A Novel Current Sensor for Home Energy Use Monitoring

Abstract

This paper presents a novel magnetic sensor array based technique for measuring currents in a group of enclosed conductors. It is designed specifically for monitoring the real-time power consumptions of North American homes. The technique consists of three key components: magnetic field sensors deployed in close proximity of the power conductors to be measured; algorithms to compute the conductor currents based on the magnetic fields measured; a simple, integrated sensor calibration and communication scheme. Prototype devices have been developed based on the technique. Extensive lab and field tests have demonstrated that the technique can provide adequate current measurements for residential homes. Combining with the non-intrusive load monitoring methods, the proposed measurement technique represents an attractive platform to create a complete home energy use tracking system.