The demand for electrical devices used in energy-saving and alternative energy applications, such as solar panels, electric vehicles, motors, and inverters, is reaching unprecedented levels. As manufacturers work to develop these devices, they are seeking improvements in energy conversion efficiency on the order of 0.1%.
The analysis of motors used in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) provides an example of such improvements. EVs and HEVs use a battery to power a motor, but they also control the motor with an inverter for maximum efficiency. By measuring the power between the battery and the inverter, and between the inverter and the motor, and then performing a comparative analysis of the two quantities, it is possible to determine the energy conversion efficiency. There is also increasing demand for the ability to measure the conversion efficiency of power conditioners used in solar energy systems.
Hioki set out to develop a power meter that offers the capabilities needed to meet the demand for high accuracy and broadband performance in this type of measurement.
Main Functions
1. Basic Accuracy of ±0.04% in Power Measurement
The PW3390 offers basic accuracy of ±0.04% of reading and ±0.05% of full scale when measuring power, placing it among the most accurate instruments in its class and enabling more precise power measurement than the previous model (the 3390-10), which provided basic accuracy of ±0.05% of reading in power measurement. Given the demand for high-precision measurements on the order of 0.1% to improve energy conversion efficiency, the new product is positioned to meet the industry's needs in this area.
2. The measurement frequency band has been extended to 200 kHz.
While the measurement frequency band of the legacy product (the 3390) was limited to 150 kHz, the measurement frequency band of the PW3390 has been extended to 200 kHz.
3. New Phase Correction Function
: Power is measured on the secondary side of the inverter to determine the device's energy conversion efficiency. Due to the phase characteristics of the current sensors used in this type of power measurement, the error component of the measured values (the amount by which they deviate from the actual values) increases with frequency.
The PW3390 incorporates a phase correction function based on a new technology known as virtual oversampling. This function significantly reduces measurement errors caused by phase error, so power can be measured more accurately on the secondary side of the inverters.
4. Wide selection of available sensors, including models that can measure up to 4000 A AC/DC.
The PW3390 can be used with a wide range of current sensors, including 17 high-precision models, through-through models, clamp-on models, and direct-wire models. Thanks to Hioki's extensive sensor range, the PW3390 can be used in a wide range of measurement applications, from R&D to maintenance and management.
Used in combination with the CT9557 sensor that Hioki introduced last year, the PW3390 can measure large currents in multi-wire circuits in large-scale power generation facilities such as mega solar installations.
