A MEMS Sensor for Gas Detection in High Voltage Oil Filled Equipment

This paper addresses protection of oil insulated power equipment, e.g. transformers, using a MEMS sensor system to augment or replace existing protection techniques. Traditional technologies used for protection and analysis involve pressure and temperature sensing, gas chromatography and/or a Buchholz relay. A MEMS sensor is described to augment or replace such sensors. The proposed device is immersed within the insulating fluid, e.g. oil, and primarily consists of multiple micro scale turbines centrally shafted to a MEMS generator. The device utilizes relative differences in velocity, pressure and flow rate, of gas emanating from stressed or degrading insulation. A differential electrical output is produced which can be RF or photon coupled to a user interface.