Skip to main content

Metering of Electric Power and Energy

Understanding the Basics of Power Metering

Metering electric power and energy is crucial for accurately measuring consumption, billing, and managing energy usage. Traditionally, electromechanical meters have been used for this purpose. These meters operate based on the interaction between magnetic fields and a rotating disk, with the number of rotations corresponding to the energy consumed. While reliable, electromechanical meters are being phased out in favor of more advanced electronic meters.

Blondel’s Theorem and Its Importance

Blondel’s Theorem is a foundational principle in metering, especially in polyphase circuits. It states that the number of meters required equals the number of current-carrying conductors minus one. This ensures accurate power measurement by accounting for all conductors in the system.

The Shift to Electronic Meters

Electronic meters offer numerous advantages over their electromechanical counterparts. They can measure multiple parameters, provide remote reading capabilities, and deliver higher accuracy. Types of electronic meters include multifunction meters, voltage ranging meters, and site diagnostic meters, each serving specific monitoring needs.

Specialized Metering Techniques

Special metering methods, such as demand metering, time-of-use metering, and interval data metering, cater to unique requirements like measuring peak demand or assessing usage patterns. These methods enhance power monitoring and management, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.

Role of Instrument Transformers

Instrument transformers, such as potential transformers and current transformers, are essential for metering high voltages and currents. They scale these values to measurable levels, ensuring safety and accuracy in power monitoring.

Key Terms in Power Metering

Understanding terms like kilowatt-hour (kWh), watt (W), and demand is essential for comprehending metering and energy utilization. These terms form the basis of how energy consumption is quantified and billed.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CORONA

Corona has many advantages and disadvantages. In the correct design of a high voltage overhead line, a balance should be struck between the advantages and disadvantages. ADVANTAGES (i) Due to corona formation, the air surrounding the conductor becomes conducting and hence virtual diameter of the conductor is increased. The increased diameter reduces the electrostatic stresses between the conductors. (ii) Corona reduces the effects of transients produced by surges. DIS-ADVANTAGES (i) Corona is accompanied by a loss of energy. This affects the transmission efficiency of the line. (ii) Ozone is produced by corona and may cause corrosion of the conductor due to chemical action. (iii) The current drawn by the line due to corona is non-sinusoidal and hence non-sinusoidal voltage drop occurs in the line. This may cause inductive interference with neighboring communication lines.

ADVANTAGES OF PER UNIT SYSTEM

PER UNIT SYSTEM The per-unit system expressed the voltages, currents, powers, impedances, and other electrical quantities basis by the equation: Quantity per unit (pu) = Actual value/ Base value of quantity ADVANTAGES OF PER UNIT SYSTEM While performing calculations, referring quantities from one side of the transformer to the other side serious errors may be committed. This can be avoided by using per unit system. Voltages, currents and impedances expressed in per unit do not change when they are referred from one side of transformer to the other side. This is a great advantage. Per unit impedances of electrical equipment of similar type usually lie within a narrow range, when the equipment ratings are used as base values. Transformer connections do not affect the per unit values. Manufacturers usually specify the impedances of machines and transformers in per unit or percent of name plate ratings. Transformers can be replaced by their equivalent series impedances. ...

ABSOLUTE AND SECONDARY INSTRUMENTS

The various electrical instruments may, in a very broad sense, be divided into (i) Absolute Instruments (ii) Secondary Instruments. Absolute Instruments are those which give the value of the quantity to be measured, in terms of the constants of the instrument and their deflection only. No previous calibration or comparison is necessary in their case. The example of such an instrument is tangent galvanometer, which gives the value of current, in terms of the tangent of deflection produced by the current, the radius and number of turns of wire used and the horizontal component of earth’s field.  Secondary Instruments  are those, in which the value of electrical quantity to be measured can be determined from the deflection of the instruments, only when they have been pre-calibrated by comparison with an absolute instrument. Without calibration, the deflection of such instruments is meaningless. It is the secondary instruments, which are most generally used in ev...