Remote Low-Cost Web-Based Battery Monitoring System and Control Using LoRa Communication Technology

Abstract

Batteries are a complex electrochemical device that exhibit non-linearity and stochastic behavior which rely upon the operational conditions and environmental factors, making battery monitoring a vital feature throughout its application. This paper introduces a novel web-based battery monitoring and control system that utilizes Long Range (LoRa) communication technology, an integral part of the Internet of Things (IoT). The system is implemented with the ESP32 microcontroller, with an emphasis on affordability in broader applications. The system provides comprehensive real-time online data by integrating a combination of multiple sensors. The proposed system seeks to address the limitations of existing communication technology by utilizing the benefits of LoRa, a technology that facilitates effective long-range, low-energy communication which makes it particularly well-suited for real-time monitoring applications. In addition, a control operation enables users to regulate crucial aspects of batteries, such as their charging and discharging. The research conducted a meticulous experimental evaluation of the proposed system at different operations, and the results successfully aligned with the main objective and aims of the research. The proposed system successfully enables real-time remote monitoring and user control, long-term data visualization through data logging, and assessment of battery conditions. Data logging was introduced to enhance the utilization of future battery evaluation, such as State-of-Charge (SOC), State-of-Health (SOH) and Remaining Useful Life (RUL). As a result, the developed system makes it suitable for many applications requiring effective energy storage solutions, such as renewable energy and Electric Vehicle (EV) applications.