Iron-free wireless phasor measurement sensor for power grids
This technology is a wireless phasor measurement unit (PMU) that monitors the health and stability of electrical power grids in real time. It uses an air-core coil — essentially a simple loop of wire with no iron core — to sense the magnetic field around a power line and measure voltage and current characteristics without physically touching the conductor. The air-core design eliminates the measurement distortions caused by magnetic saturation in traditional iron-core sensors, allowing the device to achieve accuracy comparable to far more expensive conventional PMUs. The processed measurements are converted to digital phasor data, which grid operators use to detect faults, manage load balancing, and prevent cascading outages.
What you could build
A lower-cost, clamp-on or clip-on wireless PMU sensor that utilities and grid operators can deploy across distribution networks without expensive current transformer installations; target buyers are electric utilities, independent system operators, and smart grid integrators.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia's large electric utility presence — Dominion Energy — and proximity to federal grid reliability oversight bodies (NERC, FERC) make this relevant to utility technology procurement and grid modernization programs.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Guorui ZHANG, Yilu Liu, Yingchen Zhang
- Granted
- May 7, 2013
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8437969
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.