Recent development of optical electric current transformer and its obstacles

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advancements in optical electric current transformers, highlighting their principles, structures, and potential to replace traditional electromagnetic transformers due to their high sensitivity and environmental robustness.

Contribution

It categorizes optical current transformers based on different principles and discusses their manufacturing techniques, signal processing, and future development trends.

Findings

Optical current transformers offer high sensitivity and stability.

They are suitable for complex environments and future power systems.

Various principles like magnetostrictive and magneto-optic effects are used.

Abstract

Conventional electromagnetic induction-based current transformers suffer from issues such as bulky and complex structures, slow response times, and low safety levels. Consequently, researchers have explored combining various sensing technologies with optical fibers to develop optical current transformers that could become the primary choice for power systems in the future. With the maturation of optoelectronic technology, optical current transformers have emerged. They offer outstanding advantages, including high sensitivity, integration, stability, and the ability to operate in complex environments. This review categorizes optical current transformers based on different principles, including all-fiber current transformers, those based on magnetostrictive effects, magneto-optic effects, and thermal effects. It also discusses their principles, structures, manufacturing techniques, and signal processing, while forecasting their future development trends.