Intelligent Power Test Vehicle

Overview: this power test vehicle is used by power supply organisations such as substations and power plants for centralised testing and for special situations such as emergency testing during outages. It is described as intensive, intelligent, networked and digital. The vehicle can carry out most power test items on site and instruments can be selected to meet the user’s requirements. Several patents have been applied for on the design, and it has been well received in the power industry.

Key features: eight commonly used instruments are mounted in the company’s patented centralised control cabinet. Testing is carried out without carrying the equipment out of the vehicle, and the instruments are controlled centrally by computer. The computer can also control instruments that are not mounted in the centralised control cabinet through its own network system. All instruments can also be used as stand-alone units away from the test vehicle.

Positioning and video: the on-board intelligent GPS navigation system records the driving route, allows remote vehicle location and command via Internet access, and links seamlessly with Google Earth and Google Map for tracking and positioning anywhere in the world. A dedicated GPS module with embedded design provides GPS positioning and remote monitoring without the on-board computer being switched on. The on-board video system uses an 80 m infrared auto-focus camera on a 360-degree high-performance pan-tilt head with a high-quality video server, so the test situation on site can be observed from inside the vehicle.

Communications and networking: combined with the GPS system, 3G, wireless communication, the Internet and video monitoring, the vehicle supports mobile working from the office — the vehicle position is shown in real time in the navigation system, the field test situation can be seen from the office so that work can be directed and results checked, and workloads and tasks can be co-ordinated and issued centrally. The on-board 3G communication system provides Internet access over the 3G network, exchanges information between the on-board computer and remote computers, and supports remote camera, pan-tilt and video monitoring operation, remote equipment monitoring and operation, expert consultation over the network and remote equipment commissioning and online upgrading, all without switching on the on-board computer. The on-board LAN and wireless network allow instrument-to-instrument and instrument-to-computer communication, and the on-board instrument wireless communication system lets instruments communicate with the vehicle even when used away from it, with the remote monitoring system also able to reach the instruments over that wireless link.