ICP DAS’s Cloud Data Visualization Solution for Solar Power Plant Monitoring (Phuket, Thailand)
ICP DAS‘s WISE series IIoT edge controllers collect data from solar power plants located in Phuket, Thailand, and its surrounding 32 outlying islands. The data is then transmitted to a control center in Phuket via a 4G wireless connection and managed with the IoTstar software developed by ICP DAS. This software can easily monitor and manage the status of solar power plants remotely, displaying the data on the dashboard and providing the management personnel with an indicator of preventive maintenance of solar power plants.
Introduction:
In order to solve the energy crisis, in recent years, the government of Thailand enthusiastically engaged in the introduction of photovoltaic systems. In addition, currently, Thailand is the fastest developing country in solar energy among Southeast Asian countries. The government of Thailand has already installed 150 solar power plants in Phuket and its surrounding 32 outlying islands in the southern region to collect data on power generation and equipment status.
There are many islands around Phuket, but they are located very far away, so it is difficult to control and maintain the equipment, as the work process there is time-consuming and labor-intensive. To ensure the normal operation of solar power plants, the customer wants to use IIoT technology to transmit data from each solar power plant on each remote island via 4G to the control center in Phuket. The system can receive real-time information and analyze the monitoring data of each power plant to achieve the goal of preventive maintenance and reduce maintenance costs caused by failures. This case illustrates how ICP DAS‘s cloud data visualization solution helps the customer monitor solar plants remotely.
ICP DAS's IIoT edge controller WISE-5231M-4GE and software IoTstar for real-time remote monitoring system
In this case, the customer uses the A-brand PLC controller to transmit solar panel status, power, voltage, temperature, and humidity data from solar power plants located on each island to the ICP DAS‘s WISE-5231M-4GE via the Modbus TCP protocol. The IIoT edge controller then sends the collected data to a control center in Phuket via 4G wireless communication. After that, the monitoring center computer, with the IoTstar cloud management software installed on it, helps the customer implement a real-time monitoring and control system for solar power plants. The structure of this system is as follows:
ICP DAS‘s WISE IIoT edge controllers are widely used for remote logic control and monitoring in various industrial applications. The built-in IF-THEN-ELSE statement can execute automation logic stably and efficiently. It also provides features such as mathematical operations, scheduling, and email notifications. The WISE IIoT edge controller can immediately initiate actions and issue warnings to ensure no data is lost in case of a communication interruption. In this case, the customer uses WISE-5231M-4GE to transmit solar plant data to the control center through 4G wireless communication.
The IoTstar is a cloud management software developed by ICP DAS. It can remotely monitor and control IIoT controllers such as the WISE/PMC/PMD series and the I/O modules, devices, and equipment connected to the controllers. The IoTstar can be installed not only on private cloud platforms in the Windows OS, but also on public cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure, IBM Bluemix, Google Cloud, or Amazon Web Services. In this case, the customer uses IoTstar to receive the solar power plant data sent from the WISE-5231M-4GE IIoT edge controller, then import it into the database and display it on the dashboard, thus controlling the equipment on the remote islands at the same time.
Benefits:
1. The WISE-5231M-4GE, through the 4G wireless communication method, solves the problem of wiring and information transmission, effectively reducing the cost of wiring. With a 4G wireless auto-reconnection mechanism, the WISE-5231M-4GE can transmit a large amount of information in the shortest time.
2. The WISE series IIoT edge controller provides a simple and user-friendly web interface for editing control logic. Users don’t have to write code; just click a setting on the HMI to complete editing the control logic.
3. The built-in “Data Logger” function of the WISE series IIoT edge controller provides the data recovery mechanism, which can automatically transmit data back to the control center. When a network failure occurs in a 3G/4G base station, the data recording function will continue to operate, keeping all the information safe. When the base station resumes operation, the WISE series IIoT edge controller will return the stored data to the control center to ensure the complete transmission of all data files.
4. With the IoTstar, there is no need to worry about the network environment of the WISE controller on the field side. No matter whether the controller uses static IP, dynamic IP, virtual IP, or physical IP, with the IoTstar, the management personnel can perform status monitoring, system settings, and configuration of provided data. And also, through the web interface provided by IoTstar, users can update the firmware of the WISE controller, solve the problem of IP management in the 3G/4G wireless communication network, and reduce the time and cost of sending personnel to the field.
5. With the IoTstar dashboard service, each solar power plant has an independent dashboard, which helps users check the power plant’s real-time status data and helps management personnel organize preventive maintenance in advance and reduce the cost of subsequent maintenance. In addition, IoTstar version 2.0 also has a report service, which provides report statistics and query services for the channel value of I/O modules (or power meters) connected to the WISE/PMC/PMD series controllers. There are two report formats available: PDF and Excel. For more information, please refer to the following link: https://www.icpdas.com/en/product/guide+IIoT+Software+IoTstar
Conclusion:
This customer achieved its goal of building a remote monitoring and predictive maintenance system with the help of ICP DAS‘s cloud data visualization solution. This application model has also been successfully used in other countries. For example, WISE-5231M-3GWA and IoTstar are used to transmit the vibration data of wind turbines across the UK through 3G wireless communication to the monitoring center in London(Application of ICP DAS’s Solution for Cloud Data Visualization in Wind Turbine Foundation Monitoring System in the UK). The water pump monitoring system in Indore City, Madhya Pradesh State, India, also uses WISE-5231M-4GE and IoTstar for remote monitoring.
ICP DAS is committed to providing customers with easy-to-operate solutions to solve complex data transmission problems due to environmental constraints. For instance, Thailand’s energy transition not only reduces dependence on fossil fuels, but also alleviates serious air pollution problems, promising a safer and cleaner home for the next generation. ICP DAS invites you to join us in protecting our environment and doing your part to reduce carbon emissions.
Related products:
Categories
Edge Computing, Energy Management, IIoT, Natural Resources, Renewable Energy Monitoring, Wind/Solar Energy
ICP DAS View All
ICP DAS was established in 1993 and strongly focuses on innovation and the enhancement of industrial automation technology. ICP DAS continuously endeavors to develop a comprehensive selection of products ranging from remote I/O controllers, distributed I/O modules, I/O data acquisition boards, programmable automation controllers, industrial communication modules, web-related products, motion control systems, SCADA/HMI software to automation solutions for applications critical to energy management, motion automation, smart factories, intelligent buildings, and smart cities. Our ambition is to provide a wide range of high-quality products and versatile applications, together with prompt and efficient services, that can be implemented to assist in the continued success of our clients worldwide.
One thought on “ICP DAS’s Cloud Data Visualization Solution for Solar Power Plant Monitoring (Phuket, Thailand)” Leave a comment ›