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Computer Engineering Project Topics

Design and Construction of a Microcontroller-based Mains Switch Control System

Design and Construction of a Microcontroller-based Mains Switch Control System

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Design and Construction of a Microcontroller-based Mains Switch Control System

Chapter One

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This research aims to construct effective software and hardware for microcontroller-based main switch control systems. Specifically, the objectives are to produce a device that:

  • Saves the time of going from one switch to another to prove the industrial equipment since the switches can be controlled remotely (computer system).
  • Has a program control switch, which will help to reduce the use of manual switches, if not eliminate it
  • To create a system that ensures the integrity of the complete microcontroller system during all forms of environmental stress (shock, transient noise)
  • Removes friction with the use of the program control switch.

CHAPTERย TWO

LITERATUREย REVIEW

ย INTRODUUCTION

A control system is a device or set of devices used to manage, command,ย direct or regulate the behaviour of other devices or system. The term controlย system may beย appliedย toย theย essentiallyย manual controlsย that allowย anย operator to, for example close and open a hydraulic press, where the logicย requires thatย itย cannotย beย movedย unless safetyย guardsย are inย place.

There are two common classes of control systems with many variations and combinations: logic or sequential controls and feedback or linear controls. There is also fuzzy logic, which attempts to combine some of the design simplicity of logic (the study of the principles of valid inference and demonstration) with the utility of linear control. Some devices or systems are not controllable. An automatic sequential control may trigger a series of mechanical actuators (mechanical device form ring or controlling a mechanism or system) in the correct sequence to perform a task. In the case of linear feedback systems, a control loop, including sensors (a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument), control algorithms and actuators, is arranged in such a fashion as to try to regulate a variable at a reference value or set point. An example of this may be to increase the fuel supply to a furnace when a measured temperature drops. As Wikipedia cited, PID controllers (proportional- integral- derivative controller) is a generic control loop feedback mechanism widely used in industrial control system, attempts to correct the error between a measured process variable and a desired setpoint by calculating and then outputting a corrective action that can adjust the process accordingly to keep the error minimal. Open loop control systems do not directly make use of feedback, but run only in pre arranged ways. Pure logic control systems were historically implemented by electricians with network relays and designed with a notation called Ladder logic [3].

Today, most of such systems are constructed with programmable logic devices. ON โ€“ OFF control, for example a switch control is a simple negative- feedback, when light goes below a setpoint (SP), the light is switched OFF but when it goes above a setpoint, the light is switched ON, logic controllers may respond to switches, light sensor and pressure switches andย causeย theย machineryย toย perform someย operation.ย Theyย areย usedย toย sequence mechanical operations in many applications. Some techniques areย used in control system like the Derivative action which is a part concernedย with the rate of change of the error with time. This action makes controlย system behave much more intelligently.ย The microcontroller- based switchย controlย systemย usesย specializedย equipmentย toย controlย theย switchingย ofย electrical devices. Through the interface on the computer, one can switchย on/off electrical appliances from remote places. Sayers et al. (1991) notedย that technological advances in Digital Signal processor (DSPS), networking,ย microprocessors, and programmable logic devices (PLDS) have empoweredย designersย withย entirelyย newย techniquesย andย methodologiesย thatย wereย economicallyย unthinkableย twoย decadesย ago.ย Theseย advances,ย alongย withย increased performance demands, have fueled the push of digital technologyย deeper into the controlled devices.ย The justification often quotedย for thisย push to digital controlย includes reproductively, increased stability, increasedย resolutionย andย decreasedย infrastructureย costsย (networksย replaceย controlย wiring)ย [4].

OVERVIEWย OFย LIGHTINGย CONTROLLERย 

A switch is a device that opens or closes a circuit. Switch is a device that causes the operation of a circuit between discrete specified levels. The technology of the automation evolves from a manually switching of devices โ€œonโ€ or โ€œoffโ€. This automation can be illustrated with a control system that uses a computer system to control the state (on/off) of appliances.

Advanced English Dictionary, defines control to mean the authority, or the power to influence or guide something. It can also be defined as the levers, switches and other instruments for operating a machine or other devices. Lighting Controller here can be defined as responsible for directing or controlling the light automatically whether remotely or locally in contrast with the manual control where people need to go to the located switch to turn on or off the light. This reflects the evolution from Energy Management Systems in which a central computer was used to control the lamps in a building. A lighting automation technology can enable the person by assisting in daily routines and enabling the individual to achieve tasks, they might not have previously been able to achieve. Tasks can range in levels of complexity from simple tasks such as turning on or off lights through to fully automating the majority of electrical systems within the building. Referring to Bill Gates (2000), We will be able to control our entertainment systems in simple but elegant ways, use any TV in the house to monitor inexpensive outdoor surveillance cameras and connect to the Internet from multiple locations [23]. Some of these tasks will not require a PC, but in the end it will make sense to have a computer to quietly orchestrate the operations of the systems in a house.

Most of the todayโ€™s lighting automation technologies requires computer toย operate them. Even the stand alone designs need computer to be initialized.ย The existence of computer technology had driven the lighting automationย technology into the right path. The capability of the lighting automationย technologyย hasย transformedย theย environmentย toย beย anย intelligentย environment orย smart environmentย (Heimer,ย 1995) [23].

 

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CHAPTERย THREE

METHODOLOGYย ANDย SYSTEMย ANALYSIS

ย ย INTRODUCTION:

System Analysis means the procedural study of the operation of a systemย with an attempt to discover its problem areas i.e. to know why the system isย notย functioningย properly and what can beย doneย toย restructure theย system.ย This chapter is concerned with investigation and analysis of the existingย system with a view to understanding how it works including the problemsย and limitations. The characteristic attributes of a problem situation whereย system analysis is required are complexity of the issue and uncertainty of theย outcome of any course of action that might reasonably be taken. Systemย analysis usually has some combination of the following: Identification andย re- Identification of objectives, constrains, and alternative course of action;ย examination of the probable consequences of the alternativeย in terms ofย costs,ย benefitsย andย risk;ย presentationย ofย theย resultsย inย aย comparativeย framework so that the decision maker can make an informed choice fromย among theย alternatives.

This chapter also deals with the methodology, considering the advantages ofย eachย and the justificationย ofย theย needย forย the proposed system.

ย METHODOLOGY

Internationallyย Softwareย Engineeringย hasย acceptedย standardsย forย transformingย ideasย inย software.ย Theyย include:

  • The structured system Analysis and Design methodology (SSADM)
  • Prototyping
  • Experts system methodology
  • Usability engineering methodologies,

Theย methodologyย appliedย inย theย systemย isย prototypingย andย isย discussedย below.

CHAPTERย FOUR

SYSTEMย DESIGN

ย INTRODUCTION:

In this chapter, the design of a switch control system is described for controlling appliances such as bulbs using a computer system through a serial port. The Graphical user interface (GUI) through which command is given to the switch controller circuit is achieved with visual basic. The system can control other appliances such as Television, Refrigerator, Ceiling fan etc. This design is a prototype of a switch control system which can be used in a large organization to control several electrical appliances connected to it. There is an interface provided by visual basic programming language, which contains โ€œONโ€ buttons and โ€œOFFโ€ buttons through which control command is sent to electrical devices. Therefore when any command button is clicked to switch on or off, device signals go from the control module through the serial port, serial cable to the Max- 232 interface which amplifies the signals. The signal goes to the microcontroller and from the microcontroller the signal gets to the relay through the transistor down to the bulbs which are the receiving module. The design consists of two modules: the hardware and the software modules both working together to achieve the desired result. In the hardware module, the power source supplies current toย all the hardware component of the control box. Max 232 acts as buffer thatย amplifies the signals coming from the computer. The 8051 microprocessorย used is the controller that controls the relay and makes it function like aย switch.

CHAPTERย FIVEย 

SYSTEMย IMPLEMENTATIONย ANDย TESTING

ย INTRODUCTION

The various units of the microcontroller- based mains switch control systemย (bothย theย hardwareย andย softwareย subsystems)ย areย implementedย usingย differentย circuitryย formulationsย thatย satisfyย theย aimย ofย theย design,ย andย software coding using a specific software language that provide appropriateย controlย asย specifiedย inย theย design

Concerning the implementation of this system the hardware part of theย design; that is, the wired diagram of the system is shown. In chapter four theย design of the system was shown to be consisting of three circuits, the powerย supply circuit, switching circuit and the data circuit. This chapter also statesย the system operation of the device. Brief attention was given to the issue ofย programmingย andย theย otherย constructionsย carriedย outย duringย theย designย process. The chapter five of this work will deal with the implementation ofย theย hardware and software designs,ย testing the system, and performanceย evaluation.

CHAPTERย SIX

SUMMARYย ANDย CONCLUSION

ย SUMMARY

In summary, the project work (A microcontroller-based mains switch controlย system) was introduced in chapter one giving us an insight that it was aย microcontroller- based mains switch control systemย interfaced to a personalย computer through which appliances could be switched ON or OFFย withoutย leaving oneโ€™s seat. In chapter two of the research work, various literatures onย the topic under study were reviewed analyzing the invention, operations,ย function of microcontroller to control appliances. Chapter three provides anย analysisย ofย theย existingย systemย andย proposedย systemย asย wellย asย theย methodology. Chapter four was based on the system design. Chapter fiveย dealtย withย theย systemย implementationย andย testingย ofย theย entireย microcontroller- based mains switch control system. Finally this project isย able toย switchย ON orย OFFย a device usingย computerย systemย via serialย port.

The system was designed in such a way that maintenance and repairs are easily done in case of any faults. Soldering techniques and practical electronic were carefully studied and theย experience gained from it wasย instrumentalย toย theย successย ofย thisย project

PROBLEMSย ENCOUNTERED

Some problemsย were encounteredย in theย cause of developing the prototypeย of this system. Most prominent is theย issue of frequent power failureย fromย the public power supply. Thisย prolonged the wiring time. Secondly,ย theย problem of some components initially tested okay not functioning on circuitย board duringย testing.

CONTRIBUTIONย TOย THEย BODYย OFย KNOWLEDGE

Theย microcontrollerย basedย controlledย systemย approachย isย anย automatedย switching ofย appliancesย thatย leadsย to:

  • Theeliminationofย directย contactย withย switchย byย providingย anย interface on the computer screen through which the electrical devicesย willย be
  • The saving of the time it takes the operator going from one switch toanotherisย aย delight toย the
  • The ability to turn โ€œONโ€ or โ€œOFFโ€ the selected electrical devicesanytime any day (e.g. in the hotel room, childrenโ€™s room etc) is a plusto the
  • Real-time
  • System reliability in controlling power
  • The elimination of userโ€™s movement in switching ON or OFF the appliancesis an advantage to the physically

RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Before going ahead to wire components on the circuit board ensurethat you test the hardware properly and simulate the design. Thisย will enable you make all necessary adjustments to reduce mistakesย and design
  • For better implementation use the same family of chips if possible(i.e only TTL or only CMOS). This will ensure compatibility of
  • Ensure to keep within specified values; because exceeding any ofthese values may cause a permanent damage to either the clips in particular or the entire system as a It is recommended that this work beused in industries such as hotels, schools to provide easy and safe use of the electricalย ย The management of any organization using this work should employ a computer literate person to operate the system.

CONCLUSION

The result achieved in the design and construction of the microcontroller-ย based mains switch control system is actually a move away from manualย mode of switching to that of automation. For the fact that the materials usedย are locally sourced make room for cost effectiveness of design and economicย application viable.

The system was designed in such a way that maintenance and repairs areย easilyย doneย inย caseย ofย anyย faults.

REFERENCES

  • IEEE Std 610.10-1994, IEEE Standard Glossary of Computer Hardware Terminology (Computer Hardware Dictionary)
  • Osinuga and Oresotu (2001) Description of a Computer Port Interface (2001).
  • ย Wikipedia the free encyclopedia (2008). History of Modern computing (http://www.wiki.com/histroy/mordencomputing).
  • Sayers, A.P. Robson, A.E. Adams and G.E.Chester,(1991) Principles of Microprocessor, Hewlett-Packard Journal.
  • Ismail, and V.M Rooney, (1987) Microprocessor Hardware and Software Concepts IT Press, Chicago.
  • Takashi (1990) Observed the increase in processing capacity of evolving Microprocessors.
  • Chris Kotoroski, (2008) A push โ€“to โ€“ break breaks word toggle switch. [8]. Tendler,J.M. Dobson, S. Field, S. LE and Sinharoy, B. (2002) Power for systemย microย architecture,ย IBMย Journalย ofย Researchย andย Development.

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