Electricity Meter Optical Smoke Detection for External Fires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Faulty installation of electricity meters can cause overheating and fires, necessitating a cost-effective solution for fire detection and determining the meter's innocence in fire incidents.
Innovation Solution
An electricity meter equipped with a smoke detection device and processing unit to detect smoke and temperature, using a light emitter and receiver to identify external fires and a temperature sensor to determine fire origin, integrated with a processing unit for alarm generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a smoke detection device is added to detect external fires, then fire detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet is divided into a main part and a secondary part, with the smoke detection device positioned in the secondary part. This segmentation allows the detection function to be spatially separated from the main metering functions, enabling independent optimization and simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit serves multiple functions: it processes metering data, controls alarm outputs, and analyzes smoke detection signals to determine fire origin. By making the processing unit multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated hardware for each function, thereby improving fire detection capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If a smoke detection device and processing unit are added to detect external fires, then fire detection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The smoke detection device, temperature sensor, light emitter, light receiver, and processing unit are integrated into a single cabinet structure. By merging these components into one unified device rather than separate systems, the patent reduces overall manufacturing cost while maintaining comprehensive fire detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit handles multiple tasks including metering calculations, alarm control, smoke signal analysis, and temperature monitoring. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated processors for each function, reducing component count and manufacturing cost while improving fire detection capability.
3Measurement precision
If the secondary part is positioned in a lower portion of the meter with openings, then smoke detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary part is positioned in the lower portion of the cabinet with openings specifically configured to face potential fire sources. This local optimization of the detection zone placement improves smoke detection accuracy by positioning sensors in the most effective location, while the overall device structure remains relatively simple.
4Measurement precision
If a partition with openings is added to separate main and secondary parts, then fire origin determination capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet is segmented into a main part and a secondary part by a partition with openings. This segmentation creates distinct functional zones while allowing controlled interaction between them, enabling the system to detect smoke direction and determine fire origin without requiring complex additional components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for early detection of external fires and provides proof that the meter is not the fire's source, protecting the meter and ensuring swift action, while maintaining affordability.
Implementation Method 1
the smoke detection device includes a light emitter arranged to emit light signals and a light receiver, which are positioned in the secondary part of the box such that: when the secondary part does not contain smoke particles, the light receiver does not detect the light signals emitted by the light emitter; when the secondary part contains smoke particles, the light signals emitted by the light emitter are at least partially reflected by said smoke particles and detected by the light receiver
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor is further integrated, the processing unit being arranged to evaluate an ambient temperature prevailing outside the meter from temperature measurements produced by the temperature sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Electric meter (1) comprising: - a box (5) including a main part (7) and a secondary part (8) having at least one first opening (11); - a smoke detection device positioned in the secondary part (8) of the box and arranged to detect smoke particles coming from outside the meter and having entered the secondary part through at least one first opening; - a processing unit positioned in the main part of the box, connected to the smoke detection device, and arranged to detect a fire occurring outside the meter in the event of the presence of smoke particles in the secondary part of the box.