Abstract : This paper introduces the application of the Acrel-3000 power monitoring system based on network power meters in the second phase of Suzhou Innovation Park. It realizes intelligent power metering management and monitoring with distributed data acquisition and centralized control. This eliminates the tedious on-site meter reading by staff and has advantages such as low investment, simplicity, practicality, and ease of intelligent management.
Keywords : large public buildings; network power meters; power monitoring software
0 Introduction
Currently, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development document [2008] No. 114, government agencies and large public buildings should implement an energy consumption metering system, distinguishing energy types and implementing separate, categorized, and itemized energy consumption metering for each household and item, promptly identifying and correcting energy waste. Local governments have also actively responded to the central government's call and issued relevant regulations. For example, Jiangsu Construction Science and Technology Bureau document [2007] No. 217 stipulates that from September 1, 2007, newly built, renovated, and expanded public building projects with a single building area of 20,000 m2 or more should comply with relevant national and provincial standards during the design and construction drawing review process. The electrical section clearly stipulates that each outgoing circuit of a substation should be equipped with an energy metering device, which should be a digital energy meter. Communication interfaces should be configured as much as possible according to the type and grade of the building to facilitate network construction, and a management backend should be provided.
Suzhou Innovation Park Phase II is located near the intersection of Zhuyuan Road and Zhujiang Road in Suzhou High-tech Zone, with a total construction area of 135,800 square meters, consisting of three independent 26-story towers. Each floor has a power distribution room, and the distribution cabinets inside are equipped with more than 600 Acrel network multi-function meters. In order to realize functions such as real-time remote measurement of power parameters, sub-item management of power metering, and power reporting, the system uses Acrel-3000 power monitoring and power management software to connect the field meters together, achieving centralized management and control.
1 System Structure
Acrel-3000 power monitoring configuration software is a dedicated software for collecting and controlling on-site production data. Its biggest feature is that it can integrate systems through flexible configuration rather than programming. It provides a user-friendly interface and simple engineering implementation methods. By simply configuring its pre-set software modules, various functions of the monitoring layer can be easily implemented and completed. For example, in distributed network applications, all applications (such as trend curves, alarms, etc.) use the same method to reference remote data as they do to reference local data. The configuration method can greatly shorten the system integration time for automation engineers and improve integration efficiency.
The topology of the power monitoring system in Phase II of Suzhou Innovation Park is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 System Topology Diagram
The system adopts a distributed architecture, divided by function or region, and features a modular design. The entire system is divided into three layers: the field layer, the intermediate layer, and the main control layer.
1.1 Site Layer
The primary task of the field layer is to collect and measure the operating parameters of various power distribution systems on-site, and to transmit the collected and measured data to the monitoring system. Its main equipment consists of ACR320EL and ACR210EL network power meters, installed in the power cabinets on each layer. These devices operate independently, without relying on a main control computer, and are equipped with RS-485 communication interfaces. They transmit the detected electrical parameters and status signals in real time to the intermediate layer's data processing unit—the communication server—via the field's RS-485 bus.
ACR network-controlled power meters are intelligent power meters designed for power monitoring needs in power systems, industrial and mining enterprises, public facilities, and intelligent buildings. They can measure all commonly used power parameters, such as three-phase current, voltage, active and reactive power, energy consumption, and switch input/output status. This series of meters has comprehensive communication networking capabilities, enabling remote telemetry and control, making it ideal for real-time power monitoring systems.
1.2 Intermediate Layer
The intermediate layer, located between the field layer and the main control layer, employs a high-performance, embedded communication server. This communication server is responsible for uploading data collected by field instruments to the main control layer via network communication and data exchange, acting as a bridge between the two layers.
1.3 Main Control Layer
The main control unit is located in the monitoring room or duty room, and is equipped with a high-performance, high-reliability industrial-grade computer, UPS uninterruptible power supply, printer, alarm devices, etc. Acrel-3000 power monitoring software is installed on the main control computer, enabling real-time monitoring and report management of the entire enclosure system through the software's human-machine interface and various management functions.
The monitoring room for Phase II of the startup park is located on the third floor of Building B. It connects more than 600 ACR instruments distributed in the power cabinets on each floor through six communication servers, and then transmits the data to the back-end system through the local area network of each floor.
2. Main System Functions and Equipment Investment
The system adopts a client/server architecture, with data processing centered on the database and divided into modules such as data acquisition, display, and algorithms. The system block diagram is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 System Block Diagram
The system was designed based on the customer's actual needs and implemented the following main functions: primary wiring diagram display; remote measurement of electrical parameters and alarm for exceeding electrical parameter limits; event logging; system operation anomaly monitoring; fault alarm and operation log; report query and printing; real-time and historical system load curves; and user access management. For example, Figure 3 shows the daily electricity consumption trend of the main air conditioning circuit for floors 4-7 of Building A in August.
Figure 3 Power rod diagram
3. Equipment and Investment
The total cost of the system hardware, including data acquisition devices, power supply, workstation host, printing equipment, system software, and low-voltage installation, based on the actual site conditions, is approximately 350,000 yuan, with an average investment of no more than 150,000 yuan per building. Data from all aspects of power distribution can be centrally displayed on the monitoring host, facilitating timely detection of power distribution faults by power distribution managers. Monthly electricity consumption data can be compiled and uploaded to the Building Automation System (BAS) or the Security System (FAS) via OPC for overall dispatching. While this adds an initial investment compared to traditional meter reading and statistics by electricians, it significantly improves the level of intelligence and saves on human capital investment.
4. Conclusion
The ACREL-3000 power monitoring system boasts advantages such as versatility, high reliability, and flexible configuration. The system has been in operation for over six months, greatly facilitating user experience. With the widespread adoption of computer information technology, the requirements for intelligent low-voltage power distribution are increasing. Power distribution monitoring and management make unmanned operation of distribution rooms a true reality. The system manages and analyzes historical operating data and status of various electrical equipment, enabling maintenance personnel to clearly understand equipment conditions, develop detailed maintenance plans, reduce manpower input, improve work efficiency, and thus lower the overall system operating costs.
This article is from "Electrical Engineering" Issue 2, 2011.
References:
1) "Principles and Application Guide of Digital Instruments for Power Measurement" by Ren Zhicheng and Zhou Zhong, China Electric Power Press
About the author:
1. Wang Xiaoming (1981-), male, undergraduate, graduated from Southwest Jiaotong University, research direction is energy consumption monitoring and analysis of large public buildings.
For more detailed information, please contact:
Contact person for Jiangsu Ankerui Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.: Xu Yuli, Tel: 13771584106
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