Electronic Load Controller based on Dimmer Circuit and Stepper Motor for 5 kW Micro-Hydro Power Plant

This paper presents the results of research on a new schematic generator load controller simulation, namely an electronic load controller based on a dimmer circuit and a stepper motor for a small-scale 5 kW micro-hydro. The load controller is built from a dimmer circuit and a stepper motor with program control using Matlab software, and the PPI 8255 interface device. Using a dimmer circuit built from diac, triac, a variable resistor (pot), and capacitor components. As well as using a 28BYJ-48 stepper motor. Simulation is made to determine the performance of the load controller in controlling the distribution of power to the ballast load when the generator supplies power to consumers less than the full load of the generator. By using the simulation data of 45 variations of the consumer load sample, the result is that there are only 4 samples where the load controller is not working well. For the 4 samples, the generator was loaded beyond its full load tolerance limit (full load tolerance of 5kW ± 5 %). Overall, based on the simulation results, it can be said that the generator load controllers tested in this study have good performance. HIGHLIGHTS Methods and power electronic configurations used in electronic load controllers for micro-hydropower plants from 1980 until now. In the future, the use of low-power micro hydro and pico hydro power plants is also in great demand, especially for rural areas The utilization of micro-hydro in Indonesia, especially low-power micro-hydro, has been utilized by the community in Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province. A 5 kW generator has been operated in Katimbang Village, Borong Rappoa District, Kindang Regency, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province to distribute electrical energy to 15 households This research proposes a new electronic load control scheme for a simple and inexpensive 5 kW micro-hydro power plant, namely a dimmer circuit and stepper motor-based generator load controller. With the consideration that the main components that make up this controller are not expensive GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Low-cost and easily replicable apparatus: an Arduino controlled device for educational activities focused on measuring Brewster’s angle

In this work, we report the development of a low-cost Arduino-controlled device for didactic activities in light polarization. The main body of the prototype was designed and produced using laser-cut medium density fibreboard parts, including gears and pulleys. As a light source and detector, a 532 nm laser pointer and a light dependent resistor were used, respectively. The moving parts (light source and detector) are controlled using a stepper motor (28BYJ-48) with the ULN2003 driver. The apparatus was tested with glass and plastic (polystyrene) slides. The results show that the prototype can distinguish between parallel and perpendicular polarization (to the plane of incidence). In addition, it is demonstrated that the prototype can be satisfactorily applied to determine the Brewster’s angle, even for solids with close refractive indexes.

Application of two-phase hybrid stepping motor based on three-phase inverter chopping control strategy in aircraft electric drive servo valve

With the development of multi-/all-electric technology, more and more aircraft platforms use electrically driven servo valves as the driving source to realize real-time adjustments of flow, pressure and temperature in the area network. The new generation of aircraft applies a stepper motor to drive the servo valve as the drive source, and utilizes the holding torque and open-loop control characteristics of the stepper motor when the stepper motor could not meet aircraft’s requirements of the reliability of the servo valve, the controllability of the opening and closing angle, and the environmental resistance. This paper develops a set of stepper motor drive servo valve control system. The system is mainly composed of flight tube bus, electromechanical management computer, remote actuation unit, remote interface unit and motor-driven servo valve. The stepper motor driver is integrated in the remote execution unit and is used to control the two-phase hybrid stepper motor to drive the servo valve. The topology of a three-phase inverter bridge drive is used to achieve the two-phase double four-shot drive, which saves about 25% power drive hardware. By controlling the two-phases motor, the direction and amplitude of the current one can realize micro-step control. The test and simulation result show that the system has higher control accuracy and better acceleration. The deceleration characteristics in two-phase full step and micro step working modes can expand the application of electric servo valve and improve aircraft performance.

Research on the Application of Machine Learning Algorithm and Fuzzy Logic in Eating Assistive Robot

More than 110 million people in this world are facing some kind of disability, for which they experience difficulty while eating food. Eating Assistive Robots could meet the needs of the elderly and people with upper limb disabilities or dysfunctions in gaining independence in eating. We are researching making a robot, which can assist the disabled in eating their meals. Our Eating Assistive Robot will detect the face of the disabled and process it for whether his/her mouth is opened or closed. Our robot will put a pre-prepared replaceable spoon of food in his/her mouth iteratively until the food lasts in the food container. The methodology we used for it i.e. firstly there is a live camera feed through which we are detecting human faces, after this, a library of Affectiva calculates how much mouth is open. We have set a certain threshold after which the program starts the stepper motor which brings the pre-filled spoon of food into the mouth of the disabled.

Test and Analysis of Stepper Motor’s Noise in HVAC’s Ventilation Valve

With the application of automotive air conditioning being more popular, higher requirements on automotive air conditioning’s comfort have been put forward, noise is an important criterion about comfort. BDC motor controlling ventilation valve’s noise is mainly caused by brush and commutator, but stepper motor doesn’t have it and stepper motor is cheap and easy-controlling. In this paper, the principle of microstepping drive technology is discussed in detail, the control circuit block diagram and the application of the stepping motor’s control system are introduced. The noise of BDC motor and stepper motor controlling ventilation valve is measured in the semi-anechoic room, BDC motor produces peak noise at the start and stop during the working of motor, stepper motor’s noise is slight and smooth-going; current waveforms have been measured in the microstepping drive, the results show microstepping drive makes current waveform more smooth-going and stepper motor’s noise is lower. So it is a tendance stepper motor will replace BDC motor to control ventilation valve, and the microstepping drive can meet different requirements for merchant’s control.

Experience of Using EasyEDA to Develop Training Boards on the PIC16f887 Microcontroller

A brief overview of computer-aided design (CAD) systems widely used in Russia is presented, and the main requirements for tracing PCB boards are given. The main features of the actively developing cloud CAD system EasyEDA are shown, and the expediency of its use is justified. The idea of creating low-cost electronic training boards based on the PIC16F887 microcontroller for studying the basics of microprocessor technology is presented. Electronic training boards demonstrate all the capabilities of the microcontroller – the operation of the I/O ports, serial port, analog-to-digital converter( ADC), with a two-line liquid crystal display (LCD), with temperature sensors, with a DC motor, with a stepper motor, etc. The experience of developing a budget electronic training boards based on a PIC microcontroller in EasyEDA, which can be used to study the programming of microcontrollers, is shown. Shown are the possibilities of using the jlcpcb.com service to order PCB boards in the largest PCB prototyping enterprise in China, called JLCPCB.

Investigation on magnetometer as potential sensors for infusion pump utilisation status

The utilisation of medical device e.g. an infusion pump is commonly treated as non-trivial process in service and maintenance section albeit in actuality, it is a crucial process for determining its correct maintenance cycle. Therefore, a discussion on the capability of magnetometer sensor as one of potential sensors to be used to keep track the utilisation status of infusion pump. The variation of magnetic flux density and its frequency produced by the stepper motor inside the infusion pump is measured and analysed through magnetometer sensor, embedded inside a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device. Obtained result shows that magnetometer sensor has the potential to track the utilisation status of the tested infusion pumps.