What is the difference between electronic electricity meter and mechanical energy meter
Why will electronic energy meters replace mechanical energy meters?
Let’s explain their differences in detail:
1. The structure and working principle of electronic energy meters and mechanical energy meters:
The structure of the mechanical electric energy meter is relatively simple, and it mainly drives mechanical components through electromagnetic force for measurement. It is based on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. When a conductor cuts magnetic lines of force in a magnetic field, an electromotive force is generated in the conductor, driving the movement of mechanical parts to achieve the measurement of electrical energy.
The structure of the electronic energy meter is relatively complex, including sampling module, power module, display module, metering module, communication module, control module and MCU processing module. The electronic energy meter is measured through electronic circuits. The current sampling element is made of highly stable materials such as manganese copper, and high-quality circuits are used as calculation and processing components.
2. Performance of electronic electric energy meter and mechanical electric energy meter
1. Accuracy level: Electronic electric energy meters use digital signal processing technology to achieve higher measurement accuracy and can reach 0.5 or even 0.2 level accuracy. Mechanical electric energy meters are limited by mechanical structure and materials, and their accuracy is low, generally level 1.0 or 2.0.
2. Stability: The electronic energy meter uses electronic components and is not affected by environmental factors such as moisture and vibration, and has good stability. The mechanical components of mechanical energy meters are susceptible to wear and aging due to external interference, and their stability is poor.
3. Anti-interference ability: The electronic energy meter adopts digital processing technology and has strong anti-interference ability, and can effectively resist interference signals such as electromagnetic interference and capacitive interference. On the other hand, mechanical energy meters are relatively sensitive to these interference signals.
4. Lifespan: Electronic energy meters adopt electronic components and advanced manufacturing technology, and have a long lifespan. They can generally be used for more than 10 years. The mechanical parts of mechanical electric energy meters are prone to wear and aging, and their service life is short, about 5 years.
3. Functions of electronic energy meters and mechanical energy meters
1. Measurement: Electronic energy meters can measure a lot of electricity data, including current, voltage, active/reactive power, power factor, active/reactive electricity, demand, frozen electricity, rate electricity, harmonics, etc. Mechanical energy meters can only measure electricity.
2. Display mode: Electronic electric meter display mode, counter, LCD, dot matrix LCD, touch LCD. The LCD screen can be equipped with a backlight to facilitate viewing data at night. Mechanical energy meters basically use counters.
3. Application functions: Electronic energy meters have multiple functions, such as anti-theft, prepayment, multiple rates, event alarms, event records, load curves, load control, remote communications, firmware upgrades, self-diagnosis, etc. Mechanical energy meters only have the function of measuring electrical energy. of versatility.
Compared with mechanical energy meters, electronic energy meters have higher accuracy and stability, more functions, are suitable for various application scenarios, and meet the needs of smart grid development. Mechanical energy meters have a simple structure and low price, and are suitable for scenarios where accuracy is not high. As the power market has increasingly higher requirements for measurement accuracy, digitalization and refined management require data transmission and interaction, and the smooth and orderly operation of smart grids requires the control and management of user terminals. Mechanical energy meters with a single function of measuring energy can no longer meet the requirements. Requirements, it is an inevitable trend to be replaced by electronic energy meters.
