Infraestrutura de aquisição de dados por redes de sensores sem fios e barramentos para monitoramento do consumo de energia elétrica

Abstract

An electric power consumption monitoring system for indoor sectors of costumers was developed to an ANEELR&D project. The system uses wireless sensor networks (WSN) placed at strategic points of the power grid and connected by radio link to a remote database. The sensor provide data, that are recorded and later accessed by a software presenting information to end users through alerts, reports and graphical interfaces. The WSN systems are used to acquire signals from multiple sensors scattered over large areas, with number of devices scalable in networks and flexible topologies, which can be formed automatically choosing the best routes or available routes. The WSNs have been useful in systems related with smart grid, offering a "smart" tool that allows collect information from electric loads in consumer units to the system of generation and distribution of energy, with the aim of improving system performance at peak demand by an electric utility. Despite the availability of technological, commercial devices are still scarce in the Brazilian market, resulting in high costs for final consumption monitoring systems. Therefore, to fill a gap a new configuration was developed presenting an infrastructure affordably with sensor modules connected by I2C bus with a shared memory forming clusters that are connected in WSN but can work in mesh networks through miwi P2P (Peer to Peer) protocol. With multiple sensors sharing a single antenna to send data, costs are reduced. Another exclusive feature of this method is to give access to sensors inside of cabinets and enclosures, which otherwise would not connected to a WSN.