Digital Hydrometer measures specific gravity of lead-acid battery fluid. The measurable range is optimized to the specific gravity of sulfuric lead-acid battery fluid. This digital hydrometer is the quickest and most efficient way to maintain and ensure optimally charged industrial storage battery banks.

Digital hydrometer allows a quick and easy determination of specific gravity of sulfuric acid in batteries. Specific gravity measurements best identify failing battery cells compared to voltage testing, which only shows the float charge

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• AREA OF APPLICATION
• ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
• DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
• LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
• METHODOLOGY
• PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• OVERVIEW OF HYDROMETER
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF HYDROMETER
• RANGES OF HYDROMETER
• SCALES OF HYDROMETERS
• REVIEW OF DIFFERENT TYPES HYDROMETERS
• OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
• COMPARISON OF HYDROMETER AND A DIGITAL HYDROMETER
• REVIEW OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIGITAL HYDROMETER

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

• SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
• SYSTEM CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
• CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
• BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SHT1X/7X SENSORS
• DESCRIPTION OF SOME MAJOR COMPONENTS USED

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      TEST AND RESULT ANALYSIS

• CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING ANALYSIS
• CASING AND PACKAGING
• ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
• TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION
• INSTALLATION OF THE COMPLETED DESIGN

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

1.1                                         BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

Storage battery system, LLC (SBS) introduced the first digital battery hydrometer to the U.S. stationary and industrial battery market back in 1988. For over 30 years, SBS has sold and serviced thousands of hydrometers. SBS provides the newest technologies in battery maintenance equipment today.

Hydrometers (density meters) measure the specific gravity of a battery’s electrolyte. Based on the specific gravity readings of the samples taken and the battery manufacturer’s published specific gravity reference values, the user can determine the state of charge of the battery. Retaining these hydrometer readings and data over time is recommended by IEEE as part of any Battery Maintenance Program.

Digital hydrometers / specific gravity testers are commonly used in utilities, telecommunications, industrial, food and beverage, petrochemical and other applications.

In contrast to bulb-style hydrometers, digital hydrometers provide highly accurate recording, storage, and transfer of battery data to a PC — eliminating hours of hand recording and entering data manually. As a result, time spent on battery maintenance is reduced significantly.

Using a hydrometer has the advantage of only involving singular measurements and is an effective method to measure liquids. A disadvantage of using a hydrometer is that there is typically more waste and a longer cleaning time.

1.2                                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

The old hydrometer consists essentially of a weighted, sealed, long-necked glass bulb that is immersed in the liquid being measured; the depth of flotation gives an indication of liquid density, and the neck can be calibrated to read density, specific gravity, or some other related characteristic which is inaccurate in reading. The invention of the digital hydrometer was invented to overcome this limitation in that it is light in weight, portable and have high level of accuracy than the analogue and the result of the reading is display via LCD.

1.3                                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The main aim of this work is build a digital hydrometer that is used for measuring specific gravity and concentration of liquids in lead acid battery.

1.4                                         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

Digital hydrometers are typically small and lightweight, digital hydrometers are frequently used as portable devices for on-site measurements. A Hydrometer is commonly used to measure the Acid Density in Lead/Acid car batteries. The result of the Hydrometer reading let’s you know how much electric charge is left in the battery. It is most commonly used to find out whether or not, the battery is old and depleted, or still in good condition.

1.5                                                 AREA OF APPLICATION

Typically digital hydrometers are used to check the density, specific gravity, or concentration of:

1. Hot wort
2. Beer

• Sulfuric acid in lead acid production

1. Wine (during fermentation and before bottling)
2. Sake (during fermentation)
3. Petroleum products like crude oil, gasoline, diesel, lube, and biodiesel

• Solvents
• Sodium hydroxide solutions

1. Milk and dairy products
2. Pharmaceuticals
3. Utility

• UPS
• Data Centers
• Telecom

1. Material Handling

• Battery Manufacturing

1.6                                          ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT

1) it is a Simple method

2) it gives Quick measurement

3) Inexpensive instrument

4) Special instruments with direct readings in Alcohol%, Sugar% (BRIX) or other density related values available

1.7                                      DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT

1) Breakable glassware

2) Long and difficult thermostating

3) It has Very small measuring range (requires several hydrometers to cover a wider range, typically 20 units)

4) Difficult to clean and dry

1.8                                                    LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

1. Measures specific gravity, ambient temperature and count
2. Tests both lead acid and nickel cadmium batteries

• Time savings: 5 times faster than conventional methods

1. ± 0.001 accuracy
2. Automatic temperature compensation
3. Compact, lightweight design enabling one-hand measurement

• Stores up to 100 sample IDs for easy sample identification
• Stores up to 1024 measurements including time stamps and sample IDs

1. Infrared data interface for data exchange
2. LCD display

1.9                                                        METHODOLOGY

To achieve the aim and objectives of this work, the following are the steps involved:

1. Study of the previous work on the project so as to improve it efficiency.
2. Draw a block diagram.

• Test for continuity of components and devices,

1. Design and calculation for the device was carried out.
2. Studying of various component used in circuit.
3. Construction of the circuit was carried out.

• Finally, the whole device was cased and final test was carried out.

1.10                                      PROJECT WORK ORGANISATION

The various stages involved in the development of this project have been properly put into five chapters to enhance comprehensive and concise reading. In this project thesis, the project is organized sequentially as follows:

Chapter one of this work is on the introduction to a digital hydrometer. In this chapter, the background, significance, objective limitation and problem of a hydrometer were discussed.

Chapter two is on literature review of a digital hydrometer. In this chapter, all the literature pertaining to this work was reviewed.

Chapter three is on design methodology. In this chapter all the method involved during the design and construction were discussed.

Chapter four is on testing analysis. All testing that result accurate functionality was analyzed.

Chapter five is on conclusion, recommendation and references.