Embedded Controller for a Water Pumping System

Dr.K.R.Valluvan, Prof., Dept. of ECE, VCET, Dr.A.Senthilkumar, Prof., Dept. of EIE, MCET, Prof.P.Jayachandar, Dept. of ECE, VCET.

Problem Identification
An embedded Controller for Automatic operation of water pumps in a tandem system located at four different places separated over a total distance of 17 km. The criticality of this system is that this system feeds a poultry farm which is solely dependent on this pumping system.

Pumping Strategies
single pump for the entire length; intermediate in-line booster pumps and multiple pumps each with its receiver tank from the previous section.

Communication Strategies
Traditional control / signal wires running along with the length of the pipe line; dedicated self-owned Radio Frequency (RF) links between stations public domain mobile network with Short Message Service (SMS) between the controllers of individual stations.

Controller Strategies
Industry standard PLC Custom designed embedded system based on a microcontroller.

Pumping Strategy 1:

Advantages: Not a complex system. Reduced capital (installation) cost. Disadvantages : Pipe line pressure is high. Air vent releases are to be provided at many points. Water hammering is severe.

Pumping Strategy 2:

Advantages: Pressure drop and reduced flow are avoided. Disadvantages : . Booster pumps are to be rated very tightly. Booster pumps are to be located in several stations. Each station, with its complete system, increases capital cost. Each station needs to provide a certain amount of minimum buffer storage. Each station needs a back-up power source in the form of a Diesel Generator (DG) set.

Pumping Strategy 3:

Multiple Tandem Pumping Stations

Advantages: Pressure drop and reduced flow are avoided. Complete flexibility in operation and maintenance. Each station has a large buffer storage tank The overall reliability in terms water delivery at the destination is highest. Disadvantages : Highest capital cost among all the above schemes Highest operational and maintenance cost Pipe line pressure is high. Air vent releases are to be provided at many points.

Embedded Controller Front view

Embedded Controller Inside view

Operational Sequence of Controllers

Sign on message for 5 seconds. Display unit displays the status of all the pumps and tank level. If it receives the Pump ON command, it checks the availability of EB supply. If EB supply is not available, it switches ON the generator then switches ON the pump motor If Pressure switch is not ON within 3 minutes, Pump fault message will be sent to the operator and Alarm Bell will be activated . Alarm Bell will be stopped by pressing the Alarm Acknowledge switch. Once the Pump Motor is switched ON , ON status will be sent to all other units. On receiving the Pump OFF command, then it switches OFF the pump motor then it switches OFF the generator and OFF status will be sent to all other units. The status information from other units are immediately updated and the pump status (ON/OFF) of all units and Tank level are displayed.

References
[1] Rajkamal, Embedded Systems, 2nd edn., Tata McGrawHill, New

Delhi, 2008. [2] Shibu K.V. , Introduction to Embedded Systems, Tata McGrawHill, New Delhi, 2009. [4] Frank Vahid and Tony Givargis, Embedded System Design, John Wiley & Sons, 2003 [5] Dreamtech Software Team, Programming for Embedded Systems, Wiley Publishing Inc., 2002 [6] Frank D.Petruzella, Programmable Logic Controllers, 3rd edn., Tata McGrawHill, New Delhi, 2010. [7] www.microchip.com [8] www.omron.com