Design of a Smart Load Management System for UPS
Energy crises are a serious issue in the entire world and especially in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan. Severe shortfalls of energy affect the economic growth and industrial development of the country. To avoid unscheduled load-shedding, power suppliers encourage the user to utilize energy d
2025-06-28 16:26:30 - Adil Khan
Design of a Smart Load Management System for UPS
Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject SummaryEnergy crises are a serious issue in the entire world and especially in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan. Severe shortfalls of energy affect the economic growth and industrial development of the country. To avoid unscheduled load-shedding, power suppliers encourage the user to utilize energy during off-peak hours so that they can manage the load between supply and demand. In this work, we are proposing a smart home load management system for energy distributors to prevent unnecessary load shedding
The Smart Load Management System is implemented with a view to configure normal mode to emergency mode and vice versa, setting PL limit, getting device status, and switching off the load when required.
A signal will be provided to PLC via HMI in our system. The PLC will process this signal and send the instructions to the switch associated with the signal. Then the switch gearbox will manage/control the load by the instructions. This process could be monitored by PC. The SLM device can be configured by HMI without changing hardware or software.
This system's hardware is less complicated and can be applied easily on heavy-load consumers. The system design can switch off the heavy load during peak hours without any human interference and encourage the consumers to use these heavy loads during off-peak hours.
Using the proposed model, the power distribution authority will be able to provide power for emergency loads of all consumers and also, to monitor the maximum allowable permitted load. Instead of complete blackout, the SLM device facilitates switching over from permitted load to emergency and vice versa depending on the availability of the power supply.
With the implementation of the SLM device, consumers can be facilitated with a constant energy supply, social crimes like robbery can be prevented and environmental pollution can be reduced. On the other hand, power distribution authority will get advantages because consumer's load can be easily managed, controlled, and monitored remotely.
Project Video in Working Condition: -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nKupvPLZZZ8NTeiUxVOaJlYdzm2VMN4D/view?usp=sharing
The main objective of the smart load management system (SLMS) is to reduce battery consumption and as a result to increase the efficiency of power and timing of a battery.
This objective is directly meant to manage the load and consumption of the power in such a way that the power consumes in the described manners and increase the lifetime of battery/source being used and make the system more efficient to perform its function. Let these points get clear by an example. Suppose we have a house of 5 rooms, room1, room2, room3, room4, and drawing room (r1, r2, r3, r4, and d1). The drawing room is of higher priority which means we can’t bear the breakdown of electricity in our drawing-room as it is speculated for the guests etc. And we have a shutdown of electricity for more than 8 hours for the area where that specific house is located. Now the issue here is how could I manage the load of the house for these 8 hours long?
For these reasons, we have introduced this automated smart load management system (SLMS).
This will also save UPS’s health. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) collects the data from the UPS and controls it according to the demand of the user. However, it is a challenging task and is a tradeoff between different factors.
As it is already discussed above that we have to manage the breakdown for 8 hours long. Our SLMS system will be responsible for the management of the load described by either the situation being created.
Project Implementation MethodThe project system includes properties to manage the load of both homes and industries. It can be implemented easily in any area space of home and industry.
Home load management:
For home load management, the system could easily install mainly in the circuit breakers where the whole main electricity is controlled. It could be installed for any source of electricity like:
WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority)
For the main electricity distribution authority of Pakistan, the system would be synched with the main power supply wire coming from a home energy meter and it performs functions regarding the distribution of electricity.
External Source (Solar Panel, UPS)
The system is also applicable for external sources like UPS and Solar Panel which provide a specific amount of electricity. To keep the consumption more survived, the system will be installed at the output of the external source system (mainly in the circuit breakers of the home).
Industry load management:
The system will be much more advantageous for industry management and the axillary load of industries. The main power sources could be of any type like power generators and any others installed in the powerhouse of big industries.
Benefits of the Project- The system’s hardware is less complicated, applied easily on the heavy load consumer houses.
- The basic and most beneficial aspect of our SLMS project is that the hardware of our project is so simple to use, it means a person having basic knowledge of electronic/electrical can easily understand and control the system.
- The installation of the system is easy as we have used different modules like PLC, HMI SWITCHGEAR-B0X, etc.
- Our system is very cost-effective. Our system’s traditional setting for home UPS will go best for almost 2 and a half years.
- The best solution of an era for offices, schools, homes and obviously industries, etc.
- This system will be free of human interferences. (Automated)
- System will run accordingly to the user’s demand. (Flexibility)
- If the user wants some amendments in the system for load management, then one can go for it easily. (user-friendly system)
- A system to save the power in a smart way in case of a long breakdown. (Power saving)
- A system is designed to protect against power interruptions.
- It also maintains/ increases the battery life.
- Huge power backup system for industries.
- This system will be helpful for supplying up the whole system in order to connect the employees for an industry to make sure that there will be no gap for work. (Responsible for the reliability of work increases.)
- Using the device, the power distribution authority will be able to provide power for emergency loads of all consumers and also to monitor the maximum allowable permitted load.
- SLM device facilitates switching over from permitted load to emergency and vice versa depending on the availability of the power supply.
- The SLM system can be effectively applied in a country where the demand of electricity is more than its generation.
The project includes the following deliverable modules.
Hardware Simulation:HMI
HMI stands for Human Machine Interface. This process will lead us to set our parameters. It will provide a signal to PLC by communication
PLC
PLC stands for Programmable Logic Controller. In this process, we will load the program according to our needs. It will take the signal from HMI and process it.
Switch gearbox
It is a box that will follow instructions from PLC and it contains various equipment like circuit Breakers, Relays, etc.
Designed Model
The system is installed in a house including rooms and lights of room1, room2, room3 kitchen, and drawing-room. The logics includes different modes for our desired output which include Force ON and OFF mode, saving mode, and priority mode, which all help us to manage the load.
Software Simulation:As Smart Load Management is the combination of PLC and HMI, therefore, following software will be used in the preparation.
- Easy Builder
- WinproLadder
- VNC Viewer
Easy Builder software will be used for the designing of HMI. WinProLadder software will be used for PLC programming. Virtual Network Computing (VNC) viewer is a graphical desktop sharing system that uses the remote frame Buffer protocol (RFB) to remotely control another computer/HMI.
Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry Energy Other Industries Education , IT , Medical , Food , Media , Health , Security Core Technology Internet of Things (IoT)Other Technologies Augmented & Virtual Reality, Clean TechSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for People, Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and ProductionRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 49480 | |||
| Programable Logic Controller | Equipment | 1 | 22000 | 22000 |
| Human Machine Interface | Equipment | 1 | 20000 | 20000 |
| Electronic overload Relay | Equipment | 1 | 900 | 900 |
| Relay 24v DC (10A-250V) | Equipment | 5 | 650 | 3250 |
| Laptop Charger (20v) | Equipment | 1 | 280 | 280 |
| Communication cable of PLC to HMI RS-232 | Equipment | 1 | 2700 | 2700 |
| Battery indicator (Module) | Equipment | 1 | 350 | 350 |