Invention Reference Number
Electrical arcing events caused by damaged equipment, vegetation contact, or downed lines can trigger equipment failure and wildfire ignition, yet many of these events are too subtle to be detected by conventional monitoring systems. AWARE is a grid monitoring and analytics technology designed to identify and classify electrical disturbances that are often missed by traditional protection tools. By detecting early warning signals associated with hazardous conditions, the system helps utilities recognize potential risks sooner, enabling faster response, improved maintenance prioritization, and stronger protection of infrastructure and surrounding communities.
Description
AWARE is a signal-analysis and machine learning system designed to detect and classify multiple types of electrical disturbance events within power system measurements. Traditional monitoring methods often rely on fixed thresholds or basic signal metrics and are typically optimized for large, sustained faults. As a result, smaller disturbances—such as low-level arcing—may remain undetected until they escalate into larger failures.
The technology analyzes grid current measurements using a multi-stage analytical pipeline that isolates abnormal behavior, identifies the most affected phase of the signal, and detects short-duration anomalies embedded within larger data streams. Advanced signal-processing techniques are used to separate normal waveform characteristics from transient disturbances and to isolate the portions of the signal most likely to contain meaningful events. Detected anomalies are then classified using machine learning models trained to distinguish among several common grid disturbance types, including arcing and operational switching events.
The system produces a structured event report containing information such as the number of detected events, event type, estimated duration, and confidence metrics. This information provides operators with actionable insights that can support maintenance planning, operational awareness, and faster identification of potentially hazardous conditions within the power network.
Benefits
- Detects subtle electrical disturbances that conventional protection systems may overlook
- Identifies and classifies multiple event types from a single measurement record
- Enables earlier identification of hazardous grid conditions
- Provides actionable event reports for operators and maintenance teams
Applications and Industries
- Electric utilities and power transmission operators
- Grid monitoring and sensor technology companies
- Energy infrastructure analytics and monitoring platforms
- Power system operations and maintenance organizations
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
