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Special Issue "Optical Sensing in Power Systems"

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2023 | Viewed by 13649

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Pawel Niewczas

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Guest Editor

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
Interests: advancement of photonic sensing methods and systems integration in applications that lie predominantly in power and energy sectors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As we transition to a sustainable future, the power system requires ever more granular and extensive measurement in order to enable greater integration of renewable generation and to drive up efficency. At every level of power flow—generation, conversion, transmission and distribution—extensive measurements are required. Voltage and current measurements are needed for power system control, protection, and metering. AC, DC, and high-frequency dynamic measurements are required, with voltages reaching MV levels and currents tens or hundreds of kAs. Measurments of other physical parameters such as temperature, strain, vibration, humidity, chemical species, or partial discharge are also required for diagnostic and prognostic purposes of plant or for perimeter breach security alerts. Distributed measurements are also crucial for improved power grid visibility to offer wide-area monitoining, control, and protection.

There are many advantages to using optical or fibre optic sensing in this environment. The key advantage is the high voltage isolation provided by optical fibre or remote laser measurments, reducing the need for bulky insulators and improving safety. Immunity to electromagnetic interference, small size, light weight, high performance, and security or ability to multiplex a large number of sensors over extended distances are other important benefits.

This Special Issue addresses the most recent progress in the area of optical sensing in the context of a power system. This includes optical sensor development, testing, qualification, metrology, standardisation, interoperability, and usage in unique power system applications.

Prof. Dr. Pawel Niewczas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

optical current sensors
optical voltage sensors
optical strain, temperature and chemical sensors
optical partial discharge sensors
optical sensors for power applications
sensor development
sensor networks
interoperability of optical sensors with substation equipment
optical sensor metrology
optical sensor standardisation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Multi-Parameter Optical Monitoring Solution Applied to Underground Medium-Voltage Electric Power Distribution Networks

Ronaldo A. Roncolatto

Rodrigo Peres

João R. Nogueira Júnior

João Paulo V. Fracarolli

and

Sensors 2023, 23(11), 5066; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23115066 - 25 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 729

Abstract

This work presents a multi-parameter optical fiber monitoring solution applied to an underground power distribution network. The monitoring system demonstrated herein uses Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors to measure multiple parameters, such as the distributed temperature of the power cable, external temperature and current of the transformers, liquid level, and intrusion in the underground manholes. To monitor partial discharges of cable connections, we used sensors that detect radio frequency signals. The system was characterized in the laboratory and tested in underground distribution networks. We present here the technical details of the laboratory characterization, system installation, and the results of 6 months of network monitoring. The data obtained for temperature sensors in the field tests show a thermal behavior depending on the day/night cycle and the season. The temperature levels measured on the conductors indicated that in high-temperature periods, the maximum current specified for the conductor must be reduced, according to the applied Brazilian standards. The other sensors detected other important events in the distribution network. All the sensors demonstrated their functionality and robustness in the distribution network, and the monitored data will allow the electric power system to have a safe operation, with optimized capacity and operating within tolerated electrical and thermal limits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Open AccessArticle

On the Feasibility of Monitoring Power Transformer’s Winding Vibration and Temperature along with Moisture in Oil Using Optical Sensors

Simplice Akre

Issouf Fofana

Zié Yéo

Stephan Brettschneider

Peter Kung

and

Bekibenan Sékongo

Sensors 2023, 23(4), 2310; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23042310 - 19 Feb 2023

Viewed by 833

Abstract

Despite major progress in the design of power transformers, the Achilles’ heel remains the insulation system, which is affected by various parameters including moisture, heat, and vibrations. These important machines require extreme reliability to guarantee electricity distribution to end users. In this contribution, a fiber optic sensor (FOS), consisting of a Fabry–Perot cavity made up of two identical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), is proposed, to monitor the temperature and vibration of power transformer windings. A phase shifted gratings recoated sensor, with multilayers of polyimide films, is used to monitor the moisture content in oil. The feasibility is investigated using an experimental laboratory transformer model, especially fabricated for this application. The moisture contents are well correlated with those measured by a Karl Fisher titrator, while the values of temperature compare well with those recorded from thermocouples. It is also shown that the sensors can be used to concurrently detect vibration, as assessed by sensitivity to the loading current. The possibility of dynamically measuring humidity, vibrations, and temperatures right next to the winding, appears to be a new insight that was previously unavailable. This approach, with its triple ability, can help to reduce the required number of sensors and therefore simplify the wiring layout. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Open AccessArticle

Design and Implementation of a Passive Autoranging Circuit for Hybrid FBG-PZT Photonic Current Transducer

Burhan Mir

Pawel Niewczas

and

Grzegorz Fusiek

Sensors 2023, 23(1), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010551 - 03 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1372

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel technique for passively autoranging a photonic current transducer (PCT) that incorporates a current transformer (CT), piezoelectric transducer (PZT) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Due to the usage of single-mode fiber and FBG, multiple PCTs can be interconnected and distributed over a long distance, for example along a power network, greatly reducing the cost of sensor deployment and offering other unique advantages. The autoranging technique relies on the usage of multiple, serially connected CT burden resistors and associated static MOSFET switches to realize instantaneous shortening of the resistors in response to increasing measured current. This functionality is realized passively, utilizing a modular, μW-power comparator circuit that powers itself from the electrical energy supplied by the CT within a small fraction of the 50/60 Hz cycle. The resultant instantaneous changes in sensor gain will be ultimately detected by the central FBG interrogator through real-time analysis of the optical signals and will be used to apply appropriate gain scaling for each sensor. The technique will facilitate the usage of a single PCT to cover an extended dynamic range of the measurement that is required to realize a combined metering- and protection-class current sensor. This paper is limited to the description of the design process, construction, and testing of a prototype passive autoranging circuitry for integration with the PCT. The two-stage circuitry that is based on two burden resistors, 1 Ω and 10 Ω, is used to prove the concept and demonstrate the practically achievable circuit characteristics. It is shown that the circuit correctly reacts to input current threshold breaches of approximately 2 A and 20 A within a 3 ms reaction time. The circuit produces distinct voltage dips across burden resistors that will be used for signal scaling by the FBG interrogator. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Open AccessCommunication

A Novel Distributed Vibration Sensor Based on Fading Noise Reduction in Multi-Mode Fiber

and

Sensors 2022, 22(20), 8028; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22208028 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 758

Abstract

Multi-mode fiber (MMF) is used in a polarization-sensitive optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) for vibration event location and spectrum analysis. The vibration events acting on MMF are considered to be the optical polarization state and phase diversifying process for fading noise reduction. In addition, data averaging with continuous positions and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method is proposed to extract the spectrum of the vibration events. In the experiment, the vibration events are loaded at the positions of 5.167 and 10.145 km, respectively, along MMF. The experimental results demonstrate that the vibration event can effectively diversify the optical polarization state and phase of the Rayleigh scattering light to make the averaged OTDR trace behind the vibration position converge rapidly, which helps to locate corresponding vibration events and extract the vibration spectrum. It is inferred that the new distributed vibration sensor shall have a lower false alarm rate, as it can greatly reduce the errors caused by randomness of the sensing light signals. Additionally, it also saves time in comparison with the method that analyzes the vibration spectra for all the positions along the fiber under test. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Open AccessArticle

Study of a Current and Voltage Polarization Sensor Network

Artur de Araujo Silva

Claudio Floridia

and

Joao Batista Rosolem

Sensors 2021, 21(13), 4528; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21134528 - 01 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2121

Abstract

Sensors based on polarization are suitable for application in power grids due to their excellent characteristics, such as high electrical insulation, non-magnetic saturation, oil-free, no risk of explosive failures, and high bandwidth. Utility companies are incorporating new technologies that are driving the evolution of electrical systems. Thus, it is interesting to evaluate the possibility of using polarization sensors in a network configuration. In this work, we present an experimental study of a current and voltage polarization sensor network applied to a medium voltage distribution grid. The current sensor is based on the Faraday effect, and the voltage sensor uses the Pockels effect. Both sensors use a 90° polarization degree between the two output ports to compensate for the various impairments on the measurements by applying the difference-over-sum. The network uses a DWDM topology centered at the 1550 nm range, and both current and voltage sensors in this work used this spectral band. We evaluated the sensor node in terms of accuracy according to IEC standard 61869-10 and IEC standard 61869-11. Considering that an important application of this sensor network is in the aerial cable of medium voltage networks, sensor node accuracy was also estimated in the presence of cable vibration. The calculated power budget of the proposed network indicates that reaching ten nodes of current and voltage sensors in a 10 km optical link is possible, which is enough for a medium urban voltage distribution network. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Open AccessArticle

Global Temperature Sensing for an Operating Power Transformer Based on Raman Scattering

and

Sensors 2020, 20(17), 4903; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20174903 - 30 Aug 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3143

Abstract

Traditional monitoring methods cannot obtain the overall thermal information for power transformers. To solve this problem, a distributed fiber optic sensor (DFOS) was creatively applied inside an operating 35 kV power transformer by highly integrating with the electromagnetic wires. Then, the transformer prototype with totally global sensing capability was successfully developed and it was qualified for power grid application through the strict ex-factory tests. The as designed optical fiber sensor works stably all the time with a temperature accuracy of ±0.2 °C and spatial positioning accuracy of 0.8 m. Based on the obtained internal temperature distribution, Gaussian convolution was further applied for the signal processing and hereby, the hotspots for all the windings and iron cores could be accurately traced. The hottest points were located at 89.1% (55 °C) of the high voltage winding height and 89.7% (77.5 °C) of the low voltage winding height. The actual precise hotspot location corrected the traditional cognition on the transformer windings and it would serve as an essential reference for the manufactures. This new nondestructive internal sensing and condition monitoring method also exhibits a promising future for the DFOS applying in the high-voltage electrical apparatus industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Fiber Optic Sensors Based on the Faraday Effect

Pedja Mihailovic

and

Slobodan Petricevic

Sensors 2021, 21(19), 6564; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21196564 - 30 Sep 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3356

Abstract

Some 175 years ago Michael Faraday discovered magnetic circular birefringence, now commonly known as the Faraday effect. Sensing the magnetic field through the influence that the field has on light within the fiber optic sensor offers several advantages, one of them fundamental. These advantages find application in the measurement of electric current at high voltages by measuring the induced magnetic field, thus warranting application for this kind of fiber optic sensor (FOS) in future smart grids. Difficulties in designing and manufacturing high-performance FOSs were greatly alleviated by developments in optical telecommunication technology, thus giving new impetus to magnetometry based on the Faraday effect. Some of the major problems in the processing of optical signals and temperature dependence have been resolved, yet much effort is still needed to implement all solutions into a single commercial device. Artificial structures with giant Faraday rotation, reported in the literature in the 21st century, will further improve the performance of FOSs based on the Faraday effect. This paper will consider obstacles and limits imposed by the available technology and review solutions proposed so far for fiber optic sensors based on the Faraday effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensing in Power Systems)

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