Optical fibre sensing as a basis for the intelligent monitoring of power switchgear

In this paper, the authors attempt to demonstrate: how optical fibre sensors can provide valuable information about circuit breaker operation, free from the uncertainties and malfunction from which electronic sensors suffer during live testing; and how the sensor information can be used to validate fundamental physical modelling of the arc-aerodynamic interaction on the one hand and from the basis of condition monitoring via chromatic processing on the other. The example chosen shows clearly the conflicting needs of the modelling and monitoring applications.