Fully Printed and Scalable Current and Voltage Sensors for Smart Grid Transmission Line Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Smart grids require real-time electrical signal monitoring for stable power transmission.
• Existing sensors often lack the stability, mass manufacturing capabilities, or lightweight properties needed for smart grid applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, lightweight, and highly stable current and voltage sensor using fully printed technology for transmission line monitoring.
• To demonstrate a scalable fabrication method for these sensors.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D induction coil for the current sensor using screen printing and inkjet printing on a polyimide substrate.
• Screen printing of silver electrodes on a polyimide film for the voltage sensor.
• Characterization of sensor sensitivity, linearity, and long-term stability.

Main Results:

• The current sensor achieved a sensitivity of 0.00823 mV/A and linearity of 0.999 within 0-60 A.
• The voltage sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.00369 μA/V and linearity of 0.999 within 0-1200 V, with stable output over 24 hours.
• The integrated sensor is compact (1.5 cm × 2 cm), lightweight (1.8 g), and cost-effective (approx. USD 0.462).

Conclusions:

• The fully printed current and voltage sensor offers a promising solution for smart grid monitoring due to its low cost, lightweight design, high stability, and excellent linearity.
• This fabrication method is scalable and suitable for mass production, providing a new approach for electrical signal monitoring in transmission lines.