MEM-Sensors for smart grid applications

拟议的研究是在智能电网应用领域的微型传感器。 智能电网的概念涉及覆盖电网与1000的低成本传感器的网络，能够与集中监控系统进行通信。 电网的现代化有几个方面和目标，包括智能监控电力流量和电网基础设施，提高可靠性，降低成本和应急能力。 智能电网的努力有几个驱动力。 最近的天气事件（热浪、冰暴）表明，公共安全需要紧急应变能力。 停电和电力质量问题每年给北美企业造成超过1000亿美元的损失。 由于能源需求不断增长和部署新基础设施的成本不断增加，现有电网基础设施的压力越来越大。 正在增加替代能源，其中一些能源，如风能和太阳能，不具有连续输送能力。 微传感器系统提供独特的解决方案。 它们的体积小，可以集成到网格基础设施中。 它们的低功率和潜在的电力收集能力使其成为基础设施长期运行的理想选择，通常位于距离城市中心100公里的偏远地区，地形复杂。

The proposed research is in the area of micro-sensors for Smart Grid applications. The Smart Grid concept involves overlaying the electrical power grid with a network of 1000's of low cost sensors that are capable of communication with centralized monitoring systems. This modernization of the electricity network has several aspects and goals, including intelligent monitoring of power flow and grid infrastructure, increased reliability, reduced cost, and emergency resilience. The Smart Grid effort has several driving forces. Recent weather events (heat waves, ice storms) have demonstrated the public safety need for emergency resilience. Outages and power quality issues cost North American businesses more than $100 billion per year. Existing grid infrastructure is ever more stressed, due to increasing energy demand and increasing costs to deploy new infrastructure. Alternative energy sources are being added, with some sources such as wind and solar not having continuous delivery capability. Micro-sensor systems offer unique solutions. Their small size enables integration within grid infrastructure. Their low power, and potential power harvesting capability, make them ideal for long term operation within infrastructure, often located in remote locations 100's of km from urban centers in difficult terrain.