Omron, ST develop sensor for smart gas metering
STMicroelectronics has teamed up with Japan's Omron to develop a new MEMS based gas flow sensor with built in correction for differences in gas composition.
The sensor is aimed at enabling smaller, less expensive and more power efficient smart gas meters, cutting costs for utility companies and end users alike.
The device comprises Omron's MEMS thermal flow transducer with ST's analogue front end ic. It is dust resistant to comply with international gas meter standards and doesn't require meters to be configured for a certain type of gas.
This is because the device is intrinsically compensated for both temperature and pressure variations. A built in circuit compensates for the variation for multiple gas composition.
"We are very much excited to introduce a new powerful one stop solution that enables a simple and very accurate smart gas meter system, said Omron's Yoshio Sekiguchi. "By enabling IT based smart metering, this new technology will significantly contribute to energy savings."
