Showing posts with label sensor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sensor. Show all posts

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Simple Heat Sensor Circuit Diagram

This simple heat sensor circuit could senses heat from various electronics device like computer, amplifier etc. and generate warning alarm. It could senses heat from environment also, but here I mention “electronics device” because it is being using mostly in electronic device to protect them from overheat.

Thermistor, 110 Ohms:

Thermistor
Fig-2: 110 Ohms Thermistor
As it is a heat sensor circuit, here a thermistor is used as a heat sensor. It is a thermal measurement device and has a variety of usages including temperature sensor/ heat sensor. The thermistor used in this circuit is a NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) type thermistor. When temperature increases, its resistance goes decrease. Therefore, NTC thermistor’s resistances are inverse of temperature.

Circuit Description:

You have seen, in this simple circuit diagram of heat sensor, a few number of components is used including a BC548 transistor, a 110 ohms thermistor etc.
  • BC548: BC548 is a TO-92 type NPN transistor, as its alternative you can use 2N2222, BC238, BC548, BC168, BC183 etc. they all have almost same characteristic.
  • 110 Ohms Thermistor: A 110 Ohms thermistor is used to detecting heat. I have told already about it.
  • Buzzer: A buzzer is used with +9V and collector of transistor. When the temperature/ heat exceeds a certain level then it make an alarm.
  • 4.7V Zener diode:  It is used to limit the emitter current of BC548.
  • 9V Battery: A 9V battery is used as a single power source.
  • R1, R2: A 3.3K 1/4w resistor is used as R1 and 100 ohms 1/4w as R2.
  • Switch: Here in this circuit the switch used is a simple SPST switch. You can either use the switch or not, choice is yours. It is not mandatory.
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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

New Frost Detector Temperature Sensor Circuit

The choice has again been made for a type that we have already used in many previous Elektor circuits, the LM35CZ (-40 to 110 °C). This sensor is not expensive and generates an output voltage that is proportional to the temperature in degrees Celsius (10 mV/°C).

Sensor
An LM35 is normally powered from a single-ended power supply and 0 °C corresponds to an output voltage of 0 V. It is therefore not possible to measure negative temperatures with an LM35 in the standard application circuit. It is however possible to measure negative temperatures if its output is connected to a negative supply voltage via a resistor. There needs to be a current of 50 μA through this resistor (R2 in the schematic).



We only need to detect the freezing point with this circuit. That is why there is a comparator after the temperature sensor, which turns an LED on if the temperature has dropped below 0 °C during the course of the night. To ensure that the comparator operates properly it is necessary that the measurement value can become slightly more negative with respect to the input. To solve this problem, a diode (D1) has been connected in series with the ground connection of the LM35. The voltage drop across D1 (because of the small current through the LM35 this is only 0.47 V) acts as negative power supply. Since the non-inverting input of comparatorIC2 is connected via R3 to the anode of D1 it functions as the 0°C-reference level for the comparator.

Comparator
The comparator is a standard opamp type TLC271, which we configured for minimal current consumption by
connecting the bias-select input (pin 8) to the power supply voltage. There is no need for the detector to be fast and it will therefore work well with the opamp operating in its most economical mode.

LED D3 provides the frost indication. It is the intention that the LED stays on once the temperature in the room drops below freezing or when it has been below freezing. To realise this, an asymmetric hysteresis is created with the aid of R3, R4 and D2. The instant that the output goes high, the non-inverting input goes more positive via D2 and R4, and the output therefore stays high. The temperature would now have to increase to more than about 30° before the LED will go out by itself. In practice this probably means that it is summer and that it is not likely to freeze anyway. If need be, the hysteresis can be increased by increasing the value of R3.



Capacitor C2 is added to make sure that the LED remains off (the circuit is reset) when the power supply is connected. The non-inverting input of the opamp is briefly connected to ground and the output is therefore low. R1 and S1 are only required if the circuit needs to be reset when the battery is connected. Instead of S1 you could also use a power supply switch or even just simply disconnect the battery for a moment.

Thrifty Power supply
Since the circuit is assumed to be powered from a battery there was a conscious effort to minimise the power consumption. The current consumption of the prototype, at a power supply voltage ranging from 6 to 9 V, was less than 120 μA. When the LED is on, the current consumption rises to only 1 mA at 6V and 1.8 mA at 9V, because a low current LED is used. In our prototype we used a green, low-current LED.

If four AA penlight batteries (with a capacity of about 2 Ah) are used, then the circuit will run for about two years in standby mode. When the LED is on this is considerably shorter, of course (about two months, this is easily long enough to run through a severe winter period). A standard 9-V battery will also last a single winter, provided you frequently check whether the LED is on.

Finally, a comment about the TLC-271CP used here. The version with the C-suffix is specified for an operating range from 0 to 70 °C, but will continue to work at lower temperatures, particularly considering that the IC is not used in a linear application. If in doubt you can always try to get your hands on a version with the I-suffix (that is, TLC271IP: –40 to 125°C). But that is only necessary if you expect it to be real cold in the monitored room...
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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Colour Sensor

Colour Sensor Circuit diagram is an interesting project for hobbyists. The circuit can sense eight colours, i.e. blue,green and red (primary colours); magenta, yellow and cyan (secondary colours); and black and white. The circuit is based on the fundamentals of optics and digital electronics.

Colour Sensor Circuit diagram :
Colour-Sensor -Circuit-Diagram

Colour Sensor  Circuit Diagram

The object whose colour is required to be detected should be placed in front of the system. The light rays reflected from the object will fall on the three convex lenses which are fixed in front of the three LDRs. The convex lenses are used to converge light rays. This helps to increase the sensitivity of LDRs. Blue, green and red glass plates (filters) are fixed in front of LDR1, LDR2 and LDR3 respectively. When reflected light rays from the object fall on the gadget, the coloured filter glass plates determine which of the LDRs would get triggered. The circuit makes use of only ‘AND’ gates and ‘NOT’ gates.

When a primary coloured light ray falls on the system, the glass plate corresponding to that primary colour will allow that specific light to pass through. But the other two glass plates will not allow any light to pass through. Thus only one LDR will get triggered and the gate output corresponding to that LDR will become logic 1 to indicate which colour it is. Similarly, when a secondary coloured light ray falls on the system, the two primary glass plates corresponding to the mixed colour will allow that light to pass through while the remaining one will not allow any light ray to pass through it. As a result two of the LDRs get triggered and the gate output corresponding to these will become logic 1 and indicate which colour it is.

When all the LDRs get triggered or remain untriggered, you will observe white and black light indications respectively. Following points may be carefully noted:
  • 1. Potmeters VR1, VR2 and VR3 may be used to adjust the sensitivity of the LDRs.
    2. Common ends of the LDRs should be connected to positive supply.
    3. Use good quality light filters.

The LDR is mounded in a tube, behind a lens, and aimed at the object. The coloured glass filter should be fixed in front of the LDR as shown in the figure. Make three of that kind and fix them in a suitable case. Adjustments are critical and the gadget performance would depend upon its proper fabrication and use of correct filters as well as light conditions.
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Sensor and Detector Liquids Circuit Diagram

This is a very simple liquid detector which controls a relay, this gives you the option to be used for hundreds of applications. You can use it as a float switch to turn on the water pump alarm, rain, etc.. He uses a 4093 IC and transistor can be anyone, provided that it meets the power relay. This sensor can be used with Arduino no problem .


Sensor and Detector Liquids Circuit Diagram


Sensor and Detector Liquids Circuit Diagram
 

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