Optical fiber sensor-based detection of partial discharges in power transformers

In this paper, a fiber optic acoustic sensor system is designed and tested for on-line detection of the partial discharges inside high voltage power t ransformers. The fiber optic sensor uses a silica diaphragm and a single mo de optical fiber encapsulated in a silica glass tube to form an extrinsic F abry-Perot interferometer. Test results indicate that the developed fiber o ptic sensors are capable of detecting the acoustic signals propagating insi de the transformer oil with high resolution and high frequency. (C) 2001 El sevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.