Low-Power Chemiresistive Gas Sensors for Transformer Fault Diagnosis

Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is considered to be the most convenient and effective approach for transformer fault diagnosis. Due to their excellent performance and development potential, chemiresistive gas sensors are anticipated to supersede the traditional gas chromatography analysis in the dissolved gas analysis of transformers. However, their high operating temperature and high power consumption restrict their deployment in battery-powered devices. This review examines the underlying principles of chemiresistive gas sensors. It comprehensively summarizes recent advances in low-power gas sensors for the detection of dissolved fault characteristic gases (H₂, C₂H₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, C₂H₄, CO, and CO₂). Emphasis is placed on the synthesis methods of sensitive materials and their properties. The investigations have yielded substantial experimental data, indicating that adjusting the particle size and morphology structure of the sensitive materials and combining them with noble metal doping are the principal methods for enhancing the sensitivity performance and reducing the power consumption of chemiresistive gas sensors. Additionally, strategies to overcome the significant challenge of cross-sensitivity encountered in applications are provided. Finally, the future development direction of chemiresistive gas sensors for DGA is envisioned, offering guidance for developing and applying novel gas-sensitive sensors in transformer fault diagnosis.