Optical current sensor technology

Abstract

The principles of optical and optical fiber current sensor technology have been known for some considerable time, and some of the earliest papers on optical fibre measurement techniques have considered this topic. The general advantages of the use of optical technology were discussed by Rogers [1] in an earlier volume, in which the essential principles of the methods available and a description of some of the essential technologies were described. This builds upon that introduction, and discusses in some detail the optical current sensor devices and technology advances which have been developed in recent years. Optical current sensors (OCSs) show several important features when compared with conventional current transformers (CTs), such as their having highly effective isolation from high line potentials offered by the dielectric nature of the optical fibers, freedom from the saturation effect which may be observed in conventional transformers, the potential to make measurements in high voltage and/or high magnetic induction noise fields, a high linear response over a wide frequency bandwidth, a remote, high-speed measurement capability for monitoring or metering purposes, and the fact that they are compact and light-weight measuring devices, available at potentially low cost.