WHAT IS A SMART METER, WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
In general terms, meters are devices that measure the energy (electricity, gas, water, heat) consumed in the environment with a mechanical or electronic device in its design. With the development of technology, the techniques of measuring the energy used in different consumption areas have been developed at the same rate, and improvements have been achieved in speed, security and convenience levels in the fields of both ease of measurement, accuracy of measured data and transmission of data.
Smart meter products have also been developed in meter devices due to the requirements in smart grid and communication network applications arising from these developments. While mechanical meters were used until the early 2000s, electronic meters with more accurate measurement features and tariff application capability have been used since then. It is expected that mechanical meters will be completely out of use in the near future.
In mechanical meters, energy consumption data were manually read and recorded at the location by authorised persons. One of the most effective answers to the question “What is a Smart Meter?” is that with the emergence of smart meters, consumption measurement, recording and transfer have become more practical and reliable. With smart electronic meters, information that can be read remotely and collected in a single centre can be recorded and the margin of error is minimised. The basis of the studies on smart grids in our country is the Automatic Meter Reading System (AMRS) studies. After the start of OSOS activities, more advanced meters that allow remote access have started to be produced and used.
Automatic Meter Reading Systems is a name given to systems where communication is one-way and only meter data is transmitted to the central system. Advanced Meter Infrastructure, on the other hand, defines systems where communication is bi-directional, and in addition to the collection of meter data, advanced technological applications are enabled by commanding measurement systems.
In Which Areas Are Smart Meters Used?
Although smart meters are widely used especially in the field of electricity consumption, they are also widely used in hot / cold water, gas and heat energy consumption in terms of both detailed measurement techniques and data communication techniques. In electricity consumption, smart meters are not only used for single-time measurement, but also for three-time tariffs as they record measurements according to different time periods.
Monophase and three-phase types of smart electricity meters measure separately for residential and industrial sectors. These are only active power measurement types as well as reactive power measurement types called Combo type and used in the industrial sector.
These devices can provide detailed measurement data instantaneously and for a certain period of time as log records, and can be integrated into data processing applications by bidirectional communication with data centres. Likewise, gas and water meters can transmit the information they read thanks to the electronic cards on them to the data centre with remote data reading infrastructure via RF technology such as MBus, LoraWAN etc., whether they are connected to the network or remote from the network.
Which Products are Used in Smart Meters?
Along with smart grids, the studies on energy systems bring the security of smart meters back to the forefront. In order to guarantee this security, it is necessary to provide a certain standard that must be taken into account in the production of meters. Apart from the infrastructure security in data communication, disposable Primary Battery products are used in such devices both for the electronic circuit part and for the memory and display panels, independent of the grid energy.
These batteries are activated in the event of a power outage or in a location away from the grid, allowing the smart meter to transmit the data to the centre in a certain period and at the same time protect the data inside.
HDA Enerji is the leading supplier of batteries, sensors, indicators and other component products in the Smart Meter sector and has been supplying the products that our country’s leading meter manufacturers need according to their designs for more than 13 years.
You can review the Primary Battery, Sensor, Capacitor and LCD Indicator products used in Smart Meter products on our website. You can reach our expert team at the contact address for all your needs regarding the products.
Frequently Asked Questions about smart meters
What are the advantages of smart meters?
These meters have many advantages, some of which are as follows; they have advantages such as fast detection of meter errors, increased energy efficiency, ease of managing and monitoring energy consumption, and network management.
How do smart meters contribute to energy saving?
Smart meters, with the features they provide, offer users the opportunity for conscious energy consumption by showing real-time energy consumption data. In this way, energy waste is prevented.
Which regulations should smart meters comply with?
It must comply with the regulations and data confidentiality of the country or provinces where it is used.