Wi-Valve: a new remote control system for valves at Acram

The project developed in this thesis has the goal of realizing a new remote control system for a group of valves. This project, called Wi-valve, has been promoted by Acram, a leading manufacturer of automatic microfiltration systems for wine. Wi-valve follows for Acram the specific need to introduce a control system for valves without cabling, particularly useful when necessary to install widely separated valves. Wi-valve is a large-scale project divided into several phases: 1. Software protocol realization. 2. Electromagnetic resistance testing of the prototype. 3. Design of a new electronic board to be inserted in the valve header. 4. Implementation of the system in the current control program of the microfiltration system. In this thesis we will only address the first point, and to this aim we will develop a software prototype capable of connecting 54 Esp8266 microcontrollers to a WiFi network. Following the practical realization the first program is coded on Esp8266 that handles the WiFi received messages, their understanding and execution. Later on, a second program was coded, capable of sending personalized messages on WiFi to the valves through an user interface. Wi-valve will allow Acram to minimize the cabling of the microfiltration systems sold, satisfying the needs of customers in all circumstances. The approach and design choices for the software protocol realization will be described in detail in this thesis.