Skip to main content
European Commission logo
Enterprise Europe Network

Smart power cable monitoring

Summary

Profile Type
  • Technology offer
POD Reference
TODE20230912003
Term of Validity
12 September 2023 - 11 September 2025
Company's Country
  • Germany
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
  • Investment agreement
Targeted Countries
  • All countries
Contact the EEN partner nearest to you for more information.
Find my local partner

General information

Short Summary
An invention by a German university enables a continuously monitoring of power cables for low- and medium-voltage grids, determine the ageing process for electric cables, and generate a service life forecast. The new process can be used to continuously monitor the technical condition of a power cable without interruption of the power supply. The university offers license and/or a technology cooperation agreement.
Full Description
What is the status of the power cables at the distribution grid level? This information is generally not gathered, since conventional methods such as dissipation factor measurement involve a great deal of effort – and then there are the high costs and power disruption for connected customers.

The increased installation of heat pumps, charging stations for e-vehicles, and private solar systems increases requirements for distribution networks and the associated power cables. Heavily fluctuating loads on our low- and medium-voltage grids demand information about whether the power cable in question can provide sufficient power transmission quality or whether it needs to be replaced, which can be expensive.

But an invention by a German university changes all that: It can continuously monitor power cables for low- and medium-voltage grids, determine the ageing process for electric cables, and generate a service life forecast. It also detects the technical condition of the power cables with broadband over power line (BPL) modems that already transfer smart meter data in many power grids.

The system requires at least two BPL modems that can determine and forward the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on a broad frequency range (2 to 28 MHz). It also requires a database for storing and analyzing the measured SNR data. The power line signals provide information about power cable quality. Software modules allow the BPL infrastructure to be used for both communication and cable condition assessment.

The university offers a licensing agreement to electrical engineering companies. If interested in further development of the process, the university also offers technological cooperation.
Advantages and Innovations
The main advantages of this invention, also with regard to recent applications, are:
- Continuous power cable monitoring
- Condition monitoring in operation
- Service life prediction
- Software-based solution
- Broadband powerline communication
Stage of Development
  • Lab tested
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Not relevant
IPR status
  • IPR applied but not yet granted
IPR notes
It has been registered with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office.

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
The university offers a licensing agreement to electrical engineering companies. If interested in further development of the process, the university also offers technological cooperation.
Type and Size of Partner
  • SME 50 - 249
  • SME 11-49
  • Other
  • Big company
  • SME <=10
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
  • Investment agreement

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 09001002 - Analyses / Test Facilities and Methods
  • 04001004 - Transmission of electricity
  • 001001004 - Electronic engineering
  • 09003 - Electronic measurement systems
Market keywords
  • 03007003 - Other analytical and scientific instrumentation
  • 06009 - Energy Distribution
  • 03003 - Power Supplies
  • 03007002 - Other measuring devices
Targeted countries
  • All countries