Application of Broadcast FM for Utility Energy Management Communications
Technological and economic aspects of various approaches to electric utility Energy Management communications for remote control are discussed. Communication systems employing radio frequency (RF) transmission techniques are treated in some detail with comparisons being made between narrow- band VHF transmitter systems, those systems utilizing a portion of AM broadcast radio channels and systems using a portion of FM broadcast radio channels. Finally, typical utility energy management applications of these-systems are discussed.
A low-cost microcomputer based direct load control scheme for small electric utilities
Abstract A low-cost microprocessor based direct load control scheme is described. The scheme is particularly suitable for small- to medium-sized public utilities which do not possess large financial resources to implement a large-scale SCADA based load management system. The system is designed around the 8-bit 68HC11 microcontroller manufactured by Motorola. The hardware consists of two basic systems: the transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter consists of a PC, and HC11 Evaluation Board and a radio transmitter. The receiver consists of the radio receiver and an HC11 running in single-chip mode. The system uses an addressing scheme to control up to four loads at each of 4095 different receiver sites. It uses redundant data transmission to ensure error-free operation.
Automatic Remote Reading of Residential Meters
This paper reports on a test of the Transitel Automatic Meter Reading System which was conducted at Owosso, Michigan, over a sixteen-month trial period. This test confirmed that the Automatic Meter Reading System for the reading of residential utility meters is technically feasible and thoroughly compatible with associated telephone company equipment and facilities. This conclusion was drawn from the following summaries: 1) At no time was there evidence that the system hardware as installed resulted in interference to the operation of or service offered by the utility or telephone company. 2) It was determined that the system, with minor changes, easily afforded by modern-day production techniques, should operate free from excessive maintenance problems. Having tested the technical feasibility of the Transitel Automatic Meter Reading System, it is the consensus of the parties to the test that the time is now appropriate for a detailed study of the economic aspects of installing and operating such a system.