Fiber optic interferometric sensor for acoustic detection of partial discharges

Macià-Sanahuja С., Lamela H., García-Souto J.A. Fiber optic interferometric sensor for acoustic detection of partial discharges (Волоконно-оптический интерферометрический датчик для акустического обнаружения микропробоя) [на англ. яз.] // Оптический журнал. 2007. Т. 74. № 2. С. 57–62.

Macià-Sanahuja С., Lamela H., García-Souto J.A. Fiber optic interferometric sensor for acoustic detection of partial discharges (Волоконно-оптический интерферометрический датчик для акустического обнаружения микропробоя) [in English] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2007. V. 74. № 2. P. 57–62.

C. Macià-Sanahuja, H. Lamela, and J. A. García-Souto, "Fiber optic interferometric sensor for acoustic detection of partial discharges," Journal of Optical Technology. 74 (2), 122-126 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1364/JOT.74.000122

The detection of acoustic partial discharge signals produced in power transformers is reported. Detection is based on optic phase changes in an intrinsic Mach-Zehnder fiber optic interferometric sensor of high sensitivity. The sensor can be placed within transformers and is suitable for the detection of weak acoustic signals associated with the PD. The calibration of the interferometric fiber optic acoustic sensor at typical frequencies displayed by partial discharges is presented. Interferometric multi-fringe outputs are used for high-precision measurements during calibration. The demodulation of such signals is presented for obtaining the optical phase readout. Partial discharges are generated in laboratory conditions and are detected using the fiber optic sensor immersed in mineral oil.

This work is co-supported by the FEDER-Comunidad de Madrid (Spain) GR/MAT/0508/2004. The authors would like to thank Spanish electric power Company Unión Fenosa S.A. The authors are collaborating with them in the framework of the FUTURE Project and the Partial Discharges Diagnosis and part of this work is also supported by them.