A Microcomputer Implementation Of An Intelligent Data Acquisition And Load Forecasting System

Abstract

This paper reports on the hardware and the programming aspects of an intelligent data acquisition and load forecasting system that has been implemented on a desktop microcomputer. The objective was to develop a low cost and reliable system that would collect forecasted weather data, real-time electric utility load data, archive them, and issue an electric utility load forecast in 1-hour, 6-hour and upto 24-hour increments within a midnight-to-midnight time frame. Data are collected, over commercial telephone lines, from remote locations (often hundreds of miles apart), filtered and then processed. The archived data are used to form monthly summaries of hourly electric utility load (MW) and weather conditions in the area. A set of pre-selected rules are then applied on this database to develop the desired load forecast. All this work is done in a totally automated fashion, i.e., without any human intervention. The data acquisition and load forecasting system is based on an AT&T 3B2/300 UNIX based desktop microcomputer. The 3B2 serves as the "heart" of the system and performs the functions of data collection, processing, archiving, load forecasting and display. It is a multi-tasking, multi-user machine and at it's present configuration can support four users and a "super user", or system manager.