Current Sensor System Asymmetric Magnetic Field Gradient Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sensors face challenges in accurately measuring AC currents with high frequency components, as existing technologies suffer from increased effective resistance due to the skin effect, leading to measurement inaccuracies and difficulties in determining frequency content.

Innovation Solution

A current sensor system utilizing a busbar with a beam-shaped portion and strategically positioned sensor elements to measure magnetic field gradients, allowing for accurate AC current measurement across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 2000 Hz with minimal processing power and without requiring frequency compensation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If magnetic sensors are used to measure AC currents with high frequency components, then galvanic separation and compact size are achieved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to the skin effect increasing effective resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegalvanic separationVSAvoidAC current measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions the two sensor elements asymmetrically relative to the busbar - one element is positioned closer to the busbar than the other. This asymmetric positioning creates different magnetic field coupling conditions for each element, allowing the differential measurement to compensate for skin effect-induced errors while maintaining galvanic separation and compact dimensions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Measurement precision

If sensor elements are positioned closer to the busbar to improve signal strength, then measurement sensitivity increases, but the impact of skin effect on measurement accuracy worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement sensitivityVSAvoidskin effect influence
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by positioning sensor elements at specific locations with different distances from the busbar. The first sensor element is positioned at a first distance while the second sensor element is positioned at a second distance, creating localized measurement zones that exploit spatial variations in magnetic field distribution to compensate for skin effect while maintaining sensitivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If complex frequency compensation algorithms are implemented to improve AC current measurement accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and processing power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAC current measurement accuracyVSAvoidprocessing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex software-based frequency compensation algorithms with a hardware-based spatial positioning solution. By strategically positioning sensor elements at specific distances from the busbar, the system achieves frequency-compensated measurements through physical geometry rather than computational processing, thereby reducing device complexity and processing power requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system achieves improved accuracy and reduced processing requirements, enabling precise measurement of AC currents with various frequency components and waveform complexities, including harmonics, while maintaining a simple measurement process.

Implementation Method 1

each sensor element being configured for measuring a magnetic field component (Bz1, Bz2) oriented in the second direction (Z)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

the sensor device being configured for determining a difference between these magnetic field components, and for determining said AC current based on said difference

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field gradient measurement: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP4075151B1Current sensor system
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA
  • EP4075151B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(c)
  • EP4075151B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(c)
  • EP4075151B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

A current sensor system (1500; 1600) for measuring an AC electrical current, comprising: a busbar having a beam shaped portion having a length (Lc) and a width (Wp); a sensor device comprising two sensor elements (H1, H2) spaced apart (dx) from each other in the width direction (X) of the beam shaped portion. The sensor device is configured for measuring a magnetic field difference (ΔBz) or a magnetic field gradient (dBz/dx), and for determining the AC current based on said difference or gradient.