US 12,145,636 B2
Device, system and method for detecting leakage current for traction power system
Patrick Henry McGinn, Freelton (CA); Mark James Mitchell, Vancouver (CA); Matthew Douglas Brown, Oakville (CA); Matthew Gorczyca, Toronto (CA); and Michael Morgan Campbell, Toronto (CA)
Assigned to Hatch Ltd., Mississauga (CA)
Appl. No. 17/917,480
Filed by HATCH LTD., Mississauga (CA)
PCT Filed Apr. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CA2021/050476
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 6, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/203204, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/007,595, filed on Apr. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0084963 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B61K 9/08 (2006.01); B60M 3/00 (2006.01); B61D 15/12 (2006.01); B61L 27/53 (2022.01); G01R 31/00 (2006.01); G01R 31/11 (2006.01); G01R 31/52 (2020.01); G01R 33/00 (2006.01); G01R 33/028 (2006.01); G01R 33/04 (2006.01); G01R 33/07 (2006.01); G01R 33/09 (2006.01)
CPC B61K 9/08 (2013.01) [B60M 3/00 (2013.01); B61D 15/12 (2013.01); B61L 27/53 (2022.01); G01R 31/008 (2013.01); G01R 31/11 (2013.01); G01R 31/52 (2020.01); G01R 33/0011 (2013.01); G01R 33/0076 (2013.01); G01R 33/0286 (2013.01); G01R 33/04 (2013.01); G01R 33/072 (2013.01); G01R 33/091 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for locating current leakage in a traction power rail, the system comprising:
a vehicle configured to move along a segment of the rail and provide a location of the vehicle along the segment of the rail at various points in time; and
a rail instrument disposed on the vehicle, the rail instrument comprising a magnetic flux concentrator in an open configuration comprising an elongated conductor running in a direction that is parallel to a portion of the rail and having an arched or a U-shaped or a horseshoe-shaped cross section to obtain an average magnetic field reading of the portion of the rail, the instrument configured for taking readings of the average magnetic field across an area of portions of the segment of the rail while the vehicle moves along the segment,
a processor for receiving the locations of the vehicle and readings from the rail instrument over a period of time and determines the location of a current leakage in the rail based on the locations of the vehicle and the rail instrument readings.