Permanent autonomous power supply for monitoring sensors of overhead lines

Abstract

Ampacimon currently develops a new sensor intended to detect fault current, tower falls, etc. These detections should be transmitted through GSM network at all time. This thesis aims at developing an autonomous power supply of this sensor from the optimal design of the couple PV panel/Battery to the making and testing of a prototype. An Excel file has been created to check the feasibility and define the optimal design of the needed area of PV and size of the battery ensuring the power supply throughout the year. The conclusion of this study is that a capacity of 4 Ah and a PV panel area of 152.7 cm^2 is sufficient to feed the sensor in most areas of the world. The second goal of this project was the making of a prototype. This step started by the characterization and test of the different components of the circuit which are the battery, the PV panel and the power management electronics. To facilitate the different tests performed, a board simulating the consumption of the sensor was built. Finally, the test of the prototype confirmed the successful behavior of the autonomous power supply. Thus, the designed system can be integrated to the future sensor of Ampacimon.