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Design And Construction Of A Microcontroller Based Surge Protection System

Electrical Electronics Engineering | Engineering

The design and construction of a microcontroller-based surge protection system involve the integration of sophisticated electronic components to safeguard electrical devices from voltage spikes or surges. Employing advanced microcontroller technology enables the system to swiftly detect irregular voltage fluctuations and respond effectively to mitigate potential damage. Through meticulous circuit design and programming, the system orchestrates a coordinated response, utilizing surge protection devices such as metal oxide varistors (MOVs) or transient voltage suppressors (TVS) to divert excess voltage away from sensitive equipment. Additionally, the microcontroller orchestrates real-time monitoring and diagnostic functions, enabling continuous assessment of the electrical network’s integrity. Furthermore, incorporating features like remote monitoring and alarm systems enhances the system’s functionality, ensuring prompt notification of any detected anomalies. This integration of microcontroller intelligence with surge protection mechanisms fortifies electrical systems against transient disturbances, bolstering their resilience and longevity in diverse operational environments.

ABSTRACT

Power surges happen whenever the wiring in your home or office experiences brief jolts of high electrical voltage. Power surges can be minor or severe. Even appliances or electronics that are turned off can flicker or buzz during a power surge.

Far from harmless though, power surges can damage your electrical outlets, fry your appliances and electronics and start dangerous electrical fires. Being cognizant and proactive against the causes of power surges can potentially save your electronics and more importantly, your life. To protect device from this harmful situation an surge protector is designed. An intelligent surge protective device (SPD) is a device designed to protect against damaging and dangerous short, high voltage transients that are created by devices outside or inside the home or studio.

Microcontroller is embedded into this system to make it smart or intelligent enough to handle all the issues intelligently and to provide control signals to turn on and off AC main power supply

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

PROBLEM STATEMENT
AIM/OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT
APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
RESEARCH QUESTION
METHODOLOGY
PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

OVERVIEW OF POWER SURGES
WHEN TO USE A SURGE PROTECTOR
SURGE PROTECTION LEVELS
OVERVIEW OF SURGE PROTECTOR
POWER SURGE IMPORTANT SPECIFICATIONS
REVIEW OF THE RELATED STUDY
CAUSES OF POWER SURGE
TYPES OF POWER SURGE
EFFECTS OF POWER SURGE

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

THE BASICS OF SURGE PROTECTION
SYSTEM OPERATION
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
PROJECT CODE

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT ANALYSIS

CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE
CASING AND PACKAGING
ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
PACKAGING
MOUNTING PROCEDURE
TESTING AND RESULT

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

The basic concept of Smart Grid is to provide interoperability of the national electrical delivery system by means of monitoring, information, control, and communication capabilities to the national electrical delivery system to maximize the reliability of the system while reducing the energy consumption. The intent of the Smart Grid is to allow utilities to transmit and distribute electricity throughout the system reliably through the deployment and use of intelligent electronic equipment in the sub-domains associated with the electric power and the public and private communications. This will allow homeowners, businesses and industrial facilities to use electricity more intelligently.

The traditional power distribution arrangement is to have central power generation with radial distribution. If there is too much load for the available generation or transmission it will cause the generation to slow down or the transmission system to break apart in an effort to reduce the sag in the transmission lines. Most transmission systems have automatic frequency and under- voltage load shedding plans in place. Modeling the power system determines what are the maximum distributed energy resources that can be absorbed on the transmission facilities. One thing that can occur is that voltage and frequency regulation is going to be degraded any time the grid is put under too much stress. Intelligently interlinking distribution systems in a grid allows for the continued delivery of power during fault or excessive demand situations.

One of the aspects of the Smart Grid is the ability to monitor, control and coordinate alternative energy resources at various points in the grid. Problems exist when a radial distribution system has to accept two way flow of real and reactive power. To manage this problem there has to be a greater dependence on monitoring, information exchange and control (MIC). It is imperative to understand how to protect all communication system elements from unnecessary upset or damage from lightning, both direct and indirect. It is also necessary to assure that surge protection and/or other technologies are in place to mitigate switching surges anywhere in the electrical delivery system causing upset or damage. Non-traditional sources like energy storage; flywheels, batteries and high energy capacitors and renewable such as; wind photovoltaic, require new standards to define the surge protection requirements. Power surge is one of the major problems that face power supply that powers our appliances.

This device that is discussed in this work is designed which automatically turn on and turn off main power supply in case of power surge in AC main power supply and on one need to control it manually. Microcontroller is embedded into this system to make it smart or intelligent enough to handle all the issues intelligently and to provide control signals to turn on and off AC main power supply.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Voltage is a measure of a difference in electric potential energy. Electric current travels from point to point because there is a greater electric potential energy on one end of the wire than there is on the other end. This is the same sort of principle that makes water under pressure flow out of a hose — higher pressure on one end of the hose pushes water toward an area of lower pressure. If the voltage rises above 220 volts, there is a problem, it will expose electrical appliances to danger of being damage and a surge protector helps to prevent that problem from destroying appliances.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The objective of this work is to construct s device that protects appliances from power surge.

1.4 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The purpose of this paper is to build an intelligent surge protective device that plays an integral part in improving the operability and reliability of appliances and its components. Applications include connection to power equipment, as well as data and signaling circuits for control, monitoring and communication. The selection and application of surge protective devices based on transient exposure levels are discussed.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

The advantage of this device is to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes. A surge protector attempts to limit the voltage supplied to an electric device by either blocking or shorting to ground any unwanted voltages above a safe threshold.

1.6 PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT

One problem with surge protectors is that the voltage sensor can burn out with one good surge. This is why it’s good to get a protector with an indicator light that tells you whether or not it’s functioning properly.
Never use a surge protector with a step-down transformer usually, having 220 volts between neutral and ground in an appliance designed for 110 volts is not a problem — the insulation has a large safety margin. However, if you connect a surge protector (or a piece of equipment with built-in surge protection) on the 110 volt side, bad things can happen.

1.7 APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

Surge protector can be use in

i. Power grid

ii. High-power electrical devices, such as elevators, air conditioners and refrigerators. These high-powered pieces of equipment require a lot of energy to switch on and turn off components like compressors and motors.

iii. Home – in consumer appliances

1.8 RESEARCH QUESTION

This work brings answers to question that related to this work, such questions are as follows:

i. What is power surge?

ii. Where do these spikes transient surges in voltage or current come from, and what should you do about them?

iii. What are the causes and effect of surge on appliances?

iv. Where do spikes transient surges in voltage or current come from, and what should you do about them?

1.9 METHODOLOGY

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

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

Test for continuity of components and devices,

programming of microcontroller
Design and calculation for the changeover was carried out.
Studying of various component used in circuit.

Construct a digital changeover circuit.
Finally, the whole device was cased and final test was carried out.

1.10 PROJECT ORGANISATION

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.