Optimised calibration programmes for comparators for instrument transformers

Abstract

Traditionally, instrument transformers are calibrated using bridges. By definition, bridges use the null method of measurement. The traditional calibration programme for instrument transformer bridges characterise namely this null measurement. Many new commercial comparators for instrument transformer use a very different method. They sample the secondary signals of reference and device under test (dut) transformer independently. Based on the samples, magnitude and phase of both signals are determined. Ratio error and phase displacement are calculated. Consequently, the significance of their calibration using the traditional calibration programme is limited. Moreover, the operating range of modern comparators is much larger than that of bridges. The additional versatility cannot be used without an adapted calibration programme. This article analyses the calibration programmes for both technologies. An experimental study confirms both the suitability of the new calibration programme and the need to chose the calibration programme depending on the technology of the device to be calibrated. The conclusion is very general and applies to all measurement problems where an operating principle is replaced by another – when changing the operating principle, it is important to check the calibration programme and adapt it if necessary.

Sampling Primary Power Standard from DC up to 9 kHz Using Commercial Off-The-Shelf Components

“…If the comparator is a traditional bridge, it is calibrated using an error generator [33]. If the comparator is not a traditional bridge, but a sampling-based system, the calibrator can be similar to the system discussed above [34].…”