Components of Smart Meter
The main components of a smart meter and their functions are explained below
Power Supply Unit − It is the main component of a smart energy meter. Its primary function is to
convert the input power supply into a low value suitable for the internal electronic parts of the
meter. It provides power to all other components of the smart meter to function.
Voltage Sensor − It is provided in the smart meter to measure the system voltage.
Current Sensor − It is provided to measure the amount of current flowing in the load circuit.
Energy Metering IC − This component uses voltage and current sensors data to calculate energy
consumption and record this data for reporting and billing purposes.
EPROM − It stands for Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. It is used to store permanent
data related to smart meters configuration settings.
Battery − It is provided in smart meters to keep powering up the internal critical components like
real-time clock, memory, etc. during power outages.
Real-Time Clock (RTC) − It is provided to keep the current time and date up to date which is
essential for accurate timestamping of energy consumption.
Microcontroller − It acts as a central processing unit in the smart meter. It processes data received
from sensors, controls and manage operations of all other components of the meter.
LCD Display − It is provided to create an interface between human and machine. It shows energy
readings and other information to the consumer.
RESET − This component is provided in smart meter to reset its microcontroller and other
components to their initial state in case when their any operational issues in the meter.
Communication Unit − This component of the smart meter is responsible for exchanging data
between smart meter and utility companys control center. This component enables features like
two-way communication and remote meter reading.
All these components together construct a smart energy meter.
How Does a Smart Meter Work?
The smart meter consists of a metering device inside it which accurately measures the energy
consumption by using digital technologies. Here is the step-by-step working of a smart meter −
The voltage and current sensors of the smart meter measure the voltage and current values in the circuit.
These values are then multiplied by using a digital IC to calculate the power consumption in watts.
The power consumption is integrated over a certain period of time to calculate the total energy
consumption in kilowatt-hours.
