Energy Metering IC Provides High Accuracy Harmonic Analysis for Advanced Power Quality Monitoring

The new device is the first to use ADI’s proprietary ARTM (adaptive real-time monitoring) harmonic analysis technology, which eliminates the need for custom development of sophisticated digital signal processing and reduces the demands on the system microcontroller.

“The presence of harmonics is a growing concern for energy systems worldwide as excessive harmonic currents can cause overheating of power transformers and false tripping of protective relays,” said Ronn Kliger, Energy Group director, Analog Devices. “Harmonic pollution is growing as grid-connected loads and sources increasingly rely on power electronics that generate or consume harmonic power. The ADE7880 enables smart grid systems to accurately monitor harmonic pollution so that corrective action, when necessary, can be taken by utilities and their customers.”

ADD Grup, a leading manufacturer specialising in smart meters, recently selected the ADE7880 energy metering IC to enable its new three-phase industrial meter. “Our high-end industrial meter required harmonic analysis along with traditional energy metering and power quality features,” said Vladimir Culiuc, head of the Electric Meter Design Department, ADD Grup. “We chose the ADE7880 energy metering IC to build our design because it saved us considerable software development and validation time, which made it possible to meet an aggressive time to market schedule.”

The importance of power quality monitoring continues to grow as millions of smart meters are deployed worldwide. According to Pike Research, more than 250 million smart meters will be installed worldwide by 2015. A smart meter accurately measures how much electricity is consumed or generated, and communicates with the local utility for power monitoring, billing, and other purposes. The combination of communications and power quality analysis enable smart meters to become distributed monitoring devices, creating an important diagnostic tool and extending the meter’s value as a deployed fixed asset for the electric utility.

ADE7880 Energy Metering IC Key Features
• Pin compatible with the popular ADE78xx high-accuracy energy metering IC devices designed
for three-phase configurations.

• ARTM automatically tracks changes in the fundamental frequency, which eliminates any effects
of frequency drift on accuracy of the measurements.

• For each harmonic, computes the voltage and current rms, power factor, and active, reactive and
apparent powers.

• Computes THD+N (total harmonic distortion plus noise) ratio as well as harmonic distortion as a
ratio of the fundamental.

• Delivers active and reactive energy accuracy better than 0.2% over a dynamic range of 5000:1.
Accuracy better than 0.1% is achieved over a dynamic range of 1000:1 with gain calibration only.

• Incorporates seven sigma-delta ADCs (analog-to-digital converters), a digital integrator, voltage
reference and all metrology signal processing. Suitable for class 0.2 meters.

The EVAL-ADE7880EBZE evaluation board for the ADE7880 is also now available and priced at $390.00.