Traction Network Wire Current Detection Based on Ring-Shaped TMR Array

Ensuring safe operation of electrified railways is critical, and one challenge is detecting the current in railway traction network cables to prevent them from burning down due to excessive current. This article analyzes the working principle of the ring-shaped tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) array current sensor. To detect the current in the traction network load-bearing cable without interrupting or dismantling the transmission line, an open-close structure is adopted in the sensor design. Finite element simulation and experimental tests verify the rationality of the proposed scheme, showing that the current detection error is within 0.5%.