Broadband point measurement of transient magnetic interference in substations with magnetoresistive sensors

Abstract

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) in substations can be an obstacle for the development of the Smart Grid. This challenge is particularly critical since more and more secondary systems are transferred from control rooms to switching yards in modern power systems. Thus, it is important to develop a tool that can properly characterize and evaluate the EMI level. This paper introduces a novel broadband point measurement technology for evaluating the effect of transient magnetic field (TMF) on secondary systems in substations. The received disturbance level is defined for the victim circuit and the evaluation approach is proposed. The effect of sensor size on the measurement of TMF is explained and illustrated with numerical simulation, indicating the importance of point measurement. The designed measurement system was tested and the TMF caused by charging traveling wave in a 110-kV substation was characterized. Our results show that the TMF may produce significant effect on the secondary systems in a substation, and thus it is important to have the capability to evaluate the interference level.