That increasing numbers of people are concerned with energy conservation and management is unquestionable. However, in real terms there remains a very long way to go before the reduction targets set by Government can be realised. Now, a British designed and manufactured product is set to develop the market for cost-effective energy metering as Martin Russell of Tyco Electronics’ Energy Division explains
Tyco Electronics Crompton Instruments has designed and manufactured an energy meter that is flexible and can be used in a broad variety of applications. That the product competes aggressively with imported goods, yet delivers superb quality combined with simple installation and programming is a remarkable testimony to a novel design and manufacturing process within the UK project team.
Many of us do not recognise that UK engineering remains held in high regard globally for its quality, reliability and innovation. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the new Integra Ci3 instrument certainly upholds this from both standpoints. Reliability is assured thanks to the use of surface mount electronics, robust microprocessors, the sourcing of high quality components and inherently rugged mechanical design.
What this means for end users is significant. While energy management and particularly energy saving are high on Government agendas, the evidence suggests that progress towards better energy control remains slow in industry and commerce. There are many reasons for this, the primary ones being lack of real knowledge about energy management; high price for initial installations; risk of system reliability (there are more things to go wrong); lack of capital incentive (despite the many examples of cost savings in energy consumption).
On the premise that one cannot manage what one cannot measure, the vital first step in any energy control is to know what is being used, where it is used and when. Only metering can provide the tangible answers, yet aside from large, sophisticated building management systems (BMS), the uptake of metering technology has been slower than would be desirable if Government is to meet its ambitious energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Hence, the availability of suitably sophisticated, reliable, yet cost-effective meters is a major catalyst to removing financial risk from new management systems and at the same time provide data that’s essential to effecting effective energy controls.
A further factor has been that most energy meters have been relatively complicated. Switchgear specialists and panel builders demand simple, flexible products that are easy to install, don’t break down, require minimal stocking and deliver added value to their end users. They also refuse to add significant cost to their products because they perceive that in doing so they diminish their own competitiveness – a vital consideration in today’s economic climate.
The need has been for a product that provides an inexpensive way to measure the broadest possible range of parameters, while being easy to program and quick to install. Crompton Instruments design team within Tyco Electronics set out to create a near universal meter that complemented its existing range of products, yet satisfied as many of the market’s requirements as possible. The challenge was to do so at the lowest possible price, highest possible quality, with exemplary reliability and full functionality.
Other facets of the market include the wide variety of potential specifiers and users of energy meters. Once the domain only of building management systems specialists, now products are used by electrical installers, energy managers, facilities managers, panel builders, switchgear manufacturers and installers, electricity generators and Distribution Network Operators and even end users themselves. The need for a
universal approach coupled with absolute simplicity is apparent. Coupled with this, where once product was generally supplied either direct from manufacturers or via specialist distributors, now mainstream electrical wholesalers increasingly look to stock at least some energy metering products. The need for a minimal stock, spares and options inventory is therefore another consideration.
Innovation by design
The design of the product started with the involvement the voice of customers and internal sales, design, product management, procurement and manufacturing teams. Apart from resulting in a holistic process to ensure design efficiency, this early consultation influenced the manufacturing methods deployed, improved and truncated the design phase and ensured a high quality, reliable product from the first production runs.
At the heart of the instrument is a completely new homogenous single board that houses all the electronics for the meter. Having just a single board processor overcomes spares and production stocking issues; potential for unreliability; and the risk of incompatibility between boards at future dates. The single board approach also ensures cost control.
The boards are fabricated using surface mount technology that is not only suited to low cost high volume production, but also results in very high reliability both in manufacturing and in the field.
Only high quality standard value components are used – the risks and costs associated with bespoke or semi-bespoke devices is eliminated, as is the need to carry discrete spares.
The central processors have been rationalised to give a common development platform for future extensions to the Crompton Instruments range of products. Even the development tools (software) are common. What this gives is almost limitless scalability and a high degree of ‘future proofing’ as both the Crompton Instruments’ product range and end user’s systems develop or grow.
Comprehensive specification
The new Ci3 meter is the first of a new generation of digital metering systems that complements the existing Crompton Instruments Integra range. All the main electrical and power quality parameters can be measured from any supplies. Twenty fundamental measurements are offered, including single and three-phase, total harmonic distortion (THD), currents, frequency, KWh, and so forth.
The Integra Ci3 is programmable to suit single-, three-phase three wire and three-phase four wire systems, while scalable current transformer ratios enable the display of any current range.
The backlit LCD display simply clicks into place during manufacturing and screens are selected by the end user using four simple buttons and an intuitive interface. Two plug in output ports allows a combination of various output modules – for example, pulsed relay and/or Modbus – to be incorporated.
The installation of the Ci3 is simplicity itself. The DIN 96 enclosure has integral retention clips to enable fast, safe and secure panel mounting in various material thicknesses without any external screws of clips. The meter gives true RMS measurement and is fully CE certificated. An IP65 protective cover is available for harsh environments.
The British energy management market is expanding, but this new inexpensive and reliable British development is set to accelerate that expansion.
For more information visit www.integraCi3.com or call 0870 870 7500