Diagnostic methods of measuring megavolt voltages and megaampere currents

The development of high power and high energy density electrophysical installations requires the use of contactless methods of recording their parameters. Optical methods of data transfer allows one to avoid the galvanic connection between the recording equipment and the measuring object. The use of fiber optics allows one to place the recording equipment far from the object of measurements. This helps to avoid electromagnetic interference and other noises that usually occur in operating time of the high-power machines. The principle of activity of magnetooptic and electrooptic sensors is based on the Faraday and Pockels effects. Faraday and Pockels effects are based on induced birefringence phenomenon appearing in transparent media affected by external magnetic or electric fields. The angle of rotation of the polarization plane depends linearly on magnitude of field. That means optical schemes for measuring magnetic and electric fields are identical. A parallel light beam from a monochromatic light source is directed to the magnetooptic or electrooptic sensor. The sensor consists of Faraday and Pockel cells, polarizer, analyzer and adjusting units. This light radiation with modulated intensity goes along the optical path to the photoreceiver, the signal from which is recorded by the proper device.