Final Year Project Feasibility Report

IIEE - 19b - 41908- 2011

USB DAQ CARD BASED

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL USING PRESSURE SENSOR

Prepared By:

MUHAMMAD AHSAN ALI 1915

MUHAMMAD FAHAD AHSAN 1919
MUHAMMAD SAQIB ABBASI 1922
SEHRISH 1927

Submitted To:
Engr. Ashab Mirza
Associate Professor IIEE

PCSIR-Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering,

IIEE-ST-22/C, Block-6, Ghulshan-E-Iqbal, Karachi-75300
 Feasibility Report
Liquid Level Controlling using Visual C/C++

PROJECT SUPERVISORS

INTERNAL PROJECT SUPERVISORS

(1) Engr. Sajid Hussain

Lecturer at IIEE, PCSIR, Karachi
B.E (Industrial Electronics): Institute Of Industrial Electronics Engineering.
Email: sajidhussain@gmail.com
Contact: +92321-2064197

(2) Engr. Saba Javed

Part-Time Teacher, IIEE, PCSIR, Karachi
B.E (Industrial Electronics): Institute Of Industrial Electronics Engineering.
Email:badesaba.aries@gmail.com
Contact: +92331-2729627

PROJECT WORK INCHARGE:

Engr. Ashab Mirza

Associate Professor at IIEE, PCSIR, Karachi
PhD (Control Systems): PNEC, NUST, Karachi [Thesis Submitted in January 2007]
MS (Aerospace Engineering): ENSAE, France
BE (Electronics Engineering): Dawood College of Engg. & Technology, Karachi
Email: ashab.mirza@hotmail.com
Contact: +92322-2637339

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Liquid Level Controlling using Visual C/C++

PROJECT GROUP MEMBERS

1. MUHAMMAD AHSAN ALI 1915 IIEE- 768/ 2007-2008
B.E (Final Year): Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering (IIEE)
Address: House No 12, survey No 529, Ammar Yasir, Phase- 1, Malir 15, Karachi.
Email: cool_leos@hotmail.com
Contact: +92333-3700957

2. MUHAMMAD FAHAD AHSAN 1919 IIEE-772 / 2007-2008

B.E (Final Year): Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering (IIEE)
Address: House No P-95, Punjab Town, Near Wireless Gate, Shah Faisal Town,
Malir Halt, Karachi.
Email: sagi_fahad@yahoo.com
Contact: +92321-2751219

3. MUHAMMAD SAQIB ABBASI 1922 IIEE-775 / 2007-2008

B.E (Final Year): Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering (IIEE)
Address: Flat # E-2/5, Maymar Plaza, Block 1, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi.
Email: muhammadsaqibabbasi@hotmail.com
Contact: +92333-2336377

4. SEHIRSH 1927 IIEE-780/ 2007-2008

B.E (Final Year): Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering (IIEE)
Address: Flat No 14, Hassamal Building, 1 st Floor B.F. Cabral Road, Opposite
NADRA Office, Karachi.
Email: sehrish.23aries@gmail.com
Contact: +92334-3507127

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PREFACE
The main purpose of engineering training of BE (IE) at IIEE is to inculcate
engineering capability in its graduate, which enables them in finding practical and
economical solution to the industrial problem. IIEE graduates are required to prove
their engineering capability in their final year lab courses of Project Work. In the
7thterm we are required to complete design, analysis and simulation of the project
and in the 8th (final) semester we develop and practically analyze and tune our
project.

Industrial Electronics offers valuable services for solutions of industrial

problems. Especially power electronics, a major subject of this field, serves as
Enabling Technology. The major driving force for the present day Information
Technology revolution is the development in Electronics and Telecommunication
Engineering.
The project focused on the PID controller design for controlling liquid level of Liquid
tank. The PID Controller will be designed to control the liquid level at tank and design
techniques of the PID Controller are then conducted based on developed model. The
computer is connected to transducers and Actuators via data acquisition card
(PIC18F4550 Based IIEE DAQ Card) and Visual C/C# is used to conduct the
experiment. Field-testing is implemented to compare the results between the original
and modified system with the PID controller. Finally, the performance of the system
is analyzed and validation is done.

This problem requires an applicable knowledge of instrumentation and

Measurements, feedback control systems and computer programming.

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Liquid Level Controlling using Visual C/C++

USB DAQ CARD BASED

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL USING PRESSURE SENSOR
1.1 OVERVIEW
A tank is a container, usually for holding liquids, sometimes for compressed gases
(gas tank). The term can be used for reservoirs (artificial lakes and ponds), and for
manufactured containers. Industrial application of liquid level control abound, such
as in food processing, nuclear power generation plant, industrial chemical
processing and pharmaceutical industries.

The project assigned to us during the 7 th terms period at IIEE is the designing and
development of the DAQ CARD BASED CONTROL LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL.
The base of the tank has a flow valve connected to reservoir. In addition, level
sensors such as pressure Sensor, Floating Potentiometer etc. to monitor the level of
water in tank, displacement float and pressure sensor provide liquid level
measurement.
The PID Controller usually used for temperature, motion and flow controllers. Its
available in analog and digital forms. PID Controller will control the water pump so
that water in tank in level as required. The DAQ card is used as the interface to
connect the system and equipment. Software such as Microsoft Visual C or C Sharp
can be used to implement the designed controller by developing Graphical User
Interface (GUI).

There are two major parts of this system:

1) Hardware Interfacing
a) Connecting the computer to external equipment.
2) Software Design
b) Programming the computer to carry out its control calculation (control laws)
while interacting with external components. Visual C or C Sharp will be used
to program the DAQ card since this program is easy to learn its code
programming and user friendly.

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1.2 AREAS OF INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS APPLIED

This project covers some important areas of industrial electronics that are
discussed below:

1.2.1 Instrumentation

The fundamental principles of instrumentation and measurement are required

in precise measurement of Level and Temperature Measurement of Liquid Tank. The
signal conditioning of the sensors output is necessary to meet the next stage
requirements for further processing.

1.2.2 Feedback Control Systems

A closed-loop PID control system is required to control the relative position of

DC motor at desired set-point.

PID CONTROLLERS

In spite of developed modern control techniques like fuzzy logic controllers or

neural networks controllers, PID controllers constitute an important part at industrial
control systems so any improvement in PID design and implementation methodology
has a serious potential to be used at industrial engineering applications. At industrial
applications the PID controllers are preferred widespread due to its robust
characteristics against changes at the system model. From the other side at industry
the exact plant models cannot be obtained due to too much nonlinear parts and
uncertainties so at practice engineers usually find an appropriate model for the
dynamic system.

Changes in dynamic system parameters and unknown system variables

directly affect the performance of the system. So for obtaining a better performance
the controller parameters have to be renewed in some time interval.

Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controllers are widely used in industrial

practice over 60 years ago. The PID controllers was invented is in 1910 (largely
owning to Elmer Sperrys ship autopilot) and the straightforward Ziegler-Nichols (Z-
N) tuning rule in 1942. Today, PID is used in more than 90% of practical control
systems, ranging from consumer electronics such as cameras to industrial
processes such as chemical process.

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1.2.3 Digital Signal Processing

DSP algorithm will be implemented in a controller to sample the sensors data,

process it, and generate control signals according to the desired relative speed and
position Control requirements.

1.2.4 Advanced Computer Programming

To make an interface between operator and control unit a Graphical User

Interface (GUI) will be developed. For this purpose the basic knowledge of visual
programming in C-language is mandatory.

1.2.5 DAQ Card

The IIEE USB DAQ Card will be used as the data acquisition input output card
for the real time implementation. This DAQ card will be function to communicate
between controller and plant.

The controller that is design will send the required signal to control the Valve. The
Valve (which consists of Differential Valve or Servo Valve) will react controlling of
flow. And level sensor and Temp sensor feedbacks the information signal to
controller for next iteration. The same process will happened through DAQ card.

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1.3 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Industrial application of liquid level control abound, such as in food processing,
nuclear power generation plant, industrial chemical processing and pharmaceutical
industries. The typical actuators used in tank liquid level Control system mounted
above a reservoir which functions as storage for the water. In addition, level sensors
are used to monitor the level of water in tank, typically Different Type of sensors are
available like displacement float and pressure sensor which provides Quite good
liquid level measurement.
The PID Controller usually used for temperature, motion and flow controllers. Its
available in analog and digital forms. PID Controller will control the water pump so
that water in both tank in level as required. The DAQ card is used as the interface to
connect the system and equipment. Figure 1.1 shows the block diagram of the Liquid
tank control apparatus.

Fig 1.3.1: Block Diagram of USB DAQ CARD Based Liquid Level Control Mechanism using Pressure Sensor

Figure 1.3.1 shows about the overall progress for both software and hardware
development that will discuss later. This project will be divided to two parts to make
sure this project run smoothly. The first part is a software part, which will cover
modeling the controller. The controller must be designed (and can be simulated if
needed) and then implemented in Visual C/C# as GUI. The second part will cover for
the hardware part.
In this part, the tank liquid level system will be assembled to make sure it will run
properly. Then, a communication between plant and controller must be done using

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DAQ card. The DAQ card must be analyzed and these operations need to refer the
manual, to make the interfacing between plant and controller.

START

CASE STUDY

DETERMINATION OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE

DEFINE MODELING HARDWARE CONFIGURATION

VISUAL C PROGRAMMING CHIECKING CONNECTION

INTERFACING CIRCUIT VIA DAQ CARD

IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE CODING

OK
OK

INTEGRATED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

CONTROLLING THE SYSTEM

OK

DEMO END

Fig 1.3.2: Flow Chart for Software and Hardware development Process

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Liquid Level Controlling using Visual C/C++

1.4 SUB-SYSTEMS IN BLOCK DIAGRAM

1.4.1 TANKS
A storage tank is a container, usually for holding liquids, sometimes for compressed
gases (gas tank).

1.4.2 VALVES
A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids,
or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves
are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category. In an
open valve, fluid flows in a direction from higher pressure to lower pressure. Valves
are used in a variety of contexts, including industrial, military, commercial,
residential, and transport. The industries in which the majority of valves are used are
oil and gas, power generation, mining, water reticulation, sewerage and chemical
manufacturing.

1.4.3 PRESSURE SENSOR

A pressure sensor measures pressure, typically of gases or liquids. Pressure is an
expression of the force required to stop a fluid from expanding, and is usually stated
in terms of force per unit area. A pressure sensor usually acts as a transducer; it
generates a signal as a function of the pressure imposed. For the purposes of this
article, such a signal is electrical.

Pressure sensors are used for control and monitoring in thousands of everyday
applications. Pressure sensors can also be used to indirectly measure other
variables such as fluid/gas flow, speed, water level, and altitude. Pressure sensors
can alternatively be called pressure transducers, pressure transmitters,
pressure senders, pressure indicators and piezo meters, manometers, among
other names.

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1.5 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this project are as follows:
1. To develop the PID controller to control the Liquid Level of the Tank
2. To implement the controller using Visual C/C++.
3. To Control the Valve for Flow controlling of the Tank.
4. To monitor the temperature of the tank.

1.6 SCOPES OF PROJECT

This project is all about how to design the controller. Then, implement PID Controller
by developing GUI using Microsoft Visual C/C# software on tank liquid level system.
Microsoft Visual C/C# is been used to implement the graphical user interface for PID
Controller.
The communication between DAQ card, Visual C/C# and Coupled tank liquid level
system will be determined, in term of address to give or receive analog or digital
signal.

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1.7 TENTATIVE TIME SCHEDULE

The time schedule for the completion of project is shown in table 1.1.

Table 1.1 Tentative time schedule

S. No. of
Tasks to be performed Time limit
No weeks

1 Thorough study of System 2 weeks 1st July,2011 - 14th June, 2011

Thorough study of
2 Software Algorithm of 2 weeks 15th July, 2011 18th July, 2011
System
PID application software
3 development using Visual 5 weeks 19th July, 2011 31st Aug ,2011
C/C#

GUI Designing and

4 Implementation on DAQ 4 weeks 1st Sep ,2011 30th Sep ,2011
Card

Designing and testing of

5 3 weeks 1st Oct, 2011 21st Oct,2011
Tank level System
Interfacing Hardware and
6 4 week 22nd Oct, 2011 - 21st Nov ,2011
Software Portions

Total 20 weeks

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