MEM-Sensors for smart grid applications

拟议的研究是在智能电网应用的微型传感器领域。智能电网的概念包括在电网上覆盖一个由1000英寸S组成的低成本传感器网络，这些传感器能够与中央监控系统进行通信。这种电网现代化有几个方面和目标，包括对潮流和电网基础设施的智能监测、提高可靠性、降低成本和应急恢复能力。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的损失超过1000亿美元。由于不断增加的能源需求和不断增加的部署新基础设施的成本，现有的电网基础设施面临着前所未有的压力。替代能源正在增加，风能和太阳能等一些能源不具备持续输送能力。微型传感器系统提供了独特的解决方案。它们的体积很小，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内长期运行的理想之选，通常位于距离市中心100‘S公里的偏远地区，地势复杂。 本研究计划致力于开发适用于智能电网的微型传感器。重点领域将包括直流电场测量、远程电压测量和变压器状态监测的传感器。由于标准的MEMS/IC封装不适用，传感器封装技术将得到发展。遗传算法将被用来加速MEMS的设计过程，并开发其应用技术。将探索一些概念，以在通常可用的MEMS制造服务的设计规则限制下实现自动化设计。

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. This research proposal is focused on developing micro-sensors for Smart Grid applications. Areas of focus will include sensors for dc electric field measurement, remote voltage measurement, and transformer condition monitoring. Sensor packaging technology will be developed, as standard MEMS/IC packaging is not suitable. Genetic algorithms will be utilized to accelerate the MEMS design process, and techniques for their application developed. Concepts will be explored to enable automated design within design rule restrictions of commonly available MEMS fabrication services.