Power Integrations Supports Smart-Grid Metering Engineers with New Technical Microsite and Reference Designs

Utility companies are investing in the so-called smart grid as a way of monitoring, controlling, and managing electric power consumption in homes and businesses. The smart grid requires advanced metering solutions that can communicate with both the power company and the consumer – providing real-time information on energy use and cost. Smart meters help balance energy demand by allowing the supplier to implement incentive programs, such as variable pricing based on peak network loading. Utilities are also installing innovative network-connected devices that manage end-user power consumption. Customers are given pricing concessions in exchange for granting the supplier control of certain non-critical circuits.



Comments Silvestro Fimiani, product marketing manager at Power Integrations: “A reliable, high-efficiency power supply is absolutely essential for supporting the networking and control electronics used in smart meters and control equipment. Our new microsite delivers several power supply solutions that are ideal for the next generation of smart meters.” Fimiani continues: “For example, using our LinkSwitchâ-CV primary-side control IC, designers can eliminate unreliable optocouplers from their power supplies and minimize the number of components required. Power Integrations’ Design Idea DER-213 describes a supply that delivers both 5-volt and 12-volt outputs from a universal 85- to 265-volt input, with high efficiency and conducted EMI meeting CISPR22B/EN55022B specifications.”



Power Integrations offers a broad range of highly integrated, high-voltage ICs for offline power conversion in utility and smart meter applications. Each IC includes a 700 V power MOSFET combined with control and protection circuitry on a single chip. Features include current limiting and thermal shutdown with automatic fault recovery capability to improve reliability, frequency jittering to reduce EMI, and EcoSmart technology to dramatically reduce standby energy waste.