US 11,788,899 B2
Apparatus and method for detection current imbalance
Thomas Fulcher, Bristol (GB); and Boris Schwerdt, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS (SAS), Blagnac (FR)
Filed by Airbus SAS, Blagnac (FR)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/705,001.
Claims priority of application No. 2104331 (GB), filed on Mar. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307910 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01K 3/14 (2006.01); G01K 1/02 (2021.01); G01K 11/32 (2021.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01); H02H 7/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 3/14 (2013.01) [G01K 1/026 (2013.01); G01K 11/32 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01); H02H 7/22 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus configured to detect a current imbalance between two or more electrical energy distribution elements of an electrical energy distribution network in use, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of temperature sensors, each of the temperature sensors implemented by a temperature sensing section of an optical fiber, and each of the temperature sensing sections arranged to produce, in response to an optical input signal, an optical output signal indicative of a temperature of the temperature sensing section,
one or more first temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact with a first electrical energy distribution element of the electrical energy distribution network;
one or more second temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors are configured for thermal contact with a second, different, electrical energy distribution element of the electrical energy distribution network; and
a detecting unit configured to:
determine a first temperature characteristic of the first electrical energy distribution element based on one or more of the optical output signals of the one or more first temperature sensors;
determine a second temperature characteristic of the second electrical energy distribution element based on one or more of the optical output signals of the one or more second temperature sensors;
compare the first temperature characteristic with the second temperature characteristic; and
detect a current imbalance between the first electrical energy distribution element and the second electrical energy distribution element based on the comparison of the first temperature characteristic with the second temperature characteristic.