An energy harvester for intelligent line monitoring applications

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SiliconPro is developing an Intelligent (Power) Line Monitoring Systems (ILMS) for the electric power grid. By overlaying small sensors on the cables in transmission lines and distribution grids, each sensing device will measure the power quality and other information in a section of a grid and communicate this information to the power utility control center via wireless transmission through neighboring devices. The sensors are clamped around the conductor in a distribution system or a transmission line and need to harvest all the necessary energy to power the electronic components in the sensor device from the power line itself, without any batteries. The project focuses on the development of the requisite power harvesting equipment, which is comprised of a magnetic circuit for extracting energy from the magnetic field around the cable, and a power electronic power supply that produces a regulated voltage output as needed to drive the sensor electronics. Energy is extracted from the magnetic field around the power line, which is proportional to the ac current flowing in the line and may vary widely with loading conditions on the power line. It is required for the power supply to be able to accommodate this wide range of input magnetic energy while providing a constant regulated output voltage for the sensor electronics.