.
As an alternative, however, provision may also be made for the
voltage sensor to be an inductive voltage transformer, which is
connected on the primary side to the current-carrying
conductor.
Since such an inductive voltage transformer often already
produces measured voltage values of a very high quality, in
this context provision may also be made for it to be possible
for the correction element to be optionally bypassed via a
switch.
However, even in the case of an inductive voltage transformer,
the quality of the measured voltage values can often be

increased further still by the use, according to the invention,
of

a correction element having an inverse transfer function, with
the result that it is also worthwhile in this case to use the
correction element, which in this case is therefore not
bypassed.
In other words, a measuring apparatus according to the
invention has, for example, an input terminal for the optional
connection to any desired voltage sensors, for example to the
electrode of the coupling capacitor or to the secondary winding
of an inductive voltage transformer, which is connected on the
primary side to the current-carrying conductor. As a result, it
is in this case possible to connect the measuring apparatus to
the corresponding voltage sensor irrespective of whether a
coupling capacitor or an inductive voltage transformer has
already been installed at the measurement point in the network.
The measuring apparatus is then provided with a switch for
optionally switching the correction element which simulates the
inverse transfer function on or off in order to switch the
correction element on in the event of a connection to the
coupling capacitor and to switch the correction element off, if
required, in the event of a connection to the voltage
transformer. Even in the case of the inductive voltage
transformer, in this case the correction element could remain
switched on, in which case the inverse transfer function of
said correction element would have to be correspondingly
altered. It would be possible for this to be carried out in a
simple manner, in particular in the case of a digital filter
having a temporally discrete transfer function as the
correction element, by adjusting the coefficients.
Depending on whether the output signal from the measuring
circuit is an analog or a digital output signal, an analog
filter having a PID characteristic or a digital filter can
correspondingly be used.

One advantageous development of the measuring apparatus
according to the invention provides for the further-processing
arrangement to have a DC isolating element in its input region.
It is thus possible to DC-isolate the high-voltage part of the
measuring apparatus from the low-voltage part in a simple
manner. The DC isolating element can preferably be an inductive
current transformer.
In accordance with one further advantageous development of the
measuring apparatus according to the invention, the voltage
sensor is connected on the output side to a series circuit
comprising a resistor having a high resistance value and the
primary winding of the inductive current transformer. The input
voltage of the further-processing arrangement is converted to a
comparatively low current via the resistor having a high
resistance value such that the inductive current transformer
can be designed to be comparatively small and thus inexpensive.
One further advantageous development of the measuring apparatus
according to the invention also provides for the secondary
winding of the current transformer to be loaded by a negative
feedback operational amplifier with an internal resistance of
0 ohm. In turn, a current/voltage conversion takes place using
the operational amplifier, in which case the range of the level
of the resulting voltage can be adjusted by the negative
feedback of the operational amplifier, for example via a
resistor arranged in the negative feedback path.
In addition, one advantageous embodiment of the measuring
apparatus according to the invention is regarded as the fact
that the measuring circuit has an analog-to-digital converter
on the output side in order to generate digital output signals
from the measurement arrangement.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an
exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figure of the accompanying drawing.
The figure shows the circuit diagram of a measuring apparatus MV for voltage
measurement using a digital filter as the correction element KG in order to
correct the measured voltage values.
A current conductor 1 of a power distribution network forms an electrode of a
capacitive voltage transformer as the voltage sensor SG in the form of a high-
voltage coupling capacitor 2. The other electrode of the coupling capacitor 2,
which is preferably passed around the current conductor 1 in annular fashion
such that it is DC-isolated from said current conductor 1, is connected to an input
terminal 3 of a further-processing arrangement WA of the measuring apparatus
MV. In a similar manner, other forms of capacitive voltage transformer are also
possible as the voltage sensor SG, however. As illustrated in the figure, the
capacitive voltage transformer may optionally be a capacitive divider, whose low-
voltage capacitor is represented by dashed lines in the figure. An embodiment in
the form of a capacitive divider is not absolutely necessary, however. Instead,
as is indicated by the further dashed line, the secondary winding of an inductive
voltage transformer 4, which is connected on the primary side to the current
conductor 1, can also be connected to the input terminal 3 of the further-
processing arrangement WA. As is indicated in the figure by the curved bracket,
the voltage sensor SG and the further-processing arrangement WA together form
a so-called measuring circuit MS.
The text which follows will consider the case in which the coupling
capacitor 2 as the voltage sensor SG is connected to the input terminal
3 of the further-processing arrangement WA. A series resistor 5 (Rv),
which generally has a high resistance value and is arranged downstream of
the input terminal 3, carries out a voltage / current conversion of the

voltage, which has been tapped off capacitively at the
electrode, which is DC-isolated from the current conductor 1,
of the coupling capacitor 2, to a displacement current. In
addition, the series resistor 5 forms, with the capacitance of
the coupling capacitor 2, a high-pass filter and therefore
improves the input-side EMC (electromagnetic compatibility)
performance of the measuring apparatus MV.
A DC isolating element, which is connected on the primary side
in series with the series resistor 5 and is in the form of an
inductive current transformer 6, on the one hand serves the
purpose of potential isolation and, on the other hand, serves
the purpose of reducing the coupling capacitance with respect
to the high-voltage conductor and thus brings about further EMC
shielding. Owing to the displacement current which is low as a
result of the dimensions of the series resistor 5, the
inductive current transformer 6 can be designed to be
relatively small.
An operational amplifier 7 having a feedback resistor 8 (Rm) is
connected to the secondary side of the inductive current
transformer 6. The operational amplifier 7 acts as an active
load for the inductive current transformer 6 with an internal
resistance of 0 ohm. At the same time, the operational
amplifier 7 takes on the function of current/voltage conversion
and converts the current produced by the inductive current
transformer 6 to a voltage. The ratio between the output
voltage and the input current of the operational amplifier 7 is
determined by the value Rm for the feedback resistor 8. This
value can be switched over by means of a link or an analog
switch, as indicated in the figure, in order to be able to
match the driving of the current transformer 6, which driving
is dependent on the coupling capacitor 2 or the voltage
transformer 3, to the measurement range of an analog-to-digital
converter 9 downstream of the operational amplifier 7.

Said analog-to-digital converter 9 converts its input voltage
to a digital sample sequence.
If the input terminal 3 of the further-processing arrangement
WA is connected to the inductive voltage transformer 4, the
transfer performance of the measuring circuit MS formed from
the voltage sensor SG (i.e. in this case the inductive voltage
transformer 4) and the further-processing arrangement WA is
independent of the frequency in the relevant frequency range
(50 or 60 Hz).
In contrast, in the event of a connection to the coupling
capacitor 2, the following transfer function for the measuring
circuit MS to the analog-to-digital converter 9 results:

where UA is the voltage at the output of the operational
amplifier 7, UPrim is the voltage of the current conductor 1,
and CD is the capacitance of the coupling capacitor 2. If the
value for UA resulting using this transfer function is left
unchanged, a measured voltage value is obtained which is
completely unsuitable for accurate voltage measurement. The
transfer function of the entire measuring apparatus MV
(comprising the voltage sensor SG, the further-processing
arrangement WA and the correction element KG) therefore needs
to be corrected by a downstream correction element KG by means
of a transfer function which is inverse to the transfer
function of the measuring circuit MS. This correcting inverse
transfer function of the correction element KG should be formed
in accordance with the following equation:


The resultant transfer function of the entire measuring
apparatus MV in turn represents a high-pass filter, but with a
new cut-off frequency 1/ (2*pi*TK) . The time constant TK can in
this case be selected such that the cut-off frequency is below
the frequency range to be detected for the measured voltage
value, with the result that the transfer function of the entire
measuring apparatus MV is linear in this frequency range. It is
particularly advantageous if TK is equal to the time constant
of the current transformer used for detecting the current
signals, which are likewise measured at the same time as the
voltage signal.
If, as shown in the figure, a digital filter 10 is used to
correct the transfer function of the measuring circuit MS, the
correcting transfer function Gcorr can previously be transformed
into a temporally discrete transfer function G(z-1). This takes
place with the aid of the bilinear transformation

The right-hand side of this equation is the series expansion,
terminated after the first element, of the function e-jω'T. This
gives:

where z-1 is the delay of a sampled value by a sampling
interval; a0, a1 and b1 are coefficients of the temporally

discrete transfer function. This temporally discrete transfer
function G(z-1) is implemented by the digital filter 10
illustrated in the figure. This in turn has a final
amplification at the frequency 0, with the result that the
numerical stability of the apparatus is ensured even in the
case of an offset of the analog-to-digital converter 9.
A switch 11 is used to connect the output of the
analog-to-digital converter 9 to the measured value output 12
of the measuring apparatus MV either directly or via the
digital filter 10. The direct connection can be selected if the
inductive voltage transformer 4 as the voltage sensor SG is
connected to the input terminal 3 of the further-processing
arrangement WA, and the connection via the digital filter 10 is
selected if the coupling capacitor 2 as the voltage sensor SG
is connected to the input terminal 3. The switch 11 could,
however, also be dispensed with, with the result that, in both
cases, the digital filter 10 is included since an improvement
in the quality of the measured voltage values can be achieved
owing to the shift in the cut-off frequency of the transfer
function of the entire measuring apparatus MV even in the case
in which the inductive voltage transformer 4 is used. However,
the coefficients of the digital filter 10 can in each case be
adjusted differently for the connection to the inductive
voltage transformer 4, on the one hand, and to the coupling
capacitor 2, on the other hand.
Correspondingly, a measuring apparatus can also be implemented
using analog voltage signals, in which case an analog filter
would be used in place of the digital filter, and the
analog-to-digital converter would be dispensed with.

WE CLAIM
1. Method for measuring the voltage at a point of a current distribution
network with the help of a measuring circuit (MS), which has a voltage
transmitter (SG), which is coupled to a current-carrying conductor (1) of
the network, and a further-processing arrangement (WA), which is
connected to the voltage transmitter (SG), and which outputs a voltage
measurement as an output signal at the output thereof, wherein, in order
to achieve a correct measurement, the output signal of the measuring
circuit (MS) is corrected by a correction element (KG) having a transfer
function, which is the inverse of the transfer function of the measuring
circuit (MS), and wherein the correction element (KG), comprises an
electronic filter having a transfer function, which is matched to the
respective transfer function of the measuring circuit (MS) wherein
- the measuring circuit (MS) can optionally be connected to an
inductive voltage transformer (4) as voltage transmitter (SG) or to
a capacitor unit as voltage transmitter (SG), and
- the correction element (KG) can optionally be bridged by a switch
(11), wherein said correction element is switched on with the help

of the switch (11) when the capacitor unit acts as voltage
transmitter (SG) and is switched with the help of the switch (11)
when the inductive voltage transformer (4) acts as voltage
transmitter (SG).
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a coupling capacitor (2), which is
formed from the current carrying conductor (1) of the network and the
capacitor unit comprises an electrode, which is galvanically isolated
therefrom.
3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the case of an analogue
output signal of the measuring circuit (MS), the correction is carried out
by an analogue filter with PID characteristic as correction element (KG).
4. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the case of a digital output
signal of the measuring circuit (MS), the correction is carried out by a
digital filter (10) as correction element (KG).

5. Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inverse transfer function in said
digital filter (10) is represented by a time-discrete transfer function.
6. Method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coefficients of the time-discrete
transfer function in said digital filter (10) can be changed.
7. Method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a further
processing step comprises an arrangement (WA), which has a galvanic
isolating element in its input region.
- Measuring device (MV) for measuring the voltage at a point of a
current distribution network with the help of a measuring circuit
(MS), which has a voltage transmitter (SG) which is coupled to a
current-carrying conductor (1) of the network, and a further
processing arrangement (WA), which is connected to the voltage
transmitter (SG) and which outputs a voltage measurement as an
output signal at the output thereof, wherein, in order to achieve a
correct measurement from the output signal of the measuring

circuit (MS), a correction element (KG) having a transfer function,
which is the inverse of the transfer function of the measuring circuit
(MS), is connected on the output side to the measuring circuit
(MS), and wherein the correction element (KG) is an electronic filter
having a transfer function, which is matched to the respective
transfer function of the measuring circuit, wherein
the measuring circuit (MS) can optionally be connected to an
inductive voltage transformer (4) as voltage transmitter (SG) or to
a capacitor unit as voltage transmitter (SG), and the correction
element (KG) can optionally be bridged by a switch (11), wherein
said correction element is switched on with the help of the switch
(11) when the capacitor unit acts as voltage transmitter (SG) and is
switched off when the inductive voltage transformer (4) acts as
voltage transmitter (SG).
8. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the capacitor unit is
a coupling capacitor (2) formed from the current-carrying conductor (1) of
the network and an electrode, which is galvanically isolated therefrom.

9. Measruing device (MV) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electrode of the
coupling capacitor (2) is a ring electrode surrounding the current-carrying
conductor (1).
10. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in one of claims 8 to 10, wherein in the
case of an analogue output signal of the measuring circuit (MS), the
correction element (KG) is an analogue filter with PID characteristic.
11. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in one of claims 8 to 10, wherein in the
case of a digital output signal of the measuring circuit (MS), the correction
element (KG) is a digital filter (10).
12. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transfer
function of the digital filter (10) is represented by a time-discrete transfer
function.
13. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the digital filter
(10) has a time-discrete transfer function with variable coefficients.

14. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in one of claims 8 to 14, wherein the
further processing arrangement (WA) has a galvanic isolating element in
its input region.
15. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the galvanic
isolating element is an inductive current transformer (6).
16. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in claim 16, wherein the voltage
transmitter (SG) is connected on the output side to a series circuit
consisting of a high resistance resistor (5) and the primary winding of the
inductive current transformer (6).
17. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in one of claims 16 or 17, wherein the
secondary winding of the current transformer (6) is loaded by an
operational amplifier (7) having negative feedback and an internal
resistance of 0 Ohm.

18. Measuring device (MV) as claimed in one of claims 8 to 10 and 12 to 18,
wherein the measuring circuit (MS) has an analogue / digital converter (9)
on the output side.

The invention relates to a method which is used to measure voltage at a point of
a current distribution network by means of a measuring circuit (MS). Said
measuring circuit comprises a voltage transmitter (SG) which is coupled to a
current conducting conductor (1) of the network, and a further processing
system (WA) which is connected to the voltage transmitter (SG) and which
outputs a voltage measuring value as an output signal at the output thereof.
According to the invention, the output signal of the measuring circuit (MS) is
corrected by means of a correction element (KG) having a transmission function
which is inverse to the transmission function of the measuring circuit (MS) in
order to obtain precise voltage measuring values which are independent from the
type of the selected voltage transmitter (SG). The invention also relates to a
measuring device (MV) for carrying out said method.

Documents:

644-KOLNP-2006-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf

644-KOLNP-2006-FORM-27.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-abstract.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-claims.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-correspondence.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-description (complete).pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-drawings.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-examination report.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-form 1.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-form 18.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-form 2.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-form 3.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-form 5.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-gpa.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-specification.pdf

644-kolnp-2006-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf

644-KOLNP-2006-PA.pdf


Patent Number 227640
Indian Patent Application Number 644/KOLNP/2006
PG Journal Number 03/2009
Publication Date 16-Jan-2009
Grant Date 14-Jan-2009
Date of Filing 20-Mar-2006
Name of Patentee SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address WITTELSBACHERPLATZ 2, 80333 MUNCHEN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 ANDRESS JURISCH EICHERNWEG 11 16727 SCTIWANTE
PCT International Classification Number G01R 15/16
PCT International Application Number PCT/DE2004/002122
PCT International Filing date 2004-09-16
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 103 46 356.8 2003-09-26 Germany