Remote Real-time Power Analysis and Management System

Abstract

For many progressing nations, the electric energy measurement infrastructure is inadequate in terms of the lack of real-time measurement, as well as the connectivity to the central data collection station. To overcome such issues, more modern methods of sensing and distributing electrical energy must be explored and implemented. In this article, we present a cost-effective LoRa (Long Range) based real-time load monitoring and control system that can measure the amount (voltage, current, and power) and the quality (power factor and harmonics) of the electricity being supplied using a microcontroller-based Data Acquisition System, and can also gather and present that data, as well as provide remote power cut and restore functionality through an Internet-of-Things SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) server. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the benefits of real-time energy measurement, and how such a system can help tackle Pakistan's energy crisis. The system is powered by the power line, and by a battery backup system to prevent data loss in the event of an outage/fault. Through software simulations, the system was evaluated before being implemented on the hardware, and results of both are described. The system was energy efficient, owing to the usage of the LoRa wireless technology and low power consuming components, drawing only 680mA, and was accurate in analyzing the power consumption characteristics of loads in real-time, tested in comparison to standard laboratory equipment, where the error of the Data Acquisition System was found to be around 0.9%, 2.91%, and 1.6% for the voltage, current, and frequency respectively.