Sensor with a light guide connection
View Patent ↗A system for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor ( 10 ), where the system includes a first component ( 1 ), which has the electrical conductor ( 10 ), and a second component ( 2 ), which is separate from the first component ( 1 ) and has an evaluation device ( 23 ), and a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) and a connection line ( 4 ). The connection line ( 4 ) is a light guide. The sensor element ( 3 ) is non-releasably connected to the first end of the connection line ( 4 ) and/or to the first component ( 1 ). In the operating state, the two components 1 (, 2 ) are DC-isolated from one another and are releasably connected to one another by means of the connection line ( 4 ) by way of a light-guiding connection, where the power supply to the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) by the second component ( 2 ) and/or transmission of sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) to the evaluation device ( 23 ) is ensured by the light-guiding connection.
1 . A system for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor ( 10 ), the system comprising:
a first component ( 1 ), which has the electrical conductor ( 10 );
a second component ( 2 ), which is separate from the first component and comprises an evaluation device ( 23 );
a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ); and
a connection line ( 4 ), and
wherein, in an operating state, the sensor element ( 3 ) is fixed in a positionally fixed manner to the first component ( 1 ) in a determined operating position, the operating position being determined relative to the electrical conductor ( 10 ), and is connected to the second component ( 2 ) by the connection line ( 4 ) in that the connection line ( 4 ) is connected with a first end to the sensor element ( 3 ) and with a second end to the second component ( 2 ),
wherein the connection line ( 4 ) is a light guide wherein in the operating state, the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) are galvanically isolated from one another and are releasably connected to one another by the connection line ( 4 ) by way of a light-guiding connection, wherein a power supply to the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) by the second component ( 2 ) and/or a transmission of sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) to the evaluation device ( 23 ) is ensured by the light-guiding connection, wherein the sensor element ( 3 ) comprises a material which has different energy levels for its electrons, at least one of the energy levels being variable in a presence of a magnetic field, the second component ( 2 ) comprising a light source ( 21 ) and a light sensor ( 22 ), wherein the material is configured to be excited, in the operating state, to emit fluorescent radiation with a second wavelength-dependent intensity profile excited solely by a light beam which is generated starting from the light source ( 21 ) of the second component ( 2 ) and is transmitted to the sensor element ( 3 ) via the connection line ( 4 ) and which has a first wavelength-dependent intensity profile, the fluorescent radiation with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile in the operating state being transmittable to the second component ( 2 ) via the connection line ( 4 ), the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being dependent on the magnetic field while the first wavelength-dependent intensity profile remains constant,
wherein the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile of the fluorescent radiation being resolved by the light sensor ( 22 ), wherein a-diamond crystal having a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers is used as the material of the sensor element.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein either the connection line ( 4 ) is non-releasably connected to a connecting device of the second component ( 2 ) or the connection line ( 4 ) is releasably connected to the connecting device of the second component ( 2 ) in the operating state by means of interacting mechanical interfaces ( 24 , 25 , 41 , 42 ) provided at its second end and on the second component ( 2 ).
3 . The system according to claim 1 , where the sensor element ( 3 ) is integrated in the first component ( 1 ) in a positionally fixed manner relative to the conductor ( 10 ).
4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor element ( 3 ) is releasably fixed in the determined operating position on the first component ( 1 ) by interacting mechanical interfaces ( 24 , 25 , 41 , 42 ) of the sensor element ( 3 ) and the first component ( 1 ) in the operating state.
5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the connection line ( 4 ) is connected to the sensor element ( 3 ) in a determined connecting position in the operating state, the connection line ( 4 ) is releasably connected to the first component ( 1 ) in the operating state.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the connection line ( 4 ) is connected to the sensor element ( 3 ) in a determined connecting position in the operating state, the connection line ( 4 ) being non-releasably connected to the first component ( 1 ) in the operating state.
7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the connection line ( 4 ) is non-releasably connected to the first component ( 1 ) or to the second component ( 2 ).
8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein, in the operating state, the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) are connected to one another exclusively via the sensor element ( 3 ) and the connection line ( 4 ) and the transmission of sensor data takes place exclusively optically via the connection line ( 4 ).
9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first component ( 1 ) and the second component ( 2 ) have mechanical connecting devices corresponding to one another, via which the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) can be connected to one another in order to establish the operating state and which unambiguously define a relative position of a section of the first component ( 1 ) with respect to a section of the second component ( 2 ) with respect to one another in the operating state.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 50 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 50 mA and 1.5 kA.
11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first component ( 1 ) and the second component ( 2 ) have mechanical connecting devices corresponding to one another, via which the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) can be connected to one another in order to establish the operating state and which unambiguously define a relative position of a section of the first component ( 1 ) with respect to a section of the second component ( 2 ) with respect to one another in the operating state, wherein in the operating state, the first end of the connection line ( 4 ) is directly in contact with an optical connection of the sensor element ( 3 ) and the second end of the connection line ( 4 ) is directly in contact with an optical connection of the second component ( 2 ).
12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 50 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 100 mA and 1 kA.
13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 10 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 100 mA and 1 kA.
14 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 5 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 100 mA and 1 kA.
15 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 10 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 50 mA and 1.5 kA.
16 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is designed to output a value for the current flowing through the conductor ( 10 ) with a resolution of at least 5 mA when the current is conducted through the conductor ( 10 ) in an ampere range between 50 mA and 1.5 kA.
17 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second component ( 2 ) receives the light with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile as sensor data from the sensor element ( 3 ) and processes it for outputting a value for the current intensity flow through the electrical conductor.
18 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the light beam is a light pulse.
19 . A method for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor ( 10 ), the electrical conductor ( 10 ) being integrated in a first component ( 1 ), wherein a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) is fixed in position relative to the electrical conductor ( 10 ) and is connected via a connection line ( 4 ) to a second component ( 2 ) in which an evaluation device ( 23 ) is integrated, and is read out by the evaluation device ( 23 ), wherein a light guide is used as the connection line ( 4 ), the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) are releasably connected to one another via the connection line ( 4 ) and a galvanic isolation existing between the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) is maintained and a light-guiding connection being provided between the second component ( 2 ) and the sensor element, the light-guiding connection supplying the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) with energy from the second component ( 2 ) and/or transmitting sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) to the evaluation device ( 23 ), wherein the sensor element ( 3 ) comprises a material which has different energy levels for its electrons, at least one of the energy levels being variable in a presence of a magnetic field, wherein a light beam which has a first wavelength-dependent intensity profile is generated with a light source ( 21 ) of the second component and the light beam is transmitted via the connection line ( 4 ) to the sensor element ( 3 ) and the material of the sensor element ( 3 ) is excited only by the light beam to emit fluorescent radiation with a second wavelength-dependent intensity profile, the fluorescent radiation with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being transmitted via the connection line ( 4 ) to the second component ( 2 ), the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being dependent on the magnetic field while the first wavelength-dependent intensity profile remains constant,
wherein the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile of the fluorescent radiation is resolved by a light sensor ( 22 ) and a diamond crystal having a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers is used as a material of the sensor element.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the second component ( 2 ) receives the light with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile as sensor data from the sensor element ( 3 ) and processes it for outputting a value for the current intensity flow through the electrical conductor.
21 . A system for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor ( 10 ), the system consisting of:
a first component ( 1 ), which has the electrical conductor ( 10 );
a second component ( 2 ), which is separate from the first component and includes an evaluation device ( 23 ), the second component ( 2 ) comprising a light source ( 21 ) and a light sensor ( 22 );
a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ), the sensor element ( 3 ) includes a material which has different energy levels for its electrons, at least one of the energy levels being variable in a presence of a magnetic field, the material includes a diamond crystal having a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers; and
a connection line ( 4 ), the connection line ( 4 ) is a light guide, and
wherein, in an operating state, the sensor element ( 3 ) is fixed in a positionally fixed manner to the first component ( 1 ) in a determined operating position, the operating position being determined relative to the electrical conductor ( 10 ), and the sensor element ( 3 ) is connected to the second component ( 2 ) by the connection line ( 4 ),
wherein, in the operating state, the first and second components ( 1 , 2 ) are galvanically isolated from one another and are releasably connected to one another by the connection line ( 4 ) by way of a light-guiding connection, wherein a power supply to the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) by the second component ( 2 ) and/or a transmission of sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element ( 3 ) to the evaluation device ( 23 ) is ensured by the light-guiding connection,
wherein the material is configured to be excited, in the operating state, to emit fluorescent radiation with a second wavelength-dependent intensity profile based solely on a light beam which is generated starting from the light source ( 21 ) of the second component ( 2 ) and is transmitted to the sensor element ( 3 ) via the connection line ( 4 ) and which has a first wavelength-dependent intensity profile, the fluorescent radiation with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile in the operating state being transmittable to the second component ( 2 ) via the connection line ( 4 ), the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being dependent on the magnetic field while the first wavelength-dependent intensity profile remains constant,
wherein the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile of the fluorescent radiation being resolved by the light sensor ( 22 ), and
whereby the second component ( 2 ) is designed to receive the light with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile as sensor data from the sensor element ( 3 ) and is designed to process it for outputting a value for the current intensity flow through the electrical conductor ( 10 ).