How Rogowski Coils Work
How Rogowski Coils Work
A Rogowski coil is an 'air-cored' toroidal coil placed round the conductor. The alternating magnetic field produced by the current
induces a voltage in the coil which is proportional to the rate of change of current.
The direct output from the coil is given by Vout=M dI/dt Where M is the mutual inductance of the coil and dI/dt is the rate of change of
current. To complete the transducer the voltage is integrated electronically so that the output from the integrator is a voltage that accurately
reproduces the current waveform.
Linearity:
One of the most important properties of a Rogowski coil measuring system is that it is inherently linear. The coil contains no saturable
components and the output increases linearly in proportion to current right up to the operating limit determined by voltage breakdown. The
integrator is also inherently linear up to the point where the electronics saturates. Linearity makes Rogowski coils easy to calibrate because a
transducer can be calibrated at any convenient current level and the calibration will be accurate for all currents including very large ones.
Also, because of their linearity, the transducers have a very wide dynamic range and an excellent transient response.
Split Coils:
Some designs of coil can be fitted on the conductor without the need to disconnect the conductor. Most flexible coils can be fitted this way
and it is also possible to build split rigid coils. Split iron-cored devices such as current transformers are subject to appreciable amplitude and
phase errors if the halves are misaligned by even a small amount. Rogowski coils do not have this problem. Misalignment of the joining faces
of a split Rogowski coil has only a small effect on the amplitude and no effect on the phase.