Dual LiNbO3 Crystal-Based Batteryless and Contactless Optical Transient Overvoltage Sensor for Overhead Transmission Line and Substation Applications

Advanced high-voltage and overvoltage measurement techniques are required for smart grid construction. The existing overvoltage measurement methods that are currently used for power system measurements are mostly based on the use of electromagnetic voltage transformers and capacitive voltage transformers, which have contradiction in measuring accuracy, measuring distance, antijamming, and system compatibility. A batteryless sensor for contactless measurement of the overvoltage on overhead transmission lines based on a combination of the electrooptic effect in LiNbO3 with stray capacitance in the air is designed in this work. On the basis of this design, a dual-crystal structure-based electrooptic conversion unit is presented that eliminates the natural birefringence and improves the operating stability of the sensor. Testing platforms were set up to measure the characteristics of the sensor in thermal stability. In combination with a data acquisition device, the newly designed sensor was applied to online monitoring of the overvoltage in the ac bus and the overhead transmission lines of a 500-kV transformer station and a +/- 500-kV convertor station in the China Southern Power Grid.