Development of a Wireless Sensor Network with Optical Electric Sensor for Electric Field Measurement

The area of high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line is very large, so using cable for electric field monitoring system is very inconvenient. Wireless sensor network (WSN) can solve this problem. Compared with the traditional communication network, WSN has the advantages of small volume, high flexibility, strong self-organization. So it’s more suitable for the construction of distributed electric field monitoring system which has long distance and high mobility. On the other hand, optical E-field sensors are passive devices and they have such advantages as compact structure, wide-band response and wide measuring range which mechanical sensors lack. A distributed wireless system with optical E-field sensor is designed for collecting and monitoring the electric field under HVDC transmission lines. This measurement system has been used in China’s state grid HVDC test base and power transmission projects. Based on the experimental results, this measurement system demonstrates that it can adapt to the complex electromagnetic environment under the transmission lines and can accomplish the accurate, flexible, and stable demands of the electric field measurement.