1) Design of a Low Cost Rainfall Gauge Data Logger

 

This work is the design of a low cost electronic rainfall gauge data logger that operates in historical, real-time, and networking modes. Figure 1 shows the data logger electronic circuit, which main characteristics are:

 

1)      Typical current consumption at 600 mA for power source at 3.6 Volts

2)     Printed circuit board (PCB) size at 43 x 56 mm,

3)     data storage into non-volatile memories that retains the information in case of electrical power failures,

4)     Management of up to 8 non-volatile data memories of 32Kbyte each,

5)     Data storage of 8.190 rainfall records per each 32KB memory,

6)     Serial data communication for data transference,

7)     Enclosure box manufactured with resistant plastic to rain and dust (IP55),

8)     Material cost: about U$ 30.00

 

 

 

Fig 1. (A) The Rainfall gauge and the data logger. (B) The data logger electronic circuit.

 

 

Work Group:

 

·         João E. M. Perea Martins (Computer Science Department - Unesp) project coordination and design of data logger software and hardware.

·         This work was motivated by several researchers from Unesp in Bauru, Brazil.

 

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2 - Design of an Electronic System for Biofilter Automation

 

This work is the design of electronic kernel for humidity  sensing and control of a biofilter system. Biofilters are natural filters that, in this case, can reduce the odor of air from livestocks. Figure 2 shows the system structure, where the air from livestocks cross trough a chip wood layer in the biofilter that reduces the air odor due to its microbes action. Its performance depends on the on the wood humidity control. 

 

Fig 2 - The biofilter system structure

 

            This biofilter is an original project of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering of the University of Illinois University, at Urbana‑Champaign, in USA. The electronic kernel for the biofilter automation was developed in the São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil, as a joint work. The main electronic kernel functions are: 1) The data acquisition of the signal from the biofilter humidity sensor 2) The biofilter humidity level control, 3) The data transference to a personal computer, enabling, if desired, the real time biofilter monitoring with a computer

 

Fig. 2.1.  (A) Assembling of the biofilter in the University of Illinois. (B) The frontal panel of the electronic control kernel developed at Unesp in Brazil.

 

Work Group:

·         João E. M. Perea Martins (Computer Science Department - Unesp), designer of the biofilter electronic automation kernel

·         Ted Funk (University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign, USA), biofilter project coordinator. The project also has collaboration from other people of the University of Illinois

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3 - Design of a Bioreactor Automation System

 

This work is the design of software for data acquisition and control of dissolved oxygen in a bioreactor system. The dissolved oxygen sensing is based on a sensing device model DO9709 that also has a serial output for data communication. The designed software receives the serial information from the DO9709, filter the information, and control the oxygen pump in the bioreactor environment.

The developed system uses the computer serial interface to receive data from the sensing device and to switch (on/off) a oxygen pump. The work also includes the hardware design of a power electronic circuit to switch the pump based on the signal from the computer serial interface.  The control software also generates a file with the measured values and their respective occurrence time, and besides it enables the real time monitoring. Figure 3(A) shows the bioreactor system, and figure 3(B) shows a screen of the control software.

 

Fig 3. (A) The bioreactor system, including the control system. (B) The main software screen

 

 

Work Group:

 

·         João E. M. Perea Martins  – (Computer Science Department – Unesp), designer of the bioreactor data logging and automation software

·        It ncludes other researchers from the Civil Engineering Department – Unesp.

 

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4 – A System for Rainfall Catchment With Automatic Water Tank Level Monitoring

 

This work goal is the design of a system (hardware and software) for monitoring the water level in water tanks and to enable a better rainfall catchement. Figure 4.1 shows the system structure. The rain is caught from rooftop and stored in the auxiliary water tank. The microcontroller monitors the water in both tanks, and according to specific parameters, it turn-on or turn-off the water pump process that uses the rainwater from the auxiliary thank to reload the main water tank.

The main project contribution is that besides the automation, it also can record the events and their respective times. It means that user can have a historical report about the system behavior that can be important for future decisions about the system operation, and besides it can compose an intelligent system where the automation is based on facts and statistics to achieve a better performance for the water use.

 

 

 

Fig. 4.1 – The system structure.

Work Group:

 

·         João E. M. Perea Martins  – (Computer Science Department – Unesp), Project coordinator

·         Andre Hiroshi Tanaka – Computer Programmer - Undergraduate student of the Computer Science Department, Unesp – Brazil.

 

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5 - Design of Software for In Vessel Composting Process Monitoring and Control   

 

 

This work is the design of software for monitoring and automation of a dedicated system for experimental analysis of solid materials composting. It is a direct application of computer systems in the environmental area. The gases sensing and analyzer is the model S710 from the Sick-Maihak that monitors the CO₂ and O₂ concentration in the composting process and sends the information to a computer that records the information in a specific database, and control the air pump in the process, according to specific parameters defined by the user. The software also records the gases measurement as a time function, enabling a detailed study about the composting system behavior.

 Figure 5 (A) shows the system structure and figure 5(B) shows the gases sensing and analyzer with the rotary vat that stores the composting material to be analyzed.

 

Figure 5. (A) The system structure for experimental analysis of solid materials composting. (B) The system photo showing the S710 gases analyzer and the rotary vat.

 

 

Work Group:

·         João E. M. Perea Martins – (Computer Science Department – Unesp) – Designer of the automation system and software.

·         Jorge Akutsu - Civil Engineering Department – Unesp – Brazil – Project Coordinator

·         This work also includes other researchers from the Civil Engineering Department – Unesp.