Sunday, 14 October 2012

Week 11: FYP1:-Research about Sensor

1) TEMPERATURE SENSOR

 

The temperature sensor measures the temperature in the greenhouse. It is connected to a 5V power supply with a current limiting resistor. This limits the current to the allowable operating current of the sensor, which is between 6µA and 12µA. We chose the average resistance to guarantee the efficiency of the circuit. The sensor’s output is connected directly to the PIC. The current output of the sensor is 100µA with an output voltage ranging from 0V to 1V. Since this current output is less than the maximum current input of the PIC (25mA), a direct connection is possible. To convert the output voltage to the equivalent temperature measurement, the datasheet provides the necessary equations. The equation is as follows:
 TA = V out - V°C
          T

    Where: VOUT = Sensor Output Voltage
                                                T = Temperature Coefficient (10.0mV/°C)
                                                TA = Ambient Temperature
                                                V0°C = Voltage at 0°C (500mV)

 2) LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTOR (LDR) SENSOR



The LDR light sensor detects the light intensity shinning into the greenhouse. The output of the sensor will be in analogue ranging from 0 to 1V. Since the PIC’s maximum input current is 25mA, we set the sensor’s output current to be 20mA for extra precautionary measures. Ohm’s law was used to determine the resistance needed to limit the current at this voltage output range.
                                
 Ohm’s Law: Voltage [V] = Current [A] x Resistance [Ω] 

 3) HUMIDITY SENSOR
 

The humidity sensor is used to determine the relative humidity level inside the greenhouse. It requires a 5V power supply and can be directly connected to VCC. The output of the sensor ranges from 0V to 1V. To determine the equivalent relative humidity, the voltage output will be analyzed. As stated in the datasheet, the voltage output varies linearly with the humidity level - every 0.01V is equivalent to 1%RH. This is a very useful feature of the sensor as it helps determine the humidity level faster and more efficiently. 

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