An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications

This paper claims an innovative solution for intelligent electrical current measurement. The proposed concept involves using a drone as a messenger to deploy a sensor box over Transmission Lines (TLs) for data capture and storage. While the drone's functionality lies beyond the scope of this pa...

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Main Authors: Khaled Osmani, Lachlan Jones, Detlef Schulz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025013611
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author Khaled Osmani
Lachlan Jones
Detlef Schulz
author_facet Khaled Osmani
Lachlan Jones
Detlef Schulz
author_sort Khaled Osmani
collection DOAJ
description This paper claims an innovative solution for intelligent electrical current measurement. The proposed concept involves using a drone as a messenger to deploy a sensor box over Transmission Lines (TLs) for data capture and storage. While the drone's functionality lies beyond the scope of this paper, the focus is on the sensor box and its internal circuitry. The sensor box design and assembly were fully industrialized for contactless current sensing, utilizing Carbon Fiber (CF) as the housing material, designed in SolidWorks, and weighing 0.6 Kg. Signal Processing Units (SPUs) were designed in Autodesk EAGLE and fabricated as Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for integration within the sensor box. An Arduino Mega 2560 serves as the data processor, converting Magnetic Field (MF) sensors readings into computer-readable voltage data. All current-based and transformed data are subsequently stored on a Secure Digital (SD) card and visualized as current-time curves using MATLAB. Under experimental conditions, with harmonic injections at 150 Hz and 250 Hz and total harmonic distortion of up to 20 %, the system achieved an accuracy of 98.3 % during a 1-h test. It demonstrated the capability for continuous second-wise measurement for up to 6 h, handling currents up to 6 kA. Results were assessed through a thorough graphical data evaluation, and a financial analysis of the entire presented solution is included in the manuscript. The conclusions and proposed future work indicate the promising potential of the presented measurement solution.
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spelling doaj-art-843ea0cb2ef04187900e545d24b519c72025-08-20T02:02:25ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-05-011110e4298010.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42980An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applicationsKhaled Osmani0Lachlan Jones1Detlef Schulz2Department of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University, 22043, Hamburg, Germany; Corresponding author.School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Parklands Dr, Southport, QLD, 4215, AustraliaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University, 22043, Hamburg, GermanyThis paper claims an innovative solution for intelligent electrical current measurement. The proposed concept involves using a drone as a messenger to deploy a sensor box over Transmission Lines (TLs) for data capture and storage. While the drone's functionality lies beyond the scope of this paper, the focus is on the sensor box and its internal circuitry. The sensor box design and assembly were fully industrialized for contactless current sensing, utilizing Carbon Fiber (CF) as the housing material, designed in SolidWorks, and weighing 0.6 Kg. Signal Processing Units (SPUs) were designed in Autodesk EAGLE and fabricated as Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for integration within the sensor box. An Arduino Mega 2560 serves as the data processor, converting Magnetic Field (MF) sensors readings into computer-readable voltage data. All current-based and transformed data are subsequently stored on a Secure Digital (SD) card and visualized as current-time curves using MATLAB. Under experimental conditions, with harmonic injections at 150 Hz and 250 Hz and total harmonic distortion of up to 20 %, the system achieved an accuracy of 98.3 % during a 1-h test. It demonstrated the capability for continuous second-wise measurement for up to 6 h, handling currents up to 6 kA. Results were assessed through a thorough graphical data evaluation, and a financial analysis of the entire presented solution is included in the manuscript. The conclusions and proposed future work indicate the promising potential of the presented measurement solution.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025013611Innovative sensorsSmart gridsDronesNon-invasiveRemote monitoringData saving
spellingShingle Khaled Osmani
Lachlan Jones
Detlef Schulz
An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
Heliyon
Innovative sensors
Smart grids
Drones
Non-invasive
Remote monitoring
Data saving
title An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
title_full An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
title_fullStr An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
title_full_unstemmed An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
title_short An innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
title_sort innovative contactless current sensor for smart grids applications
topic Innovative sensors
Smart grids
Drones
Non-invasive
Remote monitoring
Data saving
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025013611
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