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5th Year Project

The thesis presents the design and implementation of an Automatic Water Level Indicator and Control System, aimed at reducing water wastage and improving efficiency in water management. Utilizing an Arduino microcontroller, the system automates water pumping based on sensor readings, displaying water levels on an LCD screen and preventing overflow. The project addresses the limitations of manual water management practices and aims to enhance water conservation efforts in various settings.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
61 views48 pages

5th Year Project

The thesis presents the design and implementation of an Automatic Water Level Indicator and Control System, aimed at reducing water wastage and improving efficiency in water management. Utilizing an Arduino microcontroller, the system automates water pumping based on sensor readings, displaying water levels on an LCD screen and preventing overflow. The project addresses the limitations of manual water management practices and aims to enhance water conservation efforts in various settings.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DIRE DAWA UNIVERSITY

Institute of Technology
College of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Power Engineering Stream
THESIS TITLE:Design and Implementation of Automatic Water
Level Indicator and Control
NAME ID
YIBELTAL BIRHANU …………………………………………………….AKU1202385
EWNETU CHEKLIE ……………………………………………………….AKU12O0840
NHIAL LUAL………………………………………………………………..AKU1201797
DERBE DAWIT ……………………………………………………………..AKU1203232
TEK KOLLA………………………………….……………………………...AKU1202109

SUBMITED TO Mr.CHALACHEW.M (MSC)


SUMISSION DATE 12/05/2017
Automatic water level indicator and control system

Declaration
We declare that this final project is our original work, and it has not been
presented for a project in this or any other universities, and all sources of
materials that will be used for the project work have been fully acknowledged.

Name Signature
1.Yibeltal Berhanu _____________
3.Ewenetu chaklie _____________
3.Tek Kolla _____________
4.Nihal Lual _____________
5.Derbe Dawit _____________

This project proposal has been submitted for examination with my approval as a university
advisor.
Project advisor Signature
Mr.CHALACHEW.M(MSC)
_______________

Submission date 12/05/2017

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

Acknowledgment
First and for most it’s my pleasure to thank the Almighty God–Jesus and his
mother Saint Marry for keeping me in good health condition under many
challenges and we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our respected
advisor Mr.CHALACHEW.M (MSC) for his humble guidance, encouragement,
patient enthusiasm, invaluable support and motivation through the whole future
completion of this project. This project would not be succeeded without his
continuous support.
Secondly, we would like to drop our sincere appreciation to thank to our co-
workers who have been tolerant, motivated us and support us all these semester in
accomplishing this project. Thanks for their encouragement, love and emotional
supports that they had given to us. Last but not least, we would like to express our
heartiest appreciation to our friends and those whom involve directly or indirectly
with this project. There is no such meaningful word thank, thank you so much.

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Table of Contents
Declaration ..................................................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgment .......................................................................................................................................... ii
List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................ v
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ vi
Chapter One .................................................................................................................................................. 1
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................................. 2
1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................3
1.3.1 General Objective .........................................................................................................................3
1.3.2 Specific objectives ........................................................................................................................ 3
1.4 Significance of the project .................................................................................................................. 3
1.7 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................4
Chapter Two ..................................................................................................................................................6
2 Literature Review ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter Three ............................................................................................................................................... 8
3 Component Description, Design and specification of the system .............................................................8
3.1 Overall operation of the system ......................................................................................................... 8
3.2. Component Description, Design and Specification ........................................................................... 9
3.3 Flow chart for software simulation ...................................................................................................24
Chapter 4 .....................................................................................................................................................27
4 Results and Discussions ............................................................................................................................27
4.1 Software Simulation Results and Discussions ...................................................................................27
4.2 HARDWARE RESULT AND DISSCUTION .............................................................................................34
Chapter Five ................................................................................................................................................ 35
5 Conclusion and Recommendation ........................................................................................................... 35
5.1 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................................35

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5.2 Recommendation ..............................................................................................................................36


Reference .................................................................................................................................................... 37

List of Figure
Figure 1.1 Methodology of the work .............................................................................................. 4
Figure 3.1 Transistor interface with relay ..................................................................................... 11
Figure 3.3: LED symbolic diagram ...............................................................................................13
Figure 3.4: Arduino uno R3 microcontroller module ................................................................... 20
Figure 3.5 Level sensor position .................................................................................................. 22
Figure 3.6 LCD display module ...................................................................................................23
Figure 3.7 table of cost ..................................................................................................................24
Figure 3.8 Flow chart diagram for simulation ...............................................................................25
Figure 4.1: overall circuit of automatic water level indicator and control .................................... 28
Figure 4.2: Result when top tank is empty ....................................................................................29
Figure 4.3 Result when top tank is empty .....................................................................................30
Figure 4.4 Result when top tank is quarter ....................................................................................31
Figure 4.5 Result when top tank is HALF ................................................................................... 32
Figure 4.6 Result when top tank is FULL .....................................................................................33
Figure 4.7 Prototype result ............................................................................................................ 34

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List of Acronyms

AC……………………………………….....Alternative current

DC………………………………………….Direct current

DOD…………………………………….....Depth of discharge

IC………………………………………….. Integrated circuit

IDE…………………………………………Integrated drive electronics

LCD…………………………………………liquid crystal display

LED………………………………………...Light emitting diode

PI…………………………………………...Proportional integrator

PLC………………………………………...Programmable logic control

SCADA.........................................................Supervising control and data acquisition

SG……………………………………………Specific Gravity

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Abstract
Water scarcity is one of the major problems facing major cities of country and wastage during
transmission has been identified as a major problem. This is one of the motivations for
project, to deploy computing techniques in creating a barrier to wastage in order to not only
provide more financial gains and energy saving, but also help the environment and water
cycle which in turn ensures that save water for future.
This project works by embedding a control system into an automatic water pump controller
through the use of different technologies in order to design and implement. The system use
Arduino microcontroller to automate the process of water pumping from source tank to the
over-head tank storage system and has the ability to detect the level of water in a top tank and,
switch on/off the pump and accordingly and display the status on an LCD screen.
This project provides an improvement on existing water level controllers by its use of
calibrated circuit to indicate the water level and use of DC instead of AC power thereby
eliminating risk of rectification. In general the Arduino microcontroller orders the motor, and
LCD depending on the information obtained from the sensors that are connected to the top
tank. Depending on the pressure or force of the water that presents in tank the output of the
level sensor changes. The change of voltage in the level sensor produces change of
information in Arduino microcontroller. When the level sensor senses there is need of water
in tank the microcontroller sends message information as current to the motor through the
transistor as base of current.
Key word: sensor, arduino, motor, and relay

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Chapter One
1 Introduction
1.1 Background

The project “automatic water level control with an automatic pump control system” is design
to monitor the level of liquid in the tank .In the past centuries, tanks were filling using manual
system, so filling tank were full, energy consuming and time consuming. Now we are going
to design water level controller that uses single motor and Arduino microcontroller. In many
industrial processes, control of liquid level is required. It was reported that emergency shut-
downs in the nuclear power plant are caused by poor control of the steam generator water
level. Such shutdowns greatly decrease the plant availability and must be minimized [1].

In most houses and buildings, including Dire Dawa University DIT, water is first received
and stored in the ground or sometimes underground tank. The received water supply is
allowed to fill the source tank first, and a water pump motor is then switched on manually so
that the water from the lower tank is pumped and shifted into the upper tank on the roof.
Once the water from the lower tank is transferred into the upper tank until it completely fills,
the pump is again manually switched off. This results in the unnecessary wastage and
sometimes non availability of water in the case of emergency [2].

The water level control system automatically maintains the desired level of water in series of
tank, On the top tank, it switches ON the pump when the water level in the tanks goes below
a predetermined minimum set level and switches it OFF as soon as the water level reaches the
predetermined maximum level in the tanks to prevent them from overflowing, thus maintains
the water at a four fixed levels. The five levels of the tank are displayed on the LCD as,
EMPTY, LOW,QUARTER, HALF and FULL. User has the flexibility to decide the water
level set points for the operations of pump. It ensures no overflows there by saving energy
and water. Moreover the system consumes very little energy for continuous operation. Water
is provided to the housing by a water tank that is situated on top of the building and water
tank is supplied by a source. Once the source has enough water, it is the duty of the
household to switch on the motor, which then pumps water from the source to the tank that is
situated on the roof or terrace. The project automates this process by placing sensor unit in

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

the tank that periodically take measurements of the water level and that control the motor
automatically, the system controls the desired level of liquid tanks [3].

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In the context of most country, people are still using manual process for water pumping and
motor control that used in home, office and industries. An operator has to arrive at a
particular interval of time and made the motor on for pumping; regardless of the water level
in the upper tank. Manual controlling process is difficult and time consuming when the water
tank is located at higher buildings and controlling from ground level. If they are unable to
monitor continuously, there will be loss of energy sources for pumping water as well as loss
of natural resources due to overflowing of water from tank. Even if the automatic water level
controller that applied in most industries does not consider the source tank, it only
concentrates on the top one. The water level controller designed in this project can be used to
control water flow. However, there is a shortage continuity of water from main distributer in
terms Ethiopian context hence we use source tank of water to store water, to compensate
the shortage of continuous flow of water to top tank .This problem can be reduced by
designing an automatic control system which checks the condition top water tank and display
the present status.
Microcontroller reads the status of system and gives desired output by switching motor and
displaying on LCD. The Automatic Water Pump Controller system monitors the water levels
and controls the pump as necessary to prevent breakdown and maximize water storage
without overfilling the roof top tank and wasting water, the water level digital control system
automatically maintains the desired level of water in a tank.

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1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 General Objective

The general objective of this project is design and implementation of automatic water level
indicator and controller.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

 To collecte the relevant data


 To select the type and the rating of Sensor
 To interface and integrate water level sensors with Arduino microcontroller
 To simulate the circuit design in proteus software
 System Construction and proto type Implementation
1.4 Significance of the project

 Automatic water level controller save time


 It will reduce human power.
 There will be no overflow of the overhead
tank.
 Reduced Labor Costs

1.5 Justification
Automatic water level monitor came into existence because of human error and inconsistence
that is associated with manually operated water pumping machine.
This is because it takes time for individual who is manually operating the water pump to turn
off the pumping machine and this may cause water spillage and at times the individual might
not know that the water level has drop so low until the tank is completely empty.
study to This was the problem that leads to the development of the ideal of an automatic water
level control and automate pump short down [1].

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1.6 Scope of the project

 control the outflow of the water


 Design and simulate automatic water level control circuit by using proteus software
 Construction of design for the driver circuit
 Design the system in prototype
 design is limited to 12V power supply, 30amps electric pump rating and cannot be
used to control industrial water pump above 30 amps.

1.7 Methodology

First select the title and retrace (go back over) different literature review, after this collect data,
analysis it and, selection of appropriate materials.

Identify the problem

Revised literature

System modeling and simulation

Implementation

Figure 1.1 Methodology of the work


1.8 Limitation of the Project
It is significant to know that this design is limited to 12V power supply, 30amps electric
pump rating and cannot be used to control industrial water pump above 30 amps. When the
water flow is turbulent the signal is high and this affect the output of sensor. If the water
moves down quickly such that the sensor wire still has a film of moisture on it from the

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previous water level ,this affect the reading of the sensor. We are not display the level of
source tank.

1.9 Organization of the project

The organization of this Thesis report is well detailed and vast in its coverage it covers all the
activities encountered during the research work. The first chapter of this work took care of
the introduction, aims and objective, scope, Justification and thesis report organization.
Chapter two highlight on literature re-view, chapter three highlight on description of system
and some of the component used were emphasized.
Chapter four highlight on the system design simulation results and discussions
implementation, construction, testing and packaging of the pump. Chapter five is all about the
conclusions problem encountered recommendation.

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Chapter Two
2 Literature Review
Many earlier works dealt with various techniques of monitoring and controlling of liquid levels
in industrial and domestic applications. Broadly this automatic control problem can be
achieved under two means: mechanical methods and electrical methods. Float ball type liquid
level control is a popular method of control still used in practice for normal applications such
as overhead tank overflow restrictors etc. The electrical methods of control include
microcontroller-based circuits which automatically predict the liquid levels and accordingly
active the circuit to operate motors. In spite of several such available methods, still there are
new techniques in this application so avoid dangerous operating conditions in industrial boilers.

There are many projects done in the control of fluid level with relay circuit and microcontroller
Ahmed Abdullah [4] widely PIC microcontroller 18F452, bilateral switches to indicate the
water level through LCD display. When the water is empty the wires in the tank are open
circuited and resistor pulls the switch low hence and open the switch. As the water fill in the
first reservoir tank its fill-up percentage shown in the LCD display . he used float switch for
sensing the water. but those float switch have its limitation:

 limitations in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, reliability, and range.


 Its shelf life is short.

We overcome this limitation by using sensor because its shelf life are long and in terms of
accuracy its preferable one.

Virendra Patel [5] He uses A PLC is a digital computer used for automation of
electromechanical processes and industry purpose. This is a very most important for
automation purpose.so that this type project safe a water and any type of boiler automation
system at which some time. He used Siemens plc for water level control system. In this type
plc is a very simple programming language so that this project used a four float switch sensor.
Two float switch sensor is used a upper tank and two float switch sensor is used bottom tank.It
is on this platform that the need to minimize or check water wastage arouse. he used PLC to
implement the system.but those PLC have its limitation :

 PLCs are significantly more expensive than Arduino Uno.

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

 PLC programming (typically Ladder Logic or structured text) can have a steeper
learning curve compared to Arduino.
 PLC hardware is often proprietary, offering less flexibility in customization.
Then to overcome this limitation by using Arduino uno microcontroller.because it is the
preferable specific requirements of our project. Its flexible rather than PLC.
Mudit bajpai [6] The design and implementation of water level indicators and controllers
have garnered significant attention due to increasing concerns over water conservation and
management. Various studies highlight the necessity for such systems in both domestic and
commercial settings to prevent water wastage and promote efficient use of resources. He used
Microcontrollers, such as the 8051, are commonly used in water level monitoring due to their
versatility and ease of programming. Limitation dependence on microcontroller
any malfunction or programming errors can lead to system failures, resulting in inaccurate
water level readings or improper control of the pump.
To overcome this by using servomoter.Because servomotor have accurete valve adjustment
and real able and durable.
P. Nancy Rachel [3] The drinking water crisis in India and other parts of Asia has reached
alarming proportions, necessitating innovative solutions to manage water resources efficiently.
One such solution is the Automatic Water Level Indicator and Controller, which employs
electronic circuits to monitor and control water levels in overhead tanks. This technology not
only minimizes water wastage but also automates the operation of water pumps, reducing
human involvement. Its limitation is does not consider the level of source tank, it only consider
on the top one.then we use both source and top tank to overcome this.
finally we use different reference to do this project then we overcome the limitation of the
above reference .

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Chapter Three

3 Component Description, Design and specification of the system

3.1 Overall operation of the system

This project is aimed to maintain the desired level of liquid or water level in top tank Using a
single 12V DC motor, water level sensor, relay, and microcontroller. The microcontroller
sends a signal to set the motor ON, when the water level in the tank or container goes below a
predetermined minimum set level and it makes the motor OFF, when the levels in the top
tank reach a predetermined maximum set level. Thus the water level in the tanks is
maintained in between two fixed levels (minimum and maximum). The user decides the set
points by him/her.

When the tank have different level, the sensor detects it and the arduino microcontroller takes
command from the sensor then it sends a signal to the transistor base and the transistor
amplifies the current to drive the motor. The tanks are connected to each other through strong
pipes. The connecting pipes are attached at the bottom of the tanks, and the top tank is
connected to the motor. When the motor is activated the tank connected to it fills water until
it reaches the predetermined maximum level.

There are level sensors connected to the top tank. Those sensors sense the level and give
information to the microcontroller. Then the microcontroller controls the motor according to
this information. But the signal which is given from the microcontroller is not enough to
activate the motor. Therefore, a transistor is used as relay driver. The base current is
amplified and given as collector current to the motor, then the motor activates. The motor
switches OFF, when the water in the tank reaches a predetermined maximum level. When the
water level in the top tank is at the predetermined minimum level and source tank has enough
water, the motor becomes ON.

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Figur
e 3.1: overall block diagram
3.2. Component Description, Design and Specification

1. Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and
electrical power. It is composed of semiconductor material with at least three terminals for
connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's
terminal changes the current through another pair of terminals. Here we are discussing about
NPN transistor switching circuit. We have to connect the base resistor (Rb) to limit the base
current otherwise the transistor become damage. Transistor switching circuits are also
employed in DC motor driver circuit.

Transistors are commonly used as electronic switches, both for high-power applications such
as switched-mode power supplies and for low power applications such as logic gates.
Transistors function as current regulators by allowing a small current. The controlling (base)
current and the controlled (collector) currents must be going in the proper directions to
control a larger current. The amount of current allowed between collector and emitter is

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

primarily determined by the amount of current moving between base and emitter. The choice
between NPN and PNP is really arbitrary. All matter is that the proper current directions are
maintained for the sake of correct junction biasing.

2. Relays
A relay is electromechanical switch which is used in industrial application to provide
isolation between high voltage and low voltage circuits. These two circuits have different
voltage rating. One might be a low voltage side and other high voltage side. For example, in
microcontrollers based circuits, relay is used to isolate microcontrollers from 220 volt AC
supply. There are various types of relays, but all of them operate in the same way.

When current flows through the coil, the relay is operated by an electromagnet to open or
close one or more sets of contacts. Relays take advantage of the fact that when you pass an
electric current through a wire; a magnetic field is generated surrounding the wire as well.
This is called induction. When you place two pieces of ferrous metal near a coil of wire and
pass current through the wire, the magnetic field can move the two pieces of metal towards
each other. Those pieces of metal can form a switch, which can be turned on and off by
putting current through the coil. The connection between a microcontroller and a relay must
never be made directly. Microcontroller interfacing circuits are used for this purpose. Driver
circuit should be used between them because of two main reasons:

1. As the relay has to move its contacts mechanically therefore a lot of current is
required for the energizing of coil. The source or sink current of a microcontroller is
just 25mA whereas an amount of 50 to 100mA current is required by a relay to
function properly.
2. Due to the presence of back emf, the negative voltages can reach the microcontroller
and damage it.

2.1 Relay driver circuit using Transistor

Relay driver circuit using NPN transistor is given below. The transistor acts as a switch.
Microcontroller provides high or low input signals to NPN transistor. NPN transistor provides
high driving current to electro mechanical relay through 5 volt external power supply. The

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

amount of current needed for the relay operation is carried by this transistor. The transistor
used here is BC547. This transistor gets turned on when the output pin of the controller is at a
high potential. Therefore the current starts flowing through the relay. Following components
are used in relay driver circuit using transistor:

• Base current limiter resistor R1


• zener diode of 12 volt used as a freewheeling diode
• NPN transistor
• 12 volt dc power supply

A freewheeling diode is also connected across the relay in this circuit. The purpose of this
diode is to protect the microcontroller as well as the transistor from the back emf of the coil;
otherwise it can damage them both. A fast switching diode 1N4148 has been used here. A DC
voltage supply of 12V is given to the microcontrollers.

Figure 3.1 Transistor interface with relay


2.2 Design the value of base resistor

Now, let’s see how we can calculate the value of the resistor R1. The basic formula is given
here:

R1=(Ub -0.7 )×Hfe / Relay Current

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

0.7 V =minimum transistor biasing voltage,

Here Ub =source voltage to R1,


Relay current may be calculated through the following given formula:
Relay I=Supply Voltage ÷Resistance of the relay coil

For our design the source voltage from Arduino output pin is

5V

Forward current gain =30


Resistance of the relay coil=100
Relay supply voltage=12V

Relay current I=relay supply voltage /resistance of relay coil


I = 12/100 =0.12A

Base resistance R 1=(5 -0.7 )×Hfe/ I


R1= 1.075KΩ=1K Ω
Why 1kΩ is a Common Choice:
Balance: 1kΩ is often a good balance between:
 Providing Enough Base Current: It allows enough base current to flow to saturate the
transistor, thus turning the relay on effectively, for many common low-power relays.
 Preventing Excessive Current: It limits the base current to a safe level for most small
signal transistors.
 Standard Value: It is a readily available and inexpensive standard resistor value.
 Typical Values for Many Applications: It is generally a good starting point for many
relay driver circuits, especially when using a 5V microcontroller or logic level and
common small-signal NPN transistors.

2.3 Specifications for DC Relay


For this project parameter of DC relay are specified as follows for proper design of the
system.

Coil resistance =100 Ω


Operating current =120mA
Coil voltage =12 V

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

Operating power =1.44W

3. Light Emitting Diode


A light-emitting diode (LED) is a two lead semiconductor light source that resembles a basic
pn junction diode, except that an LED also emits light. When LEDs anode lead has a voltage
that is more positive than its cathode lead by approximately 0.6 to 2.2 Volts, current often
flows and light is often emitted. On the other hand, when LEDs anode lead has a voltage that
is less positive than its cathode lead by approximately 0.6 to 2.2 Volts, current often does not
flow and light is often not emitted. Small rating LEDs have many advantages over
incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved
physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching.

Figure 3.3: LED symbolic diagram

4. Water pump motor


A pump motor uses the mechanical input of a prime mover and converts it into pressurized
fluid power to perform work. The prime mover can be a diesel or gasoline engine. But for
electro-hydraulic pumps, the prime mover is an electric motor. D.C. motors have been used
as pump drives for many decades because of their ease of variable speed control and faster
response in transient conditions. This article will discuss the types of hydraulic pumps and
motors used in pumping applications and the important factors to consider when sizing a DC
motor for a hydraulic pump.
4.1 Pump Types
Hydraulic pumps are classified in two broad categories: rot dynamic (centrifugal) and
positive displacement. Centrifugal pumps employ a rotating impellor that uses centrifugal
force to drive fluid from the inlet to the discharge side of the pump. Common types of
centrifugal pumps include submersible, priming, and axial flow. Positive displacement pumps
are the other broad category of hydraulic pumps. These pumps typically use gears, vanes,

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diaphragms or pistons to force a fixed amount of fluid through the inlet to the discharge side
of the pump. Generally a large number of pump types exist, but for simplicity, is divided into
the following main categories:

a. Jack Pump: is actually a mixture of the two types. The motor, gears and electrical are
on the surface, but move a shaft (sucker rod) that attaches to the pump which is
submerged. Good for very deep wells. Example: Solar motor Jack Pump.
b. Submersible Pumps: The submersible pump is one of the most recent developments
in the water well pump industries. Submersible pumps can deliver water from any
depth at a wide range of capacities, may be installed in wells three inches or more in
diameter, require no well house or frost proofing, and have proven to be a very
dependable type of pump. The submersible pump has an electric motor and pump
assembly that is suspended in the well below the pumping water level on the pump
discharge pipe. It has a special water-proof electrical cable. The intake for the pump
assembly is located directly below the pump section and above the electric motor.
c. Surface Pumps: These types of pumps use a suctioning approach and are good for
applications with shallow wells, ponds, streams or storage tanks. Surface Pumps are
not waterproof. They must be located in weatherproof area near the water level,
usually a pump pit or pump house. All electrical parts are located away from the water.
If the pump is too high above the water level, these pumps will have suction problems
that can make the system unreliable or damage the pump. Examples: Shurflo pressure
pump, Dank off Flow light pressure pump, hot water circulator. The maximum
possible suction for any pump is about 20 feet but if you push them to lift more than a
few feet they will become noisy and come under more strain.

Among the various types of pumps available, we have selected Submersible Pump for it’s the
following characteristics and distinctive features.
 Applicable in drinking water supply, livestock watering, pond management, irrigation
 Max. efficiency 92 % (motor + controller)
 Reduces the high cost of water pumping, cost-effective pumping
 Simple installation
 Lifts up to 240 m
 Flow rate up to 11.0 m3/h

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 High reliability and life expectancy


4.2 Pump Parameters
As with most pumps, the primary specifications to consider when discerning DC powered
pump performance are flow rate, pump head, pressure, horsepower, and efficiency.
Volume flow rate (Q), also referred to as capacity, is the volume of liquid that travels
through the pump in a given time measured in gallons per minute or gpm . It defines the rate
at which a pump can push fluid through the system. In some cases, the mass flow rate is also
used, which describes the mass through the pump over time. The volume flow rate is related
to mass flow rate by the fluid density ρ via the equation:

When selecting pumps, the flow rate or rated capacity of the pump must be matched to the
flow rate required by the application or system.

Pressure is a measure of resistance: the force per unit area of resistance in the system. The
pressure rating of a pump defines how much resistance it can handle or overcome. Pressure,
in conjunction with flow rate and power, is used to describe pump performance. Centrifugal
pumps, however, typically use head instead of pressure to define the energy or resistance of
the pump, since pressure in a centrifugal pump varies with the pumped fluid's specific gravity.
When selecting pumps, the rated operating or discharge pressure of the pump must be equal
to or more than the required pressure for the system at the desired flow rate.

Head is the height above the suction inlet that a pump can lift a fluid. It is a shortcut
measurement of system resistance (pressure) which is independent of the fluid's specific
gravity. It is defined as the mechanical energy of the flow per unit weight. It is expressed as a
column height of water given in feet (ft) or meters (m).

Pump head (H) can be converted to pressure (P) using the specific gravity (SG) of the fluid by
the equation:

Or by the density of the fluid ρ and the acceleration due to gravity (g):

When selecting centrifugal pumps, the rated pump head must be equal to or greater than the
total head of the system (total dynamic head or TDH) at the desired flow rate.

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Power: Net head is proportional to the power actually delivered to the fluid, called output
power (Pout) or the water horsepower (measured in horsepower or hp). This is the horsepower
rating which describes the useful work the pump will do to the fluid. It can be calculated by
the equation:

Pout
Where:
ρ is fluid density
g is the acceleration due to gravity
Q is the volumetric flow
rate H is the pump head is
the mass flow rate
In all pumps there are losses due to friction, internal leakage, flow separation, etc. Because of
these losses, the external power supplied to the pump, called the input power (Pin) or brake
horsepower, is always larger than the water horsepower. This specification is typically
provided by the pump manufacturer as a rating or in the pump's performance curve and is
used to select the proper motor or power source for the pump.

Pump efficiency (ηpump) defines the percentage of energy supplied to the pump that is
converted into useful work. It is the ratio between the water horsepower and brake
horsepower (useful power vs. required power):

ηpump = Pout/Pin

Underground depth = 10 meter

Above ground depth = 5 meter

The above two parameters are taken from our usual observations and experience in the
project area.

vertical lift +pressure head + frictional loss Frictional


loss is mostly taken as 4 every 100 feet.
Vertical lift +pressure head = (10+5)*3.28 = 49.2feet
Where 3.28 is factor to change meter into feet Fractional
loss is 4/100ft*49.2ft = 1.968 ft.

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Therefore total feet (TDH) = 49.2 + 1.968 = 52ft


By taking the above TDH and well water source, we selected dc submersible pump. R = 1m,
usually we have seen such radius of well in the project area. This is related to well capacity
and ease of access to the deep well.
πr2h

=π*1*10 = 31.4m3
Assuming recycling time = 8hour, the water hole will be filled three times a day.
Total volume
An estimate of the required flow rate of the pump can be determined by the following
equation:
Gallons per day / (peak sun hours per day *60 minutes)
gallon per day

4.3 DC Motors in Pump Applications


DC motors have been used as pump drive motors due to their variable speed control ability,
especially at low speeds, simple control system, high starting torque and good transient
response. Brushed, wound-field DC motors have formed the primary type of DC motor used
in pump applications for many years. But permanent magnet (PMDC) and brushless DC
motors have seen greater adoption rates, primarily due to their simple and compact design,
high efficiency and power density, a wide range of frame sizes, and their need for less
maintenance. 4.3.1 DC Vs AC
The main advantage of DC (direct current) pumps over AC (alternating current) pumps is that
they can operate directly from a battery, making them more convenient and portable. They
are easier to operate and control, since AC systems typically require a controller to manage
speed. DC pumps also tend to be more efficient. However, AC pumps usually are designed
for higher speeds and larger bursts of power. They also have a longer working lifespan than
DC pumps.

4.3.2 Servo motor: Servo motor is a special type of motor which is automatically operated up
to certain limit for a given command with help of error-sensing feedback to correct the
performance. There are some special types of application of electrical motor where rotation of
the motor is required for just a certain angle not continuously for long period of time. For

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these applications some special types of motor are required with some special arrangement
which makes the motor to rotate a certain angle for a given electrical input (signal). For this
purpose servo motor comes into picture. This is normally a simple DC motor which is
controlled for specific angular rotation.

There are two fundamental characteristics of any servo motor. These are:
• The motor output torque is proportional to the voltage applied to it (i.e. control voltage
developed by amplifier in response to an error signal).

• The instantaneous polarity of control voltage governs the direction of torque developed
by servomotors.

4.3.2.1 Types of DC Servomotor

There are various types of dc servomotors which are series motors, split series motors, shunt
control motor and permanent magnet shunt motor.
A.Series motors: The series motor has a high starting torque and draws large current .Speed
regulation of this kind of motor is poor. Reversal can be obtained by reversing the polarity of
field voltage with split series field winding. This method reduces motor efficiency to some
extent.
B.Split series motors: Split series motor are the dc series motor with split-field rated with
some fractional kilowatt. This type of motor can operate as a separately excited field
controlled motor. The armature is supplied with a constant current source. Split series motor
has a typical torque-speed curve. This curve denotes high stall torque and a rapid reduction in
torque with increase in speed. This results in good damping.
C.Shunt control motor: DC shunt type servomotor is not different from any other dc shunt
motor. It has two separate windings; field windings placed on stator and armature winding
placed on the rotor of the machine. Both windings are connected to a dc supply source. In a
conventional dc shunt motor, the two windings are connected in parallel across the dc supply.
In case of a servomotor, the windings are supplied with separate dc source.

D.permanent magnet shunt motor: Permanent magnet shunt motor is a fixed excitation
motor where the field is actually supplied by a permanent magnet. Performance is similar to
armature controlled fixed field motor. In case of field controlled dc motor, the field is
excited by the amplified error signal mentioned earlier. The armature winding is energized

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from a constant current source. Torque developed is proportional to field current (If) up to
saturation level. This method is applied in small servomotors. It has longer time constant
owing to highly inductive field circuit so dynamic response is slower than armature
controlled dc motor. But in armature controlled dc motor, the motor armature is energized by
amplified error signal and field is supplied from a constant current source. High field flux
density also increases torque sensitivity of motor (torque proportional current times flux).
These offer excellent torque-speed characteristics, easier control, and better performance.due
to their high efficiency, long life, and low maintenance.

4.3.2.2 Servo Motor Selection

There are many types of motor that can be selected in pump design. Currently, several types
of motors being used in the world are: Step-motor, Servo-motor, AC asynchronous motor,
permanent magnetic DC servo motor, permanent magnetic brushless synchronous motor, etc.
Finally we have selected 100v serious permanent magnet shunt motor GYS401D5 DC
servo motor with the following standard specifications. Max. Torque [Nm] =3.58
Rated current [A] =4.8
Rated speed[r/min] =3000
Rated output [kW] =0.375

5 Arduino Microcontrollers

Microcontrollers must contain at least two primary components. Random access memory
(RAM) and an instruction set. RAM is a type of internal logic unit that stores information
temporarily. RAM contents operation, the microcontroller will step through a program (the
firmware). Each valid disappear when the power is turned off. While RAM is used to hold
any kind of data, some RAM is specialized, referred to as registers. The instruction set is a
list of all commands and their corresponding functions. During instruction set and the
matching internal hardware that differentiate one microcontroller from another.
Microcontroller has basically three functions these are sensing, communicating and
controlling. It senses what the input says and using this input, communication among
different devices takes place. Finally it controls the output based on the microcontroller. The
type of microcontroller we have used for this project is called Arduino uno R3 type
microcontroller. Arduino has 14 digital input-output ports and 8 analog input-output ports. In

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this project Arduino receives an input from level sensors and it controls the pump motor
according to the level of the water.

Arduino Uno: Arduino is a tool for making computers that can sense and control more of the
physical world than your desktop computer. It's an open-source physical computing platform
based on a simple microcontroller board, and a development environment for writing
software for the board. Arduino can be used to develop interactive objects, taking inputs from
a variety of switches or sensors, and controlling a variety of lights, motors, and other physical
outputs. The Arduino programming language is an implementation of Wiring, a similar
physical computing platform.

Figure 3.4: Arduino uno R3 microcontroller module


We have selected Arduino microcontroller for it has the following features and characteristics.
 Inexpensive: Arduino boards are relatively inexpensive compared to other microcontroller
platforms
 Cross-platform: The Arduino software runs on Windows, Macintosh OSX, and Linux
operating systems.
 Simple, clear programming environment: The Arduino programming environment is easy-to-
use for beginners. The language can be expanded through C++ libraries, and people wanting
to understand the technical details can make the leap from Arduino to the AVR C
programming language on which it's based. Similarly, you can add AVR-C code directly into
your Arduino programs if you want to.
 Open source and extensible hardware: The Arduino is based on Arduino UNO R3
microcontrollers.

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The current version of the Arduino hardware reference design is called the “Uno” or “One”
in Italian) and is published by the Arduino team. It provides four basic functional elements:
 A simple 5V power supply
 A USB-to-serial converter for loading new programs onto the board
 I/O headers for connecting sensors, actuators, expansion boards, etc.
It is a feature of most Arduino boards that they have an LED and load resistor connected
between pin 13 and ground; a convenient feature for many simple tests. The previous code
would not be seen by a standard C++ compiler as a valid program, so when the user clicks the
"Upload to I/O board" button in the IDE, a copy of the code is written to a temporary file with
an extra include header at the top and a very simple main () function at the bottom, to make it
a valid C++ program.

6 Level Sensor

In this project the type of sensors that we have selected is water level sensor which is float
potentiometer which is a displacement sensor.

Potentiometer: A potentiometer consists of a resistance element with a sliding contact which


can be moved over the length of the element. Such element can be used for linear or rotary
displacements, the displacement being converted in to a potential difference.

An important effect to be considered with potentiometer is the effect of a load RL connected


across the output. The potential difference across the load VL is only directly proportional to
VO if the load resistance is infinite. For finite loads, however, the effect of the load is to
transform what was a linear relationship between output voltage and angle in to a non-linear
relationship. Some RAM is specialized, referred to as registers. The instruction set is a list of
all commands and their corresponding functions. During instruction set and the matching
internal hardware that differentiate one microcontroller from another. Microcontroller has
basically three functions these are sensing, communicating and controlling. It senses what the
input says and using this input, communication among different devices takes place.

Finally it controls the output based on the Microcontroller has basically three functions these
are sensing, communicating and controlling. It senses what the input says input. The type of
microcontroller we have used for this project is called Arduino uno3 type microcontroller.
Arduino has 14 digital input-output ports and 8 analog input-output ports. In this project

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

Arduino receives an input from level sensors and it controls the pump motor according to the
level of the water.

7 Tanks

The thanks that we used for this specific project are different in size and are connected in a
cascaded or interacting way so that they filled water at the same time. Those tanks must be
strong to prevent themselves from any hazardous external environments. The sensor is
connected to the tank with a highest volume. The collected water in the tank is supplied by
the voltage source. Hence, the water in the tank becomes electrically conducting.

Figure 3.5 Level sensor position


8 LCD Display
The LCD we have used is LM016L type and it have different use and features. Frequently, an
arduino program must interact with the outside world using input and output devices that
communicate directly with a human being. One of the most common devices attached to an
arduino is an LCD display. Some of the most common LCDs connected to the arduino are
16x2 displays. This means 16 characters per line by 2 lines. The 44780 standard requires 3
control lines as well as either 4 or 8 I/O lines for the data bus. The user may select whether
the LCD is to operate with a 4-bit data bus or an 8-bit data bus. If a 4-bit data bus is used the
LCD will require a total of 7 data lines (3 control lines plus the 4 lines for the data bus). If an
8-bit data bus is used the LCD will require a total of 11 data lines (3 control lines plus the 8
lines for the data bus).

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Figure 3.6 LCD display module


The three control lines are referred to as EN, RS, and RW.
The EN line is called "Enable." This control line is used to tell the LCD that you are sending
it data. To send data to the LCD, your program should make sure this line is low (0) and then
set the other two control lines and/or put data on the data bus. When the other lines are
completely ready, bring EN high (1) and wait for the minimum amount of time required by
the LCD datasheet (this varies from LCD to LCD), and end by bringing it low (0) again. The
RS line is the "Register Select" line. When RS is low (0), the data is to be treated as a
command or special instruction (such as clear screen, position cursor, etc.). When RS is high
(1), the data being sent is text data which should be displayed on the screen. For example, to
display the letter "T" on the screen you would set RS high.
The RW line is the "Read/Write" control line. When RW is low (0), the information on the
data bus is being written to the LCD. When RW is high (1), the program is effectively
querying (or reading) the LCD. Only one instruction ("Get LCD status") is a read command.

LCD with Arduino UNOR3 is an amazing tool for physical computing it's an open source
micro-controller board, plus a free software development environment. Use it to make cool
interactive objects that can sense inputs from switches, sensors, and computers and then
control motors, lights, and other physical outputs in the real world.

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3.3 Cost analysis

As shown on the Tables 1 located summarize the parts used in each components
specification module, along with their cost

Figure 3.7 table of cost

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3.3 Flow chart for software simulation

In this topic we will describe the flow chart, algorithm and program code of the operational
project task. These are the main parts of the project design. The controller we have used is
software dependent. Then the operational principle of this software will be shown in the last
sections of this purpose.

Figure 3.8 Flow chart diagram for simulation

The algorism of this system describes the overall flow process of the project in a detail words.

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START: initialize the port of the microcontroller. The microcontroller checks whether the top
tank is empty or not. If it is empty, the microcontroller make ON the motor and until the top
tank is full.
Therefore, generally the motor becomes ON, when the top tank is not full and source has
water. And motor becomes OFF if the top tank is FULL.Based on the flow chart and algorism
the program code is written to the microcontroller the microcontroller intern performs based
on these the instructions given.

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Chapter 4
4 Results and Discussions
4.1 Software Simulation Results and Discussions

In this project design, the components we have used are Arduino UNO R3, servo DC
motor,relays, transistor, and BC LCD displayer and battery source. In this section those
components are interconnected to show the procedure and method of the real design in protease
8.1 professional. These components are connected and exhibits as they are connected
practically. The components are connect on a Printed Circuit Board as per the given connection
details in the circuit diagram. The functioning of the circuit can be explained with respect to
the action format that occurs in the circuit. The level sensor is connected to the input side of the
Arduino UNOR3, and the motor and LCD is connected to the output side of the Arduino
UNOR3. 5V voltage is given to the motor to be energized. Since the water in the tank is
conductive because of the 5V voltage source given to the tank. The level sensor senses the
level of the tank to which it is connected to the Arduino and take action to control the system.
The motor becomes on if the top tank is empty, lower,quarter, and half.

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Figure 4.1: overall circuit of automatic water level indicator and control

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When the top tank is empty, LCD is display “EMPTY”, motor ON and Result when top tank is
empty.

Figure 4.2: Result when top tank is empty

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Automatic water level indicator and control system

When the top tank is low, the LCD display as” TANK LEVEL IS LOW” and the motor
becomes Continued to the previous state.
Result when the top tank is LOW

Figure 4.3 Result when top tank is empty

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When the top tank is quarter, the LCD display as” TANK LEVEL IS QUARTER” and the
motor becomes ON.
Result when the top tank is QUARTER.

Figure 4.4 Result when top tank is quarter

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When the top tank is half, the LCD display as” TANK LEVEL IS HALF” and the motor
becomes ON.
Result when the top tank is HALF

Figure 4.5 Result when top tank is HALF

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When the top tank is full, the LCD display as” TANK LEVEL IS FULL” and the motor
becomes ON.
Result when the top tank is FULL.

Figure 4.6 Result when top tank is FULL

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4.2 HARDWARE RESULT AND DISSCUTION

Figure 4.7 Prototype result

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Chapter Five
5 Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Conclusion

Automatic water level control system automatically maintains the desired level of water in a
tank.When the source tank have water, it switches ON the pump as the water level in the top
tank goes to minimum set level and switches it OFF as soon as the water level reaches the
maximum level. It can be used in hotels, factories, homes, apartments, commercial complexes,
drainage, etc. Designing the controlling part of the proposed system, as being the main task of
our project, has been achieved with great success, supported by simulation results and hard
ware implementation. Water pump sizing and selection with its power source requirement and
all accomplished in prior to the allocated time frame. From the hardware circuit, one can find
that very few external components are needed and we are forced to replace water level sensor
by push button, others with related equipment. We know that the hard ware is challenged
compared to that of software implementation. From this project we get little knowledge about
automatic level controller and indicator.

Generally this project plays a vital role in avoiding wastage and scarcity of water and everyone
can buy with in a low price and use as a house appliance to save the energy and time.

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5.2 Recommendation

When we did this project, we had faced different problems such as lack of access to
internet,computer services and room to do hard ware. We cannot get the necessary material in
the time that we want and the school did not supply the material. Therefore we strongly
recommended that the department should facilitate such kind of services to encourage the
students in performing such a rare and splendid project and initiates the student to do prototype.
A user who wants to improve this project can progress it by using a metal connected to the
tanks and a resistor is connected to the metal microcontroller too in order to amplify the power
that is given to the microcontroller and to use the system as a switch. Also he can also use a
number of sensors to increase efficiency and to sense their own level measure.

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Reference

[1] A. Abdullah, "Water Level control Indicator with Alarms Using PIC Microcontroller,"
American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER), vol. 4, p. 88 92.

[2] V. Patel, "PLC Based Water Level Control System," 2020.

[3] Z. &. L.S.Hu, "Water level control sysytem using PI controller," 2006.

[4] Z. e. al, "water level control using Pid and Fuzzy controller.".

[5] P. Lotfizadeh, "Concept of fuzzy logic," Berkley, 2004.

[6] Tan, "water level control system for nuclear steam generator," vol. 24, 2011.

[7] A. Abdullah, "Water Level control Indicator with Alarm Using PIC Microcontroller,,"
American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER), vol. 4, p. 88 to 92, 2018.

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code

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

const int rs = 12, en = 11, d4 = 5, d5 = 4, d6 = 3, d7 = 2;

LiquidCrystal lcd(rs, en, d4, d5, d6, d7);

// Define sensor pins

const int lowTank = A0; // Low level sensor

const int quTank = A2; // Quarter level sensor

const int halfTank = A1; // Half level sensor

const int fullTank = A3; // Full level sensor

const int motor = 13; // Motor control pin

void setup() {

lcd.begin(16, 2);

lcd.print("Tank Status.........");

pinMode(lowTank, INPUT);

pinMode(quTank, INPUT);

pinMode(halfTank, INPUT);

pinMode(fullTank, INPUT);

pinMode(motor, OUTPUT);

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void loop() {

int full = digitalRead(fullTank); // Read full level sensor

int half = digitalRead(halfTank); // Read half level sensor

int quarter = digitalRead(quTank); // Read quarter level sensor

int low = digitalRead(lowTank); // Read low level sensor

// Check sensor states and display corresponding tank level

if (low == HIGH) {

displayStatus("FULL", false); // Motor OFF

else if (half== HIGH) {

displayStatus("HALF", true); // Motor ON

else if (quarter== HIGH) {

displayStatus("QUARTER", true); // Motor ON

else if (full == HIGH) {

displayStatus("LOW", true); // Motor ON

else {

displayStatus("EMPTY", true); // Motor ON (optional behavior)

delay(100); // Wait for a second before the next reading

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void displayStatus(const char* status, bool motorState) {

lcd.clear();

lcd.setCursor(0, 0);

lcd.print("Tank Level: ");

lcd.print(status);

lcd.setCursor(0, 1);

lcd.print("MOTOR is ");

lcd.print(motorState ? "ON" : "OFF");

digitalWrite(motor, motorState ? HIGH : LOW);

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