Coordinator: Paul Wright

Transducers are a vital element of the PMU/PQ measurement chain, yet little attention has been given to the distorting effect of their limited amplitude and phase frequency response on the captured waveforms that are processed by the complex PMU/PQ waveforms. 

As it is in most cases impracticable to interrupt or modify the high-voltage/medium-voltage (HV/MV) grid, PMU installations and PQ measurement campaigns in general use the installed measurement/protection inductive or capacitive VTs present in the existing grid. In some on-site measurements non-invasive (clamp-on or split) CT systems can be used to provide improved bandwidth; where this is not feasible, the installed instrument current transformers are used.  

To address the characterisation of the effect of measurement transducers, this project develops a measurement framework for PMU/PQ transducers consisting of the following elements: 

• Optimized non-invasive CTs and utilization methods to minimize errors on-site errors such as those caused by the position of the CT. 

• Facilities to characterize frequency under realistic distorted voltage conditions the same-design VT as installed in a given on-site PMU/PQ measurement site. 

• A signal processing technique to correct sampled waveforms captured by the PMU for transducer amplitude and phase errors, such that all complex waveforms within the bandwidth of the transducers can be measured without significant aberration. 

• An uncertainty analysis methodology to account for the propagation of transducer uncertainties through complex PMU and correction algorithms. 

For more information, see  the project webpage >>