Adaptive protection for recloser control

Abstract

A recloser is adaptively controlled so that it will operate in a manner responsive to prevailing conditions such as time of day, day of week, and/or load current. A protection setting group is stored in a memory accessible by the recloser controller, and contains a set of instructions for controlling the recloser based on the prevailing conditions. The prevailing conditions are continuously monitored, and the control of the recloser is based on the prevailing conditions and the protection setting group.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for controlling a recloser for an electrical power line, comprising: 
 determining a protection setting group, the protection setting group having at least one associated feature;    determining a present condition of the at least one associated feature;    determining a behavior function for the recloser based on the protection setting group and the present condition; and    implementing the behavior function for the recloser, thereby controlling the recloser responsive to the behavior function.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising continuously monitoring the present condition and changing the behavior function responsive to the monitoring.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring the present condition comprises monitoring at predetermined intervals.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one associated feature comprises one of time of day, day of week, and month of year.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one associated feature comprises load current.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the behavior function comprises one of fuse saving mode and fuse clearing mode.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the behavior function comprises one of single-phase operation and three-phase operation.  
     
     
         8 . A recloser control system for an electrical power line, comprising: 
 a recloser;    a memory comprising a protection setting group having at least one behavior function with an associated feature; and    a recloser controller coupled to the recloser and the memory for controlling the recloser responsive to one of the at least one behavior functions in the protection setting group.    
     
     
         9 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the recloser controller monitors a present condition of each associated feature of each behavior function in the protection setting group, and determines the behavior function based on the present condition.  
     
     
         10 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the recloser controller comprises the memory.  
     
     
         11 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the one associated feature comprises one of time of day, day of week, and month of year.  
     
     
         12 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the associated feature comprises load current.  
     
     
         13 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one behavior function comprises one of fuse saving mode and fuse clearing mode.  
     
     
         14 . The recloser control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one behavior function comprises one of single-phase operation and three-phase operation.  
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: 
 determining a protection setting group for a recloser operating on an electrical power line, the protection setting group having at least one associated feature;    determining a present condition of the at least one associated feature;    determining a behavior function for the recloser based on the protection setting group and the present condition; and    implementing the behavior function for the recloser, thereby controlling the recloser responsive to the behavior function.    
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable instructions for continuously monitoring the present condition and changing the behavior function responsive to the monitoring.  
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein monitoring the present condition comprises monitoring at predetermined intervals.  
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one associated feature comprises one of time of day, day of week, month of year, and load current.  
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the behavior function comprises one of fuse saving mode and fuse clearing mode.  
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the behavior function comprises one of single-phase operation and three-phase operation.