Temperature and Current Monitoring System for Transmission Lines Using Power-over-Fiber Technology

The design of transmission lines (TL) is usually based on conservative aspects, in order to attend safety standards and avoid the deterioration of line construction materials. With the increasing demand of energy, the idea to improve the capacity transmission of already existing lines, designed in a high safety manner, is attractive; instead of duplicate or construct new ones. An equipment for monitoring current and temperature in 138kV transmission lines using photonic power and data communication is presented; which will provode information for a sag-current relation, and consequently a safer ampacity sizing, while a fully operation of the line is being carried out. The power supply for the sensors and data processing circuits in high voltage area is provided by photonic energy, transmitted through an optical fiber. Likewise, the measured results are sent to the low voltage area using another optical fiber, achieving good electrical insulation.