Background
The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires creates difficulty for power engineers to decide on the best course of action for ensuring reliable and resilient system operation. To enable informed decision-making in the presence of active wildfire risks, knowledge of the local environmental conditions surrounding the electric power infrastructure is necessary. However, existing infield, airborne, and remote wildfire sensing systems are either intermittent or unaware of local ambient risk factors (e.g., high wind speeds, low humidity).
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a self-sustainable, low-cost, and lightweight adaptive sensor-suite design to help measure the risk of a wildfire occurring in its vicinity. This invention can be mounted on power line towers in remote locations to quickly detect fires in its proximity, and can detect fires irrespective of its source (e.g., electric power system-related, etc.). This system will also transmit the information to the receiving entity (e.g., fire mitigation specialist, power utility control center) to help inform mitigation actions.
Potential Applications:
- Wildfire monitoring (e.g., power line towers, remote areas)
Benefits and Advantages:
- Energy-efficient – hierarchical activation of sensors within the suite prevents sensors being on all the time
- Modular design – supports different combinations of sensors, adapts to different climates and topographies
- Lower costs – reduced infrastructure investment