Integrated Watt Meter Panel Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wattmeters for electrical panels lack a digital display device coupled to the power supply wires, failing to provide users with real-time information on power usage such as kilowatt-hours consumed, and are not efficiently or economically designed to reduce energy costs.
Innovation Solution
A wattmeter with a digital display device integrated into the main electrical panel, featuring a power quality analyzer that measures and displays kilowatt-hours, instant power, current, voltage, frequency, and power factor, utilizing a housing assembly with a capacitor and transformer device to connect to the power supply wires, allowing for easy installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a digital display device is integrated into the main electrical panel to provide real-time power consumption information, then the information availability and user awareness of energy usage is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (voltage measurement, current measurement, power calculation, and digital display) into a single integrated watt meter device that installs directly in the main electrical panel. This merging approach provides comprehensive power consumption information while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The watt meter device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it measures voltage, measures current, calculates real power, calculates reactive power, displays instantaneous values, and provides cumulative energy measurement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate devices and simplifies the overall system.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive power quality analysis features are included to measure and display multiple parameters simultaneously, then the measurement capability and energy monitoring effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The watt meter is designed to measure and display multiple power quality parameters simultaneously including voltage, current, real power, reactive power, power factor, and cumulative energy. This multi-functional approach provides comprehensive power quality analysis through a single device, improving measurement capability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device automatically calculates derived parameters (such as power factor from voltage and current measurements, reactive power from real power and apparent power) without requiring additional sensors or complex processing, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining comprehensive measurement capability.
3Ease of operation
If the watt meter is designed with easy installation features for electrical panels, then the ease of installation and maintenance is improved, but the device complexity and potential functionality limitations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The watt meter is designed as a self-contained modular unit that can be installed in the main electrical panel without requiring modification of existing wiring or complex integration. This segmentation into a standalone device simplifies installation while the internal integration of multiple functions maintains comprehensive capability.
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 provides users with real-time energy consumption data, reducing costs by enabling efficient monitoring and management of energy usage, while being inexpensive to implement and maintain, thus addressing the inefficiencies of previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
a transformer device (64) operatively connected from the power supply to the power quality analyzer, wherein the transformer device may have a window
Implementation Method 2
a capacitor device (62) and a transformer device (64) operatively connected from the power supply to the power quality analyzer
Data Source
AI summary
A watt meter for electrical panels including a housing assembly, a power quality assembly and an electric assembly. Housing assembly includes a housing, wherein said housing is a cabinet suitable for electric components. The housing includes an opening in a front side thereof. Power quality assembly includes a power quality analyzer housed inside the housing, wherein the display of the power quality analyzer is placed parallel to the opening allowing the user to see the actual kilowatt hours being consumed, instant power, current, voltage, frequency and power factor. Electric assembly includes a capacitor device with a predetermined capacitance and a transformer device wherein are operatively connected to the residential power supply and to the power quality analyzer.