High‐Performance Self‐Powered Sensing System for Power Grid Applications

The deployment of wireless sensor networks in power grids is essential for real‐time monitoring of overhead transmission lines, enhancing system safety and reliability. However, the limited energy capacity of chemical batteries restricts their large‐scale application. Although current transformers (CTs) can harvest magnetic energy from transmission lines, their use is constrained by insufficient output power, magnetic core saturation, current fluctuations, and small‐current dead zones. Converting cable vibration energy into electricity offers a promising alternative, yet existing micro‐generators often suffer from large size, low output, and poor integration. This study presents a lateral swing electromagnetic generator (LS‐EMG) with a compact volume of 24.32 cm3, delivering a maximum output power of 2.28 mW at 9 Hz and 2 kΩ load, achieving a power density of 93.75 µW/cm3, nearly twice that of existing devices. Based on this generator, a self‐powered wireless sensor system was developed for smart grid applications. With a low‐power, high‐efficiency energy management circuit, the system can monitor ambient temperature and humidity of overhead cables on a second‐scale cycle and transmit data via Bluetooth. This work offers an effective strategy for integrating self‐powered wireless sensors into smart grid systems.