Method and device for the measurement of electric currents in at least two measuring ranges
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsThomas Bosselmann, Hartmut Bartelt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Two Faraday elements connected via optical connection means are assigned to a conductor. The Faraday rotation of the linearly polarized measuring light that has traversed the first Faraday element only is used as the measure of a current in a first measuring range. The Faraday rotation of the linearly polarized measuring light that has traversed both Faraday elements is used as the measure of a current in a second measuring range.
Claims10
A method for measuring electric currents of at least two measuring ranges in a conductor using at least two Faraday elements assigned to the conductor, comprising the steps of:
- a) causing linearly polarized measuring light to traverse a first Faraday element and after traversing the first Faraday element splitting the light into at least two components,
- b) analyzing the Faraday rotation of the first of at least two components of the measuring light that has traversed the first Faraday element at least once as the measure of a current in a first measuring range, and
- c) analyzing the Faraday rotation of a second of at least two components of the measuring light that has traversed the first Faraday element and at least one second Faraday element at least once each as the measure of a current in a second measuring range.
An apparatus for measuring electric currents of at least two measuring ranges in a conductor comprising:
- a) at least two Faraday elements assigned to the conductor;
- b) means for injecting linearly polarized measuring light into a first Faraday element;
- c) optical connection means through which the first Faraday element is optically connected in series with a second Faraday element and which splits the measuring light into a first component and at least one other component;
- d) a first analyzer for analyzing the Faraday rotation of the polarization plane of the component of a linearly polarized measuring light that has traversed a first Faraday element at least once as the measure of a current in a first measuring range;
- and
- e) an analyzer for analyzing the Faraday rotation of the polarization plane of the other component of the measuring light, that has traversed the first Faraday element and at least one additional Faraday element at least once as the measure of a current in an additional measuring range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.