High-resolution meter reading technique for appliance gas usage monitoring for the smart grid

The smart grid is a rapidly emerging field that aims to modernize the distribution and delivery of electricity, water and gas utilities. A key component in the smart grid is the smart meter, which is installed at utility endpoints for usage monitoring and billing. Currently electric meters have received the majority of research attention and focus. However, smart gas meters will also play an important role in the emerging smart grid. This paper presents a high-resolution automated gas meter reading system for residential households. The system can be used to non-intrusively monitor the natural gas consumption of individual appliances in a home. It is implemented by utilizing an existing gas meter retrofitted with a module that includes a high-resolution encoder to collect gas flow data and a microprocessor to analyze and identify appliance load profiles. Additional benefits of the system include the ability to detect very small leaks and theft, perform efficiency analyses, and provide real time customer feedback on gas usage.