Development and Application of Automatic Meter Reading in Seoul

Development & Application of

Automatic Meter Reading in Seoul

September, 2013

Waterworks Research Institute

Seoul Metropolitan Government

2013 Seoul-Tokyo Forum

Contents

Ⅰ. Introduction

Ⅱ. AMR pilot projects

Ⅱ-1. Pilot project in the year 2002

Ⅱ-2. Pilot project in the year 2006

Ⅱ-3. Pilot project of Integrated AMR

Ⅲ. Wireless PDA pilot projects

Ⅳ. Future research

Ⅰ. Introduction

Water meters in Seoul

1,621,899 (82.4%)

336,897 (17.1%)

8,870 (0.5%)

Water Meters in Seoul

15mm

20~50mm

80~300mm

82.4% of water meters are 15㎜ in diameter (mostly for residential use)

80㎜ or larger-diameter water meters are in relatively less use

Ⅰ. Introduction

Meter types used in Seoul

15 ~ 50㎜ 80 ~ 300㎜

Multi jet type meter – wet register Turbine type meter – dry register

http://www.hsmeter.com/korean/product/index.htm?page=1&id=products&no=8&pos=view&cat1=수도미터&cat2=복갑습식

Ⅰ. Introduction

Problems concerning the adoption of the AMR system in Seoul

Wet type register – unsuitable for AMR sensors

AMR system not in use prior to 2002

No radio frequency reserved for the AMR system

Unfavorable communication environment for AMR system

Sizable investment necessary for AMR infrastructure

Ⅱ. Pilot project

Period Meter

size

Number

of meters Description

October 2002~

April 2006 15~50㎜ 300

Image pickup device + radio

communication

April 2006~

March 2007 15, 20㎜ 25

Pulse emitter + radio

communication

May 2007~

June 2009 15, 20㎜ 100

Electronic meter + radio

communication + PLC

AMR pilot projects in Seoul

Overview of 2002 pilot project

Period: October 2002 ~ April 2006

Area: Downtown Seoul (Jung-gu and Jongno-gu)

Target: 300 businesses (meter size: 15~50㎜ in diameter)

70 public baths, 146 accommodation facilities, 84 restaurants

System diagram

Image pickup unit

(attached to meter)

Base station

(data network) Communication

center Waterworks

office

Wireless Com.

Wire Com. Wire Com.

Ⅱ-1. Pilot project

Image pickup interface unit

CMOS MEMORY MAIN PROCESS

전처리 압축 / 기록

Control Board

전송 CMOS MEMORY MAIN PROCESS

Preprocess

Control Board

Transmit

Compress


Water meter with image pickup

interface

Monitoring of data

Transmission

Normal transmission Abnormal transmission


Results

Average meter reading success rate : 67.8%

Causes of failure

Defects in radio terminals (unstable, being newly developed )

Poor battery performance

Abnormal image pickup caused by dew condensation

Out-of-service communication area

Terminal or antenna damage

Advantages

Easy installation on existing meters

Accurate meter reading with the data images transmitted


Overview of 2006 pilot project

Period: April 2006 ~ March 2007

Area: Residential area (Dongdaemun-gu)

Target: 25 Households (meter size: 15~20㎜ in diameter)

Participants: Water research institute and the University of Seoul

System diagram

Pulse emitter & Radio terminal

Data collector

(on the rooftop)

Mobile network (cell phone)

Waterworks Office


Installation


Results

Average meter reading success rate : 86.0%

Causes of poor communication

Dead repeater battery (solar cell) in winter

Lower durability of pulse emitting sensor (reed switch)

Poor performance of radio terminal batteries

Temporary problems in radio communication conditions

Lack of system stability

※ Many repeaters (14 repeaters in 25 households) required due to

the poor radio communication environment


Integrated AMR

Integrated AMR of water, electricity, gas and other utilities

Overview of integrated AMR pilot project

Period: May 2007 ~ June 2009

Participants : Seoul Metropolitan Government Office of Waterworks

Korea Electric Power (KEPCO), Seoul City Gas

Target: 100 houses in Seoul

Communication network formation

Water meter ⇒ Electric meter (HCU) : Low power wireless communication

Electric meter (HCU) ⇒ Data concentration unit (DCU) : Power line communication


Electric power waves

(60Hz) Data Power waves loaded

with data

Electric power line used as communication lines

Power Line Communication (PLC)


Schematic diagram of integrated AMR (fixed network using PLC)

AMR Server

Internet

Metering Data

Data

Concentration

Unit

(DCU)

Sensor

RF

Gas Power cable (220V)

Electric meter

Water

PLC modem

Waterworks

Seoul City Gas

Low power wireless

communication

Power Line

Communication (PLC)

Korea Electric Power

Wide area network

HFC/wide-band

(leased line)

※ Low power wireless communication : Wireless communication using

unlicensed telemetry band


Power line communication(PLC)

Communication system for carrying data on electric power lines

Advantages of PLC

Cost reduction for building communication networks

Less sensitive to obstacles compared to wireless communication

Rapid spread of networks now due to smartgrid

Goal of the pilot project

To verify the integrated AMR system using PLC

(100 households)


DCU (Data Concentration Unit) HCU (Home Concentration Unit) inside the Electricity meter

Electronic water meter and WMU (wireless metering unit)


Integrated AMR operation program


Meter reading monthly success rate

90.4%

92.5%

94.9%

91.2%

85.5%

89.5%

85.4%

93.2%

88.2%

92.1%

86.5%

95.9%

94.8%

94.5%

93.9%

80.0%

84.0%

88.0%

92.0%

96.0%

100.0%

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Month

Suc

cess

Rat

e(%

)

Meter reading transmission twice per day

Success rate = (No. of normal reading / No. of total reading) × 100

Average success rate during project period: 91.2%


Comparison between the separated AMR system and the integrated AMR system

Type Separated AMR system Integrated AMR system

No. of households

with AMR system 25 households 100 households

Communication

distance and

characteristics

Up to 200 m

Repeater, collector

wireless communication

Within 30 m

Data communication from

KEPCO electricity meter

Communication

shade

Repeater required to

avoid

communication shade

N/A

Average

communication

success rate for

the last 3 months

80.7% 94.4%


Cost-effectiveness

Integrated AMR 〉〉 Separated AMR (water meter only)


Advantages of the integrated AMR system

Improved meter reading due to short range of wireless communication

Fewer AMR systems as repeaters and collectors are not necessary

Less maintenance as the PLC service provider is in charge of PLC

networks

Higher customer satisfaction with the simultaneous provision of AMR

data on water, electricity and gas

Wireless Com.

Wireless Com.

Wire Com.

Electronic

water meter

Radio terminal

(with display)

PDA

(carried by staff)

Project overview

Period: March 2013 ~ present

Area: Residential area (Jungnang-gu)

Target: 212 Households (meter size: 15~40㎜ in diameter)

System diagram

Ⅲ. Wireless PDA pilot project


Verification test before field installation

Waterproof test

Equivalent to IP 68 rating

Power consumption test

Confirmation of battery capacity suitability

Protocol compatibility test

Verification of suitability with Seoul AMR protocol

Communication protocol for the wireless PDA project

Application of the results of the joint research conducted with the KEPCO

Research Institute

Realization of two-way communication for meter reading at any time

Transmission of various warning alarms (leakage, backflow, etc.) as well as

meter reading

Conversion into the fixed network AMR system or the integrated AMR

system possible


Photos of AMR systems installed in households


Advantages

Relatively low investment compared with fixed network AMR

Job stability for meter checkers

On-site response to solve problems like leakage

Disadvantages

Water consumption pattern monitoring for pipe network management not

possible

Requires extended time periods to notice problems like backflow (due to

long meter reading intervals)


Development of additional features to improve cost-effectiveness of the

AMR system

e.g.) Management programs for single seniors living alone

Incorporation with smart pipe network management projects

Smart water grid and other technologies that have grabbed public attention

recently

Establishment of procedures to ensure the communication security of

the AMR system

Privacy protection and fabrication prevention

Development of integrated AMR technology

For cost-efficient communication stability

Ⅳ. Future research

Thank you

Environment

Development and Application of Automatic Meter Reading in Seoul