MIT System Detects Imminent Electrical Failures

Mar-24-19 A new energy monitoring system from MIT can track the behavior of all the electrical devices in a ship or building and trigger an alert at signs of failure.

Designed by MIT for relatively small electrical systems, such as in a ship or small building, the NILM (non-intrusive load monitoring) system relies on a sensor attached to the outside of an electrical wire at a single point, with no splicing required. Once in place, the system will analyze the tiny changes in the current and voltage to identify the unique signatures of every piece of equipment in the system. The NILM’s dashboard is easy to read with little training, consisting of a dial with a red and green zone for each device under audit.

In tests onboard the Coast Guard cutter Spencer, the system detected an unusual draw that led the crew to discover damage in the ship’s jacket water heater.

Image Credit: Bryce Vickmark - A prototype NILM sensor

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