Metering ADC

Microchip Technology has announced its analog front end for metering applications.

The MCP3901 has high-accuracy, dual 16-/24-bit Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converters with up to 91 dB signal to noise and distortion; internal programmable gain amplifiers and voltage reference; phase-delay compensation; and a modulator output block, enabling precise measurements. Sample rates up to 64 kSps and SPI interface make the device suitable for a variety of single- and multi-phase metering, industrial and medical applications.

Integrated PGAs and a low-drift voltage reference enhance its ability to measure signals at very small levels and reduce the number of external components needed.

The phase-delay compensation block enables the device to compensate for differences in phase for three-phase energy-metering applications, while the SPI interface provides a connection to a microcontroller and offers engineers more flexibility with their design and they can adjust the ADC oversampling ratio to control the resolution and sample rate.