Micromachined electric field sensor to measure AC and DC fields in power systems

This paper describes a new type of electric field sensor fabricated using micromachining technology. This micromachined sensor is dramatically smaller than conventional field mills, possessing a field chopping shutter measuring only 1mm2. The shutter is moved using thermal actuators, thereby eliminating the wear and tear associated with rotating and moving elements of field mills. The sensor requires minimal operating power, with the shutter being driven by a 75mV drive signal while consuming only 70W. The field chopping shutter operates at ~4200Hz, enabling the measurement of both ac and dc fields. Two sets of sense electrodes enable differential field measurement, thereby not requiring a reference ground potential. The sensor has a linear response to electric field amplitude and has demonstrated capable of measuring a dc field as small as 42V/m. This miniature sensor is the smallest sensor with such a resolution for use in power engineering applications.

[1]  Gordon R. Jones,et al.  Measurements of power system voltages using remote electric field monitoring , 1998 .

[2]  G. H. Vaillancourt,et al.  New live line tester for porcelain suspension insulators on high-voltage power lines , 1994 .

[3]  K. L. Scott,et al.  Electrostatic charge and field sensors based on micromechanical resonators , 2003 .

[4]  Xianxiang Chen,et al.  A Novel High Performance Micromechanical Resonant Electrostatic Field Sensor Used In Atmospheric Electric Field Detection , 2006, 19th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[5]  P. E. Secker,et al.  The desing of simple instruments for measurement of charge on insulating surfaces , 1975 .

[6]  J.N. Chubb.  New designs of 'field mill' type fieldmeters not requiring earthing of rotating chopper , 1989, Conference Record of the IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting,.

[7]  S.P. Hornfeldt,et al.  DC-probes for electric field distribution measurements , 1991, IEEE Power Engineering Review.

[8]  H. Kirkham,et al.  A miniaturized space-potential DC electric field meter , 1989 .

[9]  E. L. Harris,et al.  The effect of a helicopter on DC fields and ions , 1993 .

[10]  Cyrus Shafai,et al.  Electric field sensor using electrostatic force deflection of a micro-spring supported membrane , 2005 .

[11]  K. Najafi,et al.  Vacuum packaging technology using localized aluminum/silicon-to-glass bonding , 2002, Technical Digest. MEMS 2001. 14th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.01CH37090).

[12]  H. Kirkham.  On the measurement of stationary electric fields in air , 2002, Conference Digest Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements.

[13]  Toemsak Srikhirin,et al.  Fiber optic electric field sensors using polymer-dispersed liquid crystal coatings and evanescent field interactions , 2000 .

[14]  K. Feser,et al.  Distortion-free measurement of high impulse voltages , 1988 .

[15]  Charles J. Miller,et al.  The Measurement of Electric Fields in Live Line Working , 1967 .

[16]  B. Zhang,et al.  Measurement of electric field distribution along composite insulators by integrated optical electric field sensor , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[17]  S. Carignan,et al.  Experience with the detection of faulty composite insulators on high-voltage power lines by the electric field measurement method , 1998 .

[18]  R. Muller,et al.  Micromechanical electrostatic voltmeter , 1991, TRANSDUCERS '91: 1991 International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators. Digest of Technical Papers.

[19]  R.D. Dallaire,et al.  Development of Field-Mill Instruments for Ground-Level and Above-Ground Electric Field Measurement Under HVDC Transmission Lines , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[20]  Yogesh B. Gianchandani,et al.  Long throw and rotary output electro-thermal actuators based on bent-beam suspensions , 2000, Proceedings IEEE Thirteenth Annual International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.00CH36308).

[21]  C. Shafai,et al.  Analysis and Design of a Micromachined Electric-Field Sensor , 2008, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[22]  P. P. Chavez,et al.  230 kV Optical Voltage Transducers Using Multiple Electric Field Sensors , 2002, IEEE Power Engineering Review.

[23]  C. Peng,et al.  Thermally driven micro-electrostatic fieldmeter , 2006 .

[24]  Mark N. Horenstein,et al.  A micro-aperture electrostatic field mill based on MEMS technology , 2001 .