Yokogawa Meters & Instruments Releases WT1800 Precision Power Analyzer

03/23/2011

Yokogawa Meters & Instruments Corporation announces the market release of a new power measuring instrument, the WT1800 precision power analyzer.

As the top supplier of power meters in Japan and all other markets*1, Yokogawa Meters & Instruments actively supports energy-saving efforts by offering customers a variety of products that enhance the measurement of power consumption and improve efficiency in the development and evaluation processes.

The WT1800 is the successor to the well reputed WT1600 digital power meter. In line with intensifying energy-saving efforts, the WT1800 offers a number of enhanced functions that improve the accuracy of power measurement. This high-performance power meter is also capable of simultaneously measuring harmonics on an inverter’s input and output sides, an industry first.

Development Background

To curb global warming, greater efforts are being made to use power more efficiently. This is driving the growth of the photovoltaic, wind power, and other renewable energy markets, and is leading to accelerated development of environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV), and energy-efficient home appliances with energy-saving functions. The development of such products requires very accurate measurement of power consumption to determine their energy efficiency. For example, conversion efficiency must be improved to reduce power loss in inverters, which play a key role in enhancing the energy efficiency of home appliances and industrial equipment. To accomplish this, superior power meters that are accurate to within &plusmn0.3% must be used.

As this requirement was beyond the capabilities of our existing models, we have developed the WT1800, focusing on improving basic performance aspects. With its increased measurement accuracy, the WT1800 will assist in the development of energy-saving products.

Product Features

1. Precise, high-speed, wide-range measurement
   The WT1800 can measure DC power within ± 0.05% of reading and AC power (commercial frequencies of 50/60 Hz) within ± 0.1% of reading. It is thus well suited for measuring the DC power generated by photovoltaic generation facilities and DC/AC outputs from inverters.
   
   The WT1800 also offers drastically improved digital signal throughput and a sampling rate of approximately 2 MS/s (16-bit resolution), which is ten times faster than the WT1600. Moreover, its voltage and current measurement bandwidth, i.e. the range of measurable electrical signals, is 5 MHz, which is five times that of the previous model, enabling the measurement of high-frequency electrical signals.

2. Up to six inputs
   Power input signals can be measured at up to six points. This means a single WT1800 is sufficient for developing equipment such as inverter drive motors that requires many measuring points, thus improving both cost performance and efficiency.

3. Simultaneous two-line harmonic measurement*2: an industry first
   A single WT1800 can simultaneously measure harmonics on the input and output sides of an inverter. Previously, this had to be measured separately because inverters convert AC to DC and DC to AC and the voltage and current frequency are different on the input and output sides.

Major Target Markets

Divisions engaged in the development and testing of EV/PHV and EV chargers, energy-saving home appliances and office automation equipment, and inverters used in photovoltaic power generation and wind-power generation facilities

Main Applications

Measurement of power efficiency and harmonics for the development of EV/PHV and EV chargers and energy-saving home appliances and office automation equipment; measurement of power consumption of energy-saving facilities

For more information

• About WT1800
• About Yokogawa Test & Measurement

*1 Based on Yokogawa’s survey
*2 A harmonic is a component frequency of a signal that is an integer multiple of its fundamental frequency. Harmonics are created during power conversion, and their transmission through electric circuits to other electrical devices can cause malfunctions and overheating.

Yokogawa
www.yokogawa.com

Company profile:  Yokogawa