Date: 25/10/2012

IDT releases poly-phase metering IC for smart grid applications

Integrated Device Technology, Inc. has announced poly-phase metering IC with piecewise non-linear compensation technology for improved accuracy. The new device is positioned to gain additional market share with Chinese and European electric utilities in smart grid applications.

The IDT 90E32AS is an enhanced poly-phase metering IC built upon the platform of IDT’s previously announced 90E32 series. In addition to featuring a broad dynamic range (5000:1) and low temperature coefficient (6 ppm/°C), the new device includes piecewise non-linear compensation technology, which allows customers to gain near-perfect metering accuracy with external sensing components. The metering IC also includes additional anti-tampering features that permit the device to detect abnormal currents in the absence of the three voltage phases. In this condition, the chip will enter a partial-measurement mode to measure the voltage, current, and mean power if the detected current exceeds a configured threshold. This gives the utility company a more accurate reading under atypical circumstances, and has become a requirement in some regions.

“IDT continues to release industry-first products to meet the demands of the rapidly growing China smart grid,” said Sean Fan, vice president and general manager at IDT. “Our latest power metering IC builds upon the foundation of our high-volume portfolio and adds enhancements to meet the evolving requirements of major Chinese utilities, as well as markets beyond China. Going forward, we will continue to identify the critical needs of our customers and be the first to deliver the performance and features they need to build successful products.”

The IDT 90E32AS can be used for both three-phase four-wire (3P4W) and three-phase three-wire (3P3W) active and reactive energy meters. Moreover, the expanded event detection functions permit designers to further monitor the power quality and improve their overall metering accuracy, while lowered power consumption optimizes system overhead and aids the design of compact smart metering modules.

The IDT 90E32AS is currently sampling to qualified customers and is available in a 48-lead TQFP package. The IDT 90E32AS is priced at $2.85 for volumes of 10,000 units.

Source: IDT