Solar-Powered IoTBased Fire Alarm System
Solar-Powered IoTBased Fire Alarm System
Abstract— The prevalence of fire incidents has increased alongside safety measures and infrastructures to adapt to the heightened
rising global temperatures, necessitating more sophisticated fire risks in a warming climate [1].
alarm systems. This intensity of fire emergency occurrence According to the NFPA, from 2011 to 2015 there were an
highlighted the deficiencies in current fire alarm and navigation estimated 37,910 fires in industrial and manufacturing
systems within buildings, often leading to delayed response times,
properties causing an estimated $1.2 billion in property damage
elevated risks, and impeded rescue operations. The limitations of
Traditional fire alarm systems, which rely on grid power, render per year. The leading causes of these industrial fires were
them susceptible to outages, and their absence of critical electrical distribution and lighting equipment (24%), eating
technologies restricts their effectiveness in prompt emergency equipment (16%) and intentional fires (9%). According to the
communication and response. This study aims to overcome these NFPA, fires caused by electrical distribution and lighting
challenges by designing and developing a solar-powered, IoT- equipment accounted for 55% of direct property damage and 9%
based fire alarm system integrated with GPS and GSM modules, of injuries in structure fires. The study’s objective is to bridge
assuring continued operation during power failures and the safety gaps of traditional fire alarm system and more
bolstering emergency response capabilities. The integration of advance system by designing and developing a Solar-Powered
solar power ensures sustainable operation, and the Internet of
IoT Fire Alarm Systems for Industrial and Residential Settings
Things (IoT) enables real-time data transmission, optimizing the
early detection and response to fire incidents. The incorporation with Integrated GPS and GSM for Fire Department Alerts. It
of the Global Positioning System and Global System for Mobile aims to speed up emergency response times while boosting fire
Communications offers real-time monitoring, precise location detection accuracy and reliability. Thus, by using solar power
tracking, and swift communication, fostering timely alerts that it can reduce reliance on conventional energy sources,
improve evacuation processes and support emergency responders. particularly in areas prone to power outages or where power
This advancement in fire safety has the potential to significantly sources are not readily available, this ensures continuous
reduce response time, minimize property damage, address operation of the alarm system even during adverse conditions,
negative impacts on global warming caused by fires, as well as save leading to long-term cost savings and environmental benefits
lives.
[3]. To collect empirical data, confirm functioning, and
pinpoint areas for development, prototyping will be used. The
Keywords— Solar Power, Internet of Things (IoT), Global
study aims to increase occupant and building safety by
Positioning System (GPS), Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM), Fire Alarm System. developing of a scalable and flexible fire alarm system that can
be used in practical settings. It can help to the fire fighter to go
I. INTRODUCTION early and avoid spreading of fire [4]. The main controller of this
Fires are unfavourable occurrences with real costs to both study is Node MCU Board or ESP32.
property and human lives. Global warming is one of the reasons The objective of this study is to bridge the safety gaps of
as it exacerbates the risk of industrial and residential fires by traditional fire alarm system by Designing and Developing a
increasing the demand for energy and straining electrical Solar-Powered IoT-based Fire Alarm Systems with Integrated
infrastructure, leading to potential overloads and fires. Extreme GPS and GSM for Fire Department Alerts.
weather events, intensified by climate changes, may damage Specifically, this study aimed to:
power lines and industrial equipment, heightening the risk of 1. Develop a Solar-Powered Fire Alarm System that
ignition. As a result, there is a growing need for enhanced fire operates independently of electrical power,
thereby ensuring uninterrupted functionality, III. HARDWARE ASPECTS
particularly during power outages.
2. Investigate how the inclusion of GPS and GSM A. Main Controller Unit: ESP32(Node MCU Board)
module in the Fire Alarm System can enhance the The system uses an ESP32(Node MCU board), which allows
accuracy of fire detection and communication, it to operate the fire alarm system. By running all of the
thereby providing early warning alerts to improve functionalities at once, the system uses less energy than
evacuation procedures and aid first responders. competing home automation systems. The ESP32 demonstrates
3. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the robust performance in industrial settings, maintaining reliable
proposed Solar-Based IoT Fire Alarm System operation across a wide temperature range from -40°C to
with GPS and GSM Alert Features by comparing +125°C. Equipped with sophisticated calibration circuitry, the
it to the existing fire alarm system. ESP32 can effectively mitigate external circuit irregularities
and adjust to fluctuations in environmental conditions [5].
II. OVERALL SYSTEM FUNCTION OVERVIEW
The design and development process for the Solar-Powered
IoT-based fire alarm system with GSM and GPS integration is
described in this section. The method used to accomplish the
system's goals, such as precise fire and smoke detection, real-
time navigation guidance, and identification of individual for
targeted rescue operations. The major elements,
communication protocols, and data flow between distinct
modules are highlighted in the system architecture.
Additionally, covered in this part are design factors for
scalability, interoperability, and user interface design. System
overview is shown in figure 1, Block diagram of the system
design shown in figure 2. Fig. 3. ESP32 DEVKIT V1 Main Controller
Label: 1-Detect, 2-Transmit, 3-Process and Sending Alerts, 4- B. Power Supply: Solar Panel
Intervention Solar energy is gaining popularity as a renewable energy
source since it produces electricity without emitting any
emissions and doesn't deplete the limited supply of fossil fuels.
They offer clean and sustainable energy solutions and fit
smoothly into a variety of applications, from home rooftops to
large-scale solar farms and off-grid systems [6].
C. Solar Controller
A solar charge controller serves as a critical component in
solar power systems, regulating the flow of electricity from
solar panels to batteries. As solar panels generate electricity
from sunlight, the charge controller ensures that the batteries
are charged safely and efficiently by managing the voltage and
current levels. This prevents overcharging, which can damage
the batteries, while also protecting against deep discharge,
Fig. 2. Block Diagram of System Design which can reduce battery lifespan [7].
Fig. 5. Solar Controller Fig. 8. NEO-6M GPS Module Pinout
D. Battery
Lead-acid batteries are commonly used in many things, like G. Sim800L V2 GSM Module
cars, battery storage in various applications, and solar power The SIM800L V2 GSM module stands out as a compact and
systems. They work by having lead plates in acid, which creates economical communication solution, providing strong GSM
electricity. These batteries are known for being reliable and and GPRS features. Designed to facilitate seamless cellular
tough, and they're often used for backup power or in places connectivity, it empowers devices to transmit and receive SMS
without electricity. Even though there are newer types of messages, handle phone calls, and access the internet via GPRS.
batteries, lead-acid ones are still popular because they're Boasting compatibility with quad-band GSM frequencies, this
dependable and affordable [8]. module ensures global network coverage [11].
D. Battery State
When the battery voltage is in normal condition, the state
LED lights in green; state LED flashes slowly in green when
Fig. 13. Solar Powered IoT-Based Fire Alarm System
battery finishes its charge; when the voltage of the battery is
lower, it will get in red color, and turns off the output at the
same time, until the battery voltage recovers to over discharge 4 0 460 41.18
return voltage, the system will work again automatically. 6 0 467 40.70
8 0 440 39.16
E. Testing of the Fire Alarm System with all of its Sensors and 10 0 419 40.18
12 0 420 40.18
Modules
14 0 468 41.18
Figure 14 shows the comprehensive testing of the 16 0 448 40.58
developed fire alarm system, where all sensors and modules are 18 0 457 40.91
integrated into a single unit. This test is conducted over a
20 0 451 41.15
duration of 1 hour, utilizing data logging, and employing a
controlled fire scenario. 22 0 487 41.72
24 0 454 41.31
26 0 462 41.31
28 0 477 42.23
30 0 498 42.30
32 0 1061 60.42
34 1 1661 65.67
36 1 1738 72.42
38 1 1937 73.60
40 1 2587 92.15
42 1 3312 108.90
44 1 3335 115.90
Fig. 14. Testing of the Fire Alarm System with all of its Sensors and Modules 46 1 3392 117.80
48 1 1732 85.17
Table II below presents a minute-by-minute account of the
50 1 1211 67.60
recorded data throughout the hour-long evaluation period.
During the initial 30 minutes, the system reports low readings 52 0 789 50.60
from the IR Flame sensor, MQ2 Smoke sensor, and DHT11 54 0 625 48.60
Temperature sensor, indicating the absence of fire and smoke 56 0 537 46.90
within the monitored area. However, nearing the 45-minute
58 0 408 44.80
mark, a controlled fire is initiated and sustained for
approximately 15 minutes. During this period, fire is gradually 60 0 445 40.30
intensifying, expanding from a scale of 10 inches to 50 inches.
As the fire intensifies, the sensor readings reflect the changing F. IoT Outcome for a 1-Hour Data Logging of IR, MQ2, and
conditions: the smoke level rises sharply to 3,392 ppm, while DHT11
the heat index reaches a peak of 108.9 degrees Celsius. The conducted one-hour tests with 2-minute intervals and a
Concurrently, an automated SMS notification system is controlled fire for about 4-6 inch, demonstrates its functionality
activated, sending real-time alerts to designated recipients, in fire detection and environmental monitoring. Table II
potentially including the Fire Department. These messages illustrates that throughout the initial 20 minutes, the Flame
include crucial information such as the detection of flames, the Sensor consistently recorded a value of 0, signaling the absence
current heat index, smoke levels, and the precise GPS of fire. This value shifted to 1 between 20-40 minutes upon fire
coordinates, facilitating swift response and intervention. The detection and reverted back to 0 from 40-60 minutes, indicating
GPS coordinates enable accurate pinpointing of the fire that the fire had been effectively neutralized. The MQ2 smoke
location via platforms like Google Maps. Approaching the 1- sensor initially registered smoke concentrations of 420-487
hour mark, as the fire is brought under control, the sensor ppm during the first 20 minutes. This value rose markedly to
values gradually decrease. The smoke and heat index readings 499-2001 ppm from 20-40 minutes due to a controlled fire,
diminish, while the IR sensor registers a return to its baseline followed by a substantial drop from 2001 ppm to 420 ppm,
level, signaling the cessation of the fire event. This gradual which attests to the sensor's capacity for real-time smoke
decline in sensor values indicates successful fire mitigation and detection. The DHT11 temperature sensor recorded a Heat
restoration of safe conditions within the monitored area. Index between 34.08 and 36.49 degrees Celsius initially, which
TABLE III escalated to 39.94-100.65 degrees Celsius in response to the
OUTCOME OF 1-HOUR TESTING WITH INTEGRATED SENSORS AND MODULES fire during the 20-40 minutes period, and then settled back to a
Time Flame Sensor Smoke Heat Index range of 79.54-35.34 degrees Celsius in the final 20 minutes,
(Minutes) showcasing precise temperature monitoring and swift
2 0 480 40.57 adaptation to thermal fluctuations.
TABLE III. OUTCOME FOR A 1-HOUR DATA LOGGING IN THE
G. Integration of GSM and GPS Module to the Fire Alarm
INTERNET OF THINGS
System
Time (Minutes) Flame Heat Smoke Delay Integrating GSM and GPS modules to the fire alarm system
Sensor Index (minutes) greatly enhances its effectiveness and adds several important
2 0 34.08 459 2
benefits. It enables real-time communication and tracking
4 0 34.08 420 2
6 0 34.08 453 2 capabilities. This mean that when a fire is detected, the alarm
8 0 33.86 467 2 system can immediately send notifications to designated
10 0 34.31 445 2 recipients such as fire departments, building owners, or security
12 0 34.31 475 2 personnel, through the GSM module.
14 0 34.08 455 2
16 0 34.08 439 2
18 0 34.09 458 2
20 0 36.49 487 2
22 1 39.94 868 2
24 1 47.26 499 2
26 1 58.25 591 2
28 1 65.84 675 2
30 1 84.58 1497 2
32 1 76.92 1475 2
34 1 102.28 1014 2
36 1 106.19 1207 2
38 1 95.96 1951 2
40 1 100.65 2001 2
42 0 79.94 495 2
44 0 42.97 485 2
46 0 36.91 441 2
48 0 36.99 420 2
50 0 35.54 449 2
52
54
0
0
35.24
35.55
480
489
2
2 A B C
C
56 0 35.08 470 2
58 0 35.34 433 2 Fig. 16. Sample SMS for GPS (a), (b) Google Location Map (c) GPS with
60 0 35.34 498 2 GSM