Study of monitoring system using power line communications

• Main Author: Liu, Yujun.
• Other Authors: Soh Cheong Boon
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Electric power
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/45925
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In an effort to remain competitive in the IT world, improvements in communication are essential in ensuring timely data transmission from one party to another. PLC is a rapidly evolving market that utilizes electricity power lines for the high-speed transmission of data and voice services. With the advancements of technology, it is increasingly popular that Power Line Communications (PLC) is readily suitable to be incorporated in any infrastructures. PLC works on the principle of the transmission of data over power lines in ensuring that efficiency is well met. As power lines are almost ubiquitous, PLC is potentially the network with the deepest capillarity in the world. The advantages of PLC surpassed the disadvantages thus making it potentially an omnipotent network access technology. The objectives of the study are to implement PLC into the various feasible applications, to show the effects in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of communication and the creation of the platform of PLC into various platforms or devices. The application of PLC in this study has been applied into the field of hydroponics. The working principle is to seek to deploy a monitoring control system using power line network in the hydroponics lab. In order to optimise plant growth, it is prudent that conditions in the greenhouse need to be constantly checked and equipment adjustments have to be made to ensure good plant growth resulting in better yield. Model construction which requires programming codes using Microsoft Visual C# have been developed for sensor attached on the MiniGizmo board. This program is used in the transferral of data from the MiniEVK. Nevertheless, limitations and problems towards the implementation of PLC were mentioned and recommendations were proposed.