Aclara Technologies LLC

A switched capacitor bank assembly may include a first capacitor. The switched capacitor bank assembly may include a first switch selectively connected between the first capacitor and a first phase line. The switched capacitor bank assembly may include a first voltage sensor integrated within a housing of the first switch and used to sense a. The switched capacitor bank assembly may include voltage of the first phase line, a controller including an electronic processor, the controller operably coupled to the first voltage sensor and the first switch; and a frame arranged to physically support the first capacitor, the first switch, the first voltage sensor, and the controller; and a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device, wherein the communication module is contained within a second housing that is physically supported by the frame.

An improvement to a utility (U) meter's (M) meter reading schema. The improvement includes a device (D) responsive to a native language with which a meter is programmed to convert communications to and from the meter from that native language into a neutral language. The neutral language is convertible by other meters programmed with different native languages into the native language of a particular meter for meters programmed with different native languages can communicate with each other. This allows facilities within a localized area of a utility's power grid (G) to form into a micro-grid (MG) in which meters programmed with the same or different native languages can communicate with each other without having communications between them routed through a central location of the utility.

Systems and methods for coordinating monitoring devices associated with a medium voltage distribution system. The systems include a data aggregation device, a first monitoring device associated with a first phase of the medium voltage distribution system, and a second monitoring device associated with a second phase of the medium voltage distribution system. The first monitoring device is configured to sense one or more parameters of the first phase, store the one or more stored parameters, and determine whether an event has occurred based on the sensed parameters. The first monitoring device is further configured to transmit a coordination signal to a second monitoring device in response to determining the event has occurred and a first event message to a data aggregator device in response to determining the event has occurred, wherein the event message includes one or more sensed parameters associated with the determined event.

A method may include sensing, via a sensor, one or more electrical characteristics of the transformer. The method may further include receiving, via a controller, the one or more electrical characteristics of the transformers. The method may further include determining, via the controller, time series data of the one or more electrical characteristics of the transformer. The method may further include determining, based on the time series data, an estimated impedance of the transformer. The method may further include comparing, via the controller, the estimated impedance to an impedance model. The method may further include determining, via the controller, based on the comparison, an abnormality of the transformer. The method may further include outputting a signal indicative of the abnormality of the transformer.

A switched capacitor bank system including a switched capacitor bank assembly having a switch between a capacitor and a phase line, a first voltage sensor to sense a phase line voltage, and a second voltage sensor to sense a capacitor voltage. The switched capacitor bank system includes a wireless current sensor to sense a current of the phase line and an electronic controller configured to receive a first voltage signal from the first voltage sensor, a second voltage signal from the second voltage sensor, a current signal from the wireless current sensor, determine a phase shift calculation for the voltage of the phase line based on the current signal, determine when the voltage of the phase line is at zero by comparing the first voltage signal, the second voltage signal, and the phase shift calculation, and close the switch when the voltage of the phase line is at zero.

A metering system including a utility meter having a processing circuit and a communication module interface. The metering system also includes a communication module electronically coupled to the utility meter via the communication module interface. The communication module interface is configured to transmit information to, and receive information from, the utility meter. The processing circuit of the utility meter includes one or more electronic processors that are configured to receive a first message from the communication, read a header frame of the first message, and determine a message type of the first message based on the header frame. The electronic processors are also configured to verify the first message based on the determined message type, and process the first message based on the determined message type.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for converting and storing renewable energy. An example system includes a source of electrical energy, an electrolyzer unit, a source of carbon dioxide, and a reactor unit that can produce synthetic methane in a Sabatier reaction. An example method includes using electrical energy to electrolyze water to produce hydrogen and oxygen, and reacting the hydrogen with carbon dioxide to produce synthetic methane in a Sabatier reaction.

A system for determining a linear state estimation of a power distribution network. The system includes a plurality of metering devices, a plurality of power sources, each of the plurality of power sources coupled to a respective metering device, and a plurality of collection devices, each of the plurality of collection devices in electronic communication with a respective metering device. The plurality of collection devices measure an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) dataset and calculate a phase angle of the power source coupled to the metering device. The system includes a host device in electronic communication with the plurality of collection devices. An electronic processor of the host device receives the AMI dataset and the phase angle of the plurality of metering devices, determines the linear state estimation of the power distribution network based on the phase angle and the AMI dataset, and identifies information associated with the power distribution network.

A utility sensor module includes one or more sensors, a communication link, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to broadcast an advertisement signal associated with a communication protocol for a first transmission time. The advertisement signal is configured to cause an external device to transmit a response message. The electronic processor is further configured to determine whether the response message is received within a predetermined time period, and in response to determining that the response message was not received within the predetermined time period, operating in a modified sleep mode. Operating in the modified sleep mode includes modifying the operation of the communication interface to broadcast the advertisement signal at a periodic interval, such that the advertisement signal is only broadcast at the periodic interval for a second transmission time.