Real-time Gas Leakage Alert System Using Microcontroller and SMS

Abstract

Gas leaks pose serious threats in residential and industrial spaces, often resulting in health hazards, fires, or even explosions if left undetected. Traditional detection methods are either costly or fail to provide instant notifications. This work introduces a that employs the ESP8266 microcontroller in combination with an MQ-2 sensor. The system continuously measures gas levels and, upon detecting concentrations above a defined threshold, sends an SMS alert to a registered mobile number through GSM-based communication. Unlike internet-dependent IoT solutions, SMS ensures fast alerts even in areas with limited connectivity. Testing results demonstrate reliable operation, rapid detection, and SMS delivery within seconds. The system is designed to be low-cost, energy efficient, and suitable for kitchens, storage rooms, and industrial facilities, ensuring timely intervention to reduce accidents [1][2][4].

Introduction

???? Objective

To design a low-cost, reliable, and standalone gas leakage detection system using the ESP8266 microcontroller and MQ-2 gas sensor, which sends SMS alerts when dangerous gas levels are detected—especially for small-scale or household use.

???? Problem Statement

• The increasing use of LPG and natural gas in homes and industries raises the risk of leaks, potentially leading to fires, explosions, or suffocation.

• Traditional systems:

  • Rely on manual supervision or costly infrastructure

  • Are unaffordable or impractical for households and small setups

???? Proposed Solution

A system that uses:

• ESP8266 NodeMCU: as the processing and communication unit

• MQ-2 Sensor: detects LPG, methane, and butane gases

• SMS-based alerts: ensures users are notified immediately without relying on constant internet access

???? Literature Review Highlights

• Previous works used:

  • Arduino with GSM: Effective but limited scalability

  • ESP8266 with cloud-based notifications: Internet-dependent

  • AI-enhanced industrial solutions: Expensive for home use

• This research builds on past findings by emphasizing SMS alerts via ESP8266, ensuring affordability, accessibility, and offline functionality

?? System Methodology

???? Hardware Components

• ESP8266 NodeMCU – Microcontroller with built-in Wi-Fi

• MQ-2 Sensor – Detects gas levels (LPG, methane, butane)

• Power Supply – Regulated 5V input

???? How It Works

1. MQ-2 senses gas concentrations continuously.

2. ESP8266 reads sensor output and compares it to a defined threshold (e.g., 300 ppm).

3. If exceeded:

   • ESP8266 sends an SMS alert to the user.

4. The user can take immediate action to prevent hazards.

? Why ESP8266 over Arduino Uno

• Faster processing

• Lower energy consumption

• Built-in connectivity (Wi-Fi)

• More memory for enhanced features

???? System Results

• Detection time: 2–3 seconds after gas exposure

• SMS alert delay: 5–8 seconds

• Sensor stability: Reliable after calibration; no false alarms

• Performance: Low latency, responsive processing by ESP8266

Conclusion

This research presented by a ESP8266 and MQ-2. By leveraging SMS-based communication, the design overcomes limitations of internet-only solutions and ensures fast notifications during emergencies. Testing validated its quick response time and reliability. In future work, the system can be expanded with IoT dashboards, cloud storage, or integration into smart home automation networks for enhanced safety and control [3][5].

References

[1] Ahmed, S., et al. (2021). “MQ-2 Gas Sensor with GSM-enabled Alerting for Safety Applications.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series. [2] Patel, R., et al. (2022). “IoT-based Gas Monitoring using ESP8266 and Mobile Notification.” ResearchGate. [3] Rajesh, P., & Singh, A. (2022). “AI-Enhanced Industrial Safety Systems: Challenges and Opportunities.” Quest Journals: Electronics and Communication Research. [4] World Scientific News. (2024). “Design and Implementation of a Gas Leakage and Temperature Monitoring System with SMS Alert.” World Scientific News, 198(2024), 29–55. [5] Vijayalakshmi, R., et al. (2024). “IoT-Enabled LPG Leakage Monitoring with ESP8266 and Mobile Alerts.” SSRN Electronic Journal.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. B N Naveen Kumar, Prof. Sharvani V. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.