A Data System for High-Voltage DC Test Lines

An automatic data gathering and processing system for ??600-kV direct-current test lines at the National Research Council of Canada is described. The data consist of corona-loss current, radio interference, meteorological information, line voltage, and real time. The system consists of a 16-channel analog multiplexer, an A/D converter, a real-time clock, and a teletypewriter. All data are recorded on magnetic tape in IBM compatible format. A small stored-program digital computer controls the data system. The reasons for choosing the computer-controlled system for this application, a description of instrumentation for measuring the weather variables, and methods for telemetering corona-loss current information across the high-voltage barrier are included.