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RFID Sensing Basics

An RFID sensing system includes a passive RFID sensor, a reader capable of collecting temperature from the sensor and its antenna. The reader’s antenna constantly sends radio frequencies signal to the sensor. On one hand, the radio frequency transmits energy to activate the sensor. While simultaneously transmitting a command including the sensor’s ID, telling it to measure the temperature. After activation, the sensor sends the current temperature back to the reader. The whole process is a digital transmission with CRC code under RFID’s ISO Protocol, making it stable and reliant.

rfid temperature monitor principle diagram orig

A major advantage of RFID technology is its passive operating mode. The sensors no longer need batteries, it features a wireless power supply, wireless data transmission, long lifespan and is maintenance-free. This make it very suitable for smart grid enviorment where high voltages or high currents exists.

PQSense sensors are powered by Magnus-3 sensor IC from Axzon (https://axzon.com/), its ultra-low power sensing and self-tuning technology makes it the best RFID sensor chip in the world.

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Switchgear Temperature Monitoring

The modern society relies on electric power systems more than ever. Therefore, electric power facilities will be needing not only more, but accurate online monitoring systems and diagnosis technology in order to support itself to operate steadily and continuously. However, the high voltage, high current environment around these facilities makes it difficult for many industrial monitoring technology to be applicable. To be more precise, below are some of the requirements for electric power online monitoring:

Wireless Transmission:

Monitor equipment needs to be safely installed at a high voltage point, and can wireless transmit its monitor data to a reader outside the high voltage environment.

Passive Sensing:

Due to difficulties for facilities to perform outage maintenance, the monitor equipment needs to find a power source capable of continuous operating without a battery.

Maintenance-free:

Generally, electric facilities’ average life span is about 20~30 years. Therefore, the monitor equipment should be close to the same life span in order to fulfill the need of maintenance.

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As the Internet of Things advances, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) sensing technology is quickly entering all areas of application. The passive, wireless feature of the RFID technology is a perfect match for electric power facilities’ online monitoring need. As RFID’s multi-sensing platform technology advances, RFID applications in the field of electric power facilities’ online monitoring will also advance greatly.

RFID and Surface Acoustic Wave(SAW) Comparisons

SAW TechnologyRFID Technology
Analog communication, prone to interference.High Reliability Digital Communication
Limited sensor sizeWide range of sensor size
Max. 12 sensorsEach sensor has unique address
Surrounding Sensitive, hard to commissionPlug and play installation
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