Simon Donahue

Graduation Semester and Year

2014

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Department

Electrical Engineering

First Advisor

David A Jr

Abstract

Research and development is currently being performed to transform the United States' utility electric grid into a `Smart Grid' with the purpose of more efficiently distributing power, giving more control over the grid itself, and creating the potential savings for consumers. Smart Meters are among the first intelligent metering devices used within the `Smart Grid' concept, allowing consumers to effectively track their power usage within their home. They have thus far been deployed in thousands of commercial and residential electrical installations around the US. While the wide scale deployment of these devices has initially proven very successful, there is still much that is unknown about how they will impact the long-term operation of a large utility grid or the electrical devices sourced by them. One such device, whose operation appears to be impacted by the Smart Meter, under specific conditions, is a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). It has been reported that the RF transmissions from Smart Meters can induce false tripping events on GFCI outlets installed on temporary construction poles. In an effort to understand why this may happen, a research study, which is presented here, has been performed to understand the correlation between RF transmissions and GFCI tripping events on construction poles.

Disciplines

Electrical and Computer Engineering | Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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