Implementation of Smart Loading Monitoring and

Control System with ZigBee Wireless Network

Mei-Sung Kang, Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical Engineering
Kao Yuan University
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
t20014@cc.kyu.edu.tw
Yu-Lung Ke, Senior Member, IEEE Jheng-Sheng Li
Department of Electrical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering
National Penghu University of Science and Technology Kao Yuan University
Penghu, Taiwan, R.O.C. Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
yulungke@ms25.hinet.net

Abstract—This paper implements a smart loading monitoring
and control system with ZigBee wireless network in the objective
of developing the potential for demand response for numerous
numbers of residential and commercial customers. This system
can effectively solve the insufficiency problem of power supply
while such problem happened in the electricity utility side, the
system restrains the peak loading of Taipower system in time to
prevent transformer from overloading, and decrease peak power
generation simultaneously in order to achieve the goal of energy
conservation and carbon reduction. ZigBee wireless smart
loading monitoring and control system uses visualized program
language to develop graphic control software, and the control
module of this system which applied the perimeter interface
controller (PIC) single chip microprocessor and embedded
ZigBee wireless integrated circuit (IC). Meanwhile, through the
application of infrared control technology and the deployment of
temperature loading control module, the software and hardware
were integrated into a set of home-using smart loading control
system. The operating status of electrical appliances then can be
monitored and controlled at any time. The integration of ZigBee
smart loading control module and digital meter, in the other
hand, can also monitor and control the electricity consumption of
household appliances and manage standby power as well. It
effectively reduces the power consumption of peak hours and
saves the cost of power rate for residential users and commercial
clients.
Keywords-wireless networN; perimeter interface controller
growth of peak loading and the CO2 emission [1-2] by both
ways at one swoop.
There is a questionnaire survey made for US Federal
Amendment Act EPACT-Sec.1252 ᇷ Smart Metering ᇸ
declared at 2005 according to the US demand response and
advanced metering coalition (DRAM) advanced metering
infrastructure (AMI) Demonstration Projects for 38 electricity
industries at 2006 result of this survey shown when clients are
offered with much detail information about the real-time
power consumption and the power rate in the rush peak hours
(ex: allows client to check the power consumption in 15
minutes from web by himself.) average rate of power
consumption of peak hours can be reduced to 11% [3-4] in the
period of 100 rush peak hours (2PM~7PM) implemented
every year, this data collected from the clients of 38 electricity
industries participated the project. However, the energy
payback situation might be happened while clients turn power
of air conditioner stronger to pre-cooling and lowering room
temperature before the rush peak hours, or clients turn air
conditioner to full load after the peak hours. This situation can
cause the power consumption getting more than usual as a
feedback phenomenon. Per Taipower system record at July 23,
2007, the peak loading of 32,791MW during the period of 576
hours of the peak hours, the reduced power consumption could
be around 2 billion degrees in the summer and the power
(PIC ; demand responsH; load-shedding
I. INTRODUCTION
For responding to the recent rapidly increasing trend of
petroleum price, expecting the reduction of power generation
cost, achieving the goal of energy conservation and carbon
reduction, many governments in the world are trying all the
efforts by applying information and communication
technology (ICT) into the development of green energy to
promote energy utilization efficiency. To meet requirement of
enhancing the efficiency of energy utilization, some
governments present smart power demand response loading
control strategy and the advanced meter structure plan. Such
strategy and plan focuses on the terminals between electricity
industries and clients in order to achieve the enhancement of
power utilization and reaches the goal of restraining the
978-1-4244-8756-1/11/$26.00 2011
c IEEE
consumption 2,077,637 MWh of peak hours could be reduced
if calculated the ratio by above noted survey result. In this
case, the technologies research and equipments of software
and hardware related to the loading control of demand
response are with very high developing potential in the
domestic market of energy conservation.
To achieve the goal of energy conservation and carbon
reduction, the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic
Affairs, Taiwan, R.O.C. has declared that energy consumption
should be in efficient, clean, and steady ways as the objectives
of National Sustainable Energy Policy. Especially on the goal
to consume energy more effectively, the bureau hopes to
increase the efficiency over 2% every year through the
promotion of smart household appliances and the development
of home automation within the next eight years [5-6].
However, there is no example with the application of home
power control and conservation system in Taiwan so far, but
many tests of practical performances were done at home client
907
ends in Japan. The tests’ strategy mostly focused on the
reduction of the lighting and the power consumption of air
conditioner in area without people, as well as the advice of
power consumption to families for aspiring client’s actions of
power conservation on their own, etc. The maximum test
result of energy conservation efficiency is about 13%.
Home power control and conservation system will be
developed and introduced to the domestic in next few years,
and the system will put household standby power under the
management too, so that the estimated efficiency of power
conservation is able to achieve 15%. In the case of residential
client consumed low voltage power, the power consumption is
320 degree every month. The ratio of power consumption of
household appliances in the summer is shown as Fig. 1. In the
figure, the consumption ratio of air conditioner is 41%;
lighting is 18%, and 41% for main household appliances. If
the Smart loading monitoring controller can be developed
according to the priority of the loading of household
appliances and the contribution of peak loading, and also
combined with the coordination of the strategy of load-
shedding demand response for implementing the load-
shedding of household appliances or stopping the power
supply. The objectives of restrained peak loading and energy
conservation can be achieved firmly.
P(kW)
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0 of auto loading mode, and the load-shedding ratio of each
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
ᤨ㑆 (Hour)
Figure 1. The load composition of household appliances.
This paper develops energy conservation market of
household appliances loading control, reduces wiring of
communication, and builds the quick and efficient control
network. This way makes residential people feel ubiquitous of
communication environment. Regarding the communication
bottleneck for numerous numbers of residential clients and
commercial clients consumed low voltage power as the last
mile of household appliances automation, it can be solved by
the combination of ZigBee wireless detection network and
distributed automation optical fiber communication. ZigBee
wireless detection network is the network system composed of
one to few wireless data receivers and numerous number of
detectors. The network structure is mainly composite with
components of coordinator, router, and end device, shown as
Fig. 2. The communication way among components is
adopting the wireless method.
908 2011 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications
Figure 2. The model of ZigBee wireless network.
For the promotion of ZigBee wireless network smart
loading control system in the client side, it is planned to use
the integration of ZigBee smart loading control module and
digital meter through ZigBee wireless network to process bi-
directional communication with power distribution center of
demand response. This way shows the real-time power rate
structure or the message of demand response on the LCD
monitor in the client side. The sequence of load-shedding will
be set according to the priority of the loading of client’s
household appliances.
It can create the ubiquitous existing feeling in the
communication environment by ZigBee wireless network, and
collect the data and the loading mode of power consumption
ਥⷐኅ㔚 of different household appliance from time to time. Through
ᾖ᣿ this feature, the database of the loading of household
಄᳋ⓨ⺞
appliances can be established. Afterward, the composition of
the loading of household appliances and their contributions of
the loading in the peak hours, as well as the smart arrangement
shunt can be derived. The temperature sensitivity analysis is
implemented on the loading of temperature sensitive
household appliances. It is used to discover the energy
conservation potential of the adjustment of loading
temperature configuration of air conditioner.
When ZigBee smart loading control module of client side
has received the load-shedding message of demand response
from power distribution center, the module gives load-
shedding instruction to ZigBee shunt loading control mode to
drive shunt switch for implementing larger amount of load-
shedding; for smaller amount of the loading control, it is
designated to temperature control module which implements
loading control of the temperature setting of air conditioner in
order to achieve the best contractual load-shedding amount for
the demand response. Smart power management system
monitors and controls the power consumption of household
appliances at anytime, and manages its standby power for
effectively reducing power consumption and saving the cost of
power rate for commercial clients in peak hours.
When there are abnormal situations such as overloading or
electric cord burned out of household appliances happened, the
system can still send alert through smart power management
 system and send signal to trip off appliances with above noted
situation in order to protect people’s lives and safety of
families. The platform of ZigBee wireless network smart
loading control system established in this paper is not only able
to verify numerous numbers of low voltage consumption
residences and commercial clients to implement the service
reservation of demand, but also provide the strategy reference
for the promotion of demand response of Power Company and
the energy conservation and carbon reduction of virtual power
plant.
II. RESEARCH METHOD
The structure of ZigBee wireless network smart loading
control system of this paper is shown as Fig. 3. Its hardware
includes (1) ZigBee smart loading control module; (2) ZigBee
shunt loading control module; (3) ZigBee temperature setting
module. The hardware function is for achieving the
contractual loading control for demand response; the software
is the smart power management system which aims to the
objectives of electricity-saving and standby for energy
conservation.
Figure 3. The structure of ZigBee wireless network smart loading control system.
The system functionality can be separated into two major
parts: the side of electricity industries and the side of clients.
About the demand response in the side of electricity industries,
it is sent by power distribution center through the bi-
directional communication between the ZigBee wireless
network or GSM/GPRS and the ZigBee smart loading control
module in the side of clients. Power distribution center also
sends the real-time power rate and the indicators of system
reliability from the side of electricity industries to the side of
clients by the bi-directional communication. When ZigBee
smart loading control module received the instructions, the
module will process corresponding loading control action
according the received information. Besides, ZigBee smart
loading control module of the client side will also offer the
information of power consumption, status of loading control,
and the controllable loading margin to the electricity industries
side. The information can be used as the reference for Power
Company to adjust the dispatch of power distribution system.
A. ZigBee Smart Loading Control Module
The hardware structure of ZigBee smart loading control
module developed and researched by this paper is shown as
2011 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications
Fig. 4. Its hardware includes (1) central processing module;
(2) ZigBee network module; (3) input/output port; (4) RS-485
interface; (5)Flash ROM; and (6) RTC.
The smart load-shedding firmware determines the load-
shedding priority, the amount and ratio of the shunt load-
shedding from the priority of household appliances of clients,
the loading contribution, and the loading of peak hours. When
there is the occurrence of demand response over the
contractual value, the host computer is controlled to process
the action of load-shedding in order to avoid clients have the
fine of excess limit on the contract. The objective of power
management is so achieved.
Figure 4. The structure of ZigBee smart loading control module.
B. ZigBee Shunt Loading Monitor Module
The module can process direct loading control through
power relay for the shunt loading control of household
appliances, such as electric water heater or water-pumping
motor. However, such appliances are with very high power
consumption, the loading current at the control action of
breaking on and off is also quite high. If the breaking on and
off timing during the controlling period has not been
considered, it is easy to cause the reduction of contacts life
because of the electric arc generated at both sides of
controlling contacts by loading current. In this case, there is a
detection circuit with current zero-cross point of time designed
in this plan. The circuit breaks loading current in the current
zero-cross point of time and by this way the life of relay
contacts can be extended. Zero-cross circuit is mostly
composed of arithmetic amplifiers. Its circuit structure is
shown as Fig. 5. The composition also includes voltage
follower. The objective is the insulation of signals from power
source, then input signals to zero-cross detection circuit. The
signals are also insulated by optical coupler, and input to
microprocessor.
909

Figure 5. Zero-crossing detection circuit.
The system structure of ZigBee Shunt Loading Monitor
Module is shown as Fig. 6. It processes ubiquitous loading
control of turning on/off for household appliances by using the
method of bi-directional communication of ZigBee wireless
network. When ZigBee smart loading control module received
load-shedding instruction, the microprocessor begins to detect
the zero-crossing signals of voltage and current for load-
shedding implementation at zero-crossing point. In the same
way, when communication module received reloading
instruction, then microprocessor begins to detect zero-crossing
signals for the action of reloading implementation. Besides,
ZigBee smart loading control module will also detect the
status of current controllable contacts, and if the situation of
loading under the uncontrollable happened when the control
instruction sending, the load-shedding module can report back
the error message automatically and notify user of the
situation. The side of clients can understand current status of
every controllable loading of appliances through the man-
computer interface of ZigBee smart loading control module,
and then the load-shedding and reloading control of module
can be optimized.
Figure 6. The structure of ZigBee shunt loading control module.
C. ZigBee Temperature Setting Loading Control Module
This paper sets loading control for split or window type air
conditioner. For developing ZigBee wireless infrared
temperature setting control module, the client comfort level
and operation of air conditioner has been considered. The
module uses infrared control technology to increase the
temperature of air conditioner but not turn off power directly
and the comfort level can be remained. In order to achieve the
application of infrared for controlling the loading of air
conditioner, its circuit design must have functions of infrared
reception and transmission simultaneously. The major
function of infrared reception is receiving the code from
infrared remote controller, and after decoding by
microprocessor, the code can be used to set air conditioning
temperature, adjust wind speed, or turn on/off the loading of
air conditioning, etc. The major function of infrared
910 2011 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications
transmission circuit is transmitting signals to control the
loading of air conditioner through infrared transmitter after the
instruction received. The circuit of infrared transmission must
contain a signal oscillation source and also combines with
pulse signals sent by microprocessor, then passes through
transistor to control infrared remote controller. Its circuit is
shown as Fig. 7.
Figure 7. The circuit of infrared transmission.
D. Smart Power Management System
The visualized program language is used to develop a
well-completed and friendly man-computer interface for Smart
power management system in this paper. The loading database
of clients is established by the integration of this management
system and control modules. It offers real-time information
display and history inquiry, and allows to set the schedule of
turning on/off for household appliances through internet or
GPRS/GSM cell phone. The management of the smart
household appliance loading control and the standby power
consumption can be achieved effectively.
In order to know the connection status of ZigBee wireless
network with the loading control modules of household
appliances of every client, the VB graphical interface of
connection status was designed by this thesis, shown as Fig. 8.
The connection status among personal computer, ZigBee
coordinator, and end devices can be checked by the VB
interface. Users can set related settings of RS232
communication port by oneself, such as number of
communication port, data transmission baud rate, transmitting
data size, and number of stop bits. In the household appliance
node labeled area of ZigBee wireless network, the interface
allow user to know the status of power consumption and
standby of household appliances of every client. It also
implements the analysis for the composition of the loading of
household appliances and the smart standby management of
household appliances. These features help to restrain power
distribution of the loading of the peak hours and save the cost
of power rate.
In the view of power quality, the interface monitors the
information of time, date and duration in the event of power
failure for the loading of every shunt instantly. It also records
the variations of irregular voltage, current, and power quality.
Those records are with great help to the enhancement and
improvement of the reliability of power consumption and the
power supply quality in the side of clients.

Figure 8. The connection status of ZigBee wireless network with the loading
control modules of household appliances of every client.
III. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The testing platform of ZigBee wireless network smart
loading monitor system is established according to this thesis.
Singe-phase with three-wire loading test is performed on the
platform. The loading loop is composed with three loops: a
220V loop of air conditioner, and 2 loops of 110V loading
loop. When three loops are loading, the compressor will be
activated at 25°C as air conditioner temperature setting.
The loading loop No.1: the fan will be activated and the
loading volume is 52.8W; the loading loop No.2: the
blower will be activated and the loading volume is 282W. In
this moment, the total loading volume is 3,000W, as shown as
Fig. 9.
Figure 9. The loading volume of each loop.
In order to studying the demand response and estimating
the potential evaluation of power distribution system while
unloading the load in the peak hours for the residences and
commercial clients of low voltage power consumption, below
test is implemented according to this paper, and the load-
shedding test of demand response is performed at 300W and
500W.
A. The load-shedding volume of demand response is 300W
When clients received the message of 300W load-shedding
volume of demand response from Power Company, ZigBee
smart loading control module checks the loading of every loop
and the sequence of load-shedding can be arranged according
2011 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications
the priority of the loading loop. The performance result is that
ZigBee smart loading control module sends the breaking
instruction of loading to ZigBee shunt loading control module,
by this way it tripped the loading loop No.2 of blower first (as
shown as Fig. 10), then tripped the loading No.1 of fan (as
shown as Fig. 11). The load-shedding volume is over 300W.
Figure 10. The loading loop of blower in the tripped action.
Figure 11. Total load-shedding volume is over 300W.
B. The load-shedding volume of demand response is 500W
Same method, when clients received the message of 500W
load-shedding volume of demand response from Power
Company, ZigBee smart loading control module will check
the loading of every loading loop. The sequence of load-
shedding can be arranged according the priority of the loading
loop. When the load-shedding volume of twin loops is not
over 500W, the module will process temperature minor
adjustment by increasing degree setting and to decrease energy
loading volume. This way won’t affect the air conditioning
comfort level, either. The performance result is that ZigBee
smart loading control module sends the breaking instruction of
loading to ZigBee shunt loading control module through
ZigBee wireless network. This way tripped the loading of twin
loops first, and then processed the temperature setting loading
control of air conditioner. When ZigBee temperature setting
module received the instruction of temperature adjustment
911
from ZigBee smart loading control module, the temperature
setting module will use infrared control to gradually adjust the
temperature of air conditioning to 30°C, as shown as Fig. 12.
Then the compressor will be stopped, the loading volume
reaches over 500W, as shown as Fig .13.
Figure 12. The compressor stops when the temperature of air conditioning
set as 30°C.
Figure 13. Total load-shedding volume is over 500W.
IV. CONCLUSIONS
This paper presents the research of ZigBee wireless
network smart loading control system, and also cooperates
with partner industries to develop (1) ZigBee smart loading
control module; (2) ZigBee shunt loading control module; and
(3) ZigBee temperature setting module. These systems and
technologies are planned to apply to the market of home
automation for the requested function of the energy and power
conservation and the restraint of loading of peak hours for
demand response. In the part of software, this paper builds
smart power management system. The system develops
912 2011 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications
numerous numbers of residential and commercial clients of
low voltage consumption and restrains the loading potential of
peak hours in order to achieve the goals of power-saving and
power conservation with standby control.
In the client side, for the promotion of ZigBee wireless
network smart loading control system, it uses the integration
of ZigBee smart loading control module and digital meter
through ZigBee wireless network to process bi-directional
communication with power distribution center of demand
response. This way shows the real-time power rate structure or
the message of demand response on the LCD monitor in the
client side. The sequence of load-shedding is set according to
the priority of the loading of client’s household appliances. It
can create the ubiquitous existing feeling in the
communication environment by ZigBee wireless network, and
collect the data and the loading mode of power consumption
of different household appliance. Through this feature, the
database of the loading of household appliances can be
established. Afterward, the composition of the loading of
household appliances and their contribution of the loading in
the peak hours, as well as the smart arrangement of auto
loading mode, and the load-shedding ratio of each shunt can
be derived.
Smart power management system monitors and controls the
power consumption of household appliances at anytime. Its
standby power management can effectively lower power
consumption and save the cost of power rate for commercial
clients in peak hours. When there are abnormal situations of
overload or electric cord burned out of electrical appliances
happening, the system can still send alert through smart power
management system and send signal to trip problem appliance
in order to protect the client’s lives and safety of families.
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