Initial Design Report Sensing and Controlling

Question: Discuss about the Initial Design Report for Sensing and Controlling. Answer: Introduction In this project, a water level indicator design has been proposed. The Water Level Indicator will be designed using PIC 16F887. The final product designed would consist of the electronics part pf the product, which would be a Water Level Indicator with sensors and PIC microcontroller, and the product packaging, which would be designed on a 3D modelling software. The product packaging will be used to mount the software and it will also provide an interface to the user. The electronics part of the Water Level Indicator wold consist of the PIC microcontroller, the sensors, oscillators, voltage regulator, display circuit, and other necessary components of the circuit. Background Of Water Level Indicator A Water Level Indicator is a very important product. It can be installed on an overhead tank, to monitor the level of water. Specific levels can be specified for the indications, which are when reached, the Water Level Indicator can display the same to the user. The level of water can be tracked, and necessary action can be taken before the water overflows from the tank. Thus, the product Water Level Indicator would help in checking the wastage of water as well as energy. The product works on the basic idea that water is a good conductor of electricity. Design Justification The product would consist of indicator levels, which would serve as reference points for the water. When the water will reach those reference points, the user will be notified of the level reached by the water. The display attached to the product will serve the purpose of indicating the level reached. The reference points would consists of conducting plates to complete the circuit when water reached them. They will work as sensors in the Water Level Indicator. A voltage regulator will be included in the design, which would be needed for controlling the supply of voltage to the PIC microcontroller, and other electronic components and prevent them from any voltage surge. The oscillator circuit will be used to clock the PIC microcontroller. The product packaging will be designed such that all the components of the product can fit in the circuit completely, except sensors, and display can be viewed from it. Product Requirements Various requirements of the product, including their design details and specification, are: Power Supply Requirement The Water Level Indicator will be provided with a voltage regulator, to control the power supply received by its various components. The PIC microcontroller can be provided up to 5V. An additional output of 12V will be provided by the voltage regulator, which can be used for controlling additional components, like motors to control the water input to the tank at some later stage of product extension, in the voltage regulator. A proposed circuit for the voltage regulator is included below: Sensors The water level sensors will be installed at various levels of the tank. The sensors will receive the data when water reaches them, and will then transmit it to the PIC microcontroller, so that necessary action can be taken. The sensors work on the principle that water is a good conductor of electricity. Thus, when the water reaches the sensors, the circuit is completed, and a trigger is initiated, which can be monitored by the microcontroller to know the current level of water. The proposed sensor setup has been given below. Display Unit The LCD display will be used in the product. The LCD will be interfaced with the microcontroller using output ports of the PIC microcontroller. The display unit, LCD, will be used for display of level of water in the tank. In addition to LCD, LEDs will be used for indication of level of water. The LEDs will be connected to the PIC Microcontroller in series with resistors. Each LED will indicate the current level of water, that is, the current sensors that has been touched by the water. It will be automatically updated. Oscillator Crystal Oscillator will be used with the microcontroller. The oscillator will be used to clock the microcontroller, so that the auto update, continuous clock run, etc. can run according to the baud rate. The oscillator circuit will be interfaced at the oscillator input and output ports of the microcontroller. Engineering Specification The specifications of the proposed Water Level Indicator are as follows: The Water Level Indicator will be able to monitor five levels of water. This corresponds to five sends installed in the water tank. The Water Level Indicator will use PIC 16F887 for receiving the data from the sensors, controlling the display components, that is LEDs and LCD. The voltage regulator will have two output ports: One for PIC Microcontroller, with 5V output. One for proposed motor interface in project extension n future, with 12V output. The complete setup is expected to fit in a box of size 30cm by 15cm. This would include the microcontroller, voltage regulator, display units (LEDs and LCD) etc. The sensors will not be included in this packaging. The sensors will be installed in the water tank. The output pins of PIC microcontroller will be used to interface the display units of the product. The input pins of PIC microcontroller will be used to interface sensors of the product. The digital output and analog input pins will be used in this product, from the PIC 16F87. Proposed Design Diagram The proposed circuit diagram for the product has been included below: The diagram include all the components that would be used in the product designing, including their proposed port mapping with the PIC Microcontroller. The interface with LCD, LED and sensors has also been shown. The oscillator circuit has been included with the interface with the microcontroller. References Reza, S.K., Tariq, S.A.M. and Reza, S.M., 2010, October. Microcontroller based automated water level sensing and controlling: design and implementation issue. In Proceedings of the world congress on engineering and computer science (Vol. 1, pp. 20-22). Peso, D., 1988. Water level indicator. U.S. Patent 4,757,305. Nzioka, S., 2016. Water Level Indicator (Doctoral dissertation, United States International University-Africa). Oerbeck, I., 1962. Water Level Indicator (No. KR-23). Norway. Institut for Atomenergi, Kjeller. Rakshit, D., Baral, B., Datta, S., Deb, P.B., Mukherjee, P. and Paul, S., Water Level Indicator. Murase, M. and Araki, H., 1996. Water level indicator.