Design And Construction Of An RF Remote Control For DC Fan Speed

ABSTRACT

The work is on design and construction of a remote controlled dc fan. Remote controlled fan regulator is an electronics device that enables the user to operate a fan regulator from approximately 10 meters away. However, with this device one can change the speed of the fan from your couch or bed. The device would allow a person to control the speed of a fan by simply pointing the remote towards a sensor and then pressing any key. This device can be used to remotely control the speed of an dc fan and to switch it on or off. The remote control is a cheap Format remote, usually a DVD players remote. Three buttons are used to command the circuit. The UP key increase the fan’s speed while the DOWN key decrease it. The ENTER key is used to switch on or off the fan. The unit provides 5 way speed control from 0 to 5. The current speed is displayed in a seven segment display. The yellow LED on the PCB indicates the power status of the load. If the load is switched off using the R/C then the LED will also be switched off.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• PROBLEM AND LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
• SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
• APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
• PROJECT LIMITATION
• PROJECT ORGANISATION
• METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT

2.2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
2.3. REMOTE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY
2.4. INFRARED, LINE OF SIGHT AND OPERATING ANGLE
2.5. REMOTE CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

2.6. REVIEW OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAN REGULATOR

CHAPTER THREE

SYSTEM DESIGN

• SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
• SYSTEM HARDWARE
• CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
• OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM
• LIST AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS
• REMOTE SECTION
• PROGRAM CODE
• SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

CHAPTER FOUR

• TESTING AND RESULTS
• CASING AND PACKAGING
• ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
• TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION
• ECONOMIC OF THE PROJECT
• PROJECT EVALUATION

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Today, Fan is always used in the daily purposes. It is used to control the room temperature. All the activities of Fan can be controlled by using centrifugal switch. Before fan is invented, bird feather had been used. As year goes by, human being very creative by the creative technology which make human’s life easier. Nowadays, fan and air conditioner has been a must appliance to each home, offices and the industries. Mostly each invention will be the modified from years for a change. The same thing goes to fan. Basically, fan has been run manually. To change the speed one has to push the speed button at the control panel of the fan. There are so many machines or electrical appliances that can function automatically. Remote control facilitates the operation of fan regulators around the home or office from a distance. It provides a system that is simple to understand and also to operate, a system that would be cheap and affordable, a reliable and easy to maintain system of remote control and durable system irrespective of usage. It adds more comfort to everyday living by removing the inconvenience of having to move around to operate a fan regulator. The system seeks to develop a system that is cost effective while not under mining the need for efficiency.

However, this device provides an efficient remote Fan speed control system that wirelessly changes the speed level by pressing a remote which is more comfortable than manual system. This project has been designed in such a way that the required components are available in local market. Therefore an indigenous low cost control scheme has been developed which can be used in real life application.

1.2                                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

Fan is used to control the room temperature. All the activities of Fan can be controlled by using centrifugal switch according to Environment Monitoring (2008). The user can select the interested speed by switching the appropriate level in switch centrifugal. During the night, the metabolic rate of one’s body decreases, and one is expected to wake up from time to time to adjust / regulate the speed of the Fan (with respect to room temperature). Many people who are disabled / physically challenged persons are affected the most because of the inconveniences associated in changing the Fan speed level manually according to Bai, Y., & Ku, Y. (2008). Thus electricity usage by Fan about 100watts~80watts (depending on the make) is more than what  is required for the desired low speed operation of Fan (approximately 10 watts to 30watts).

So, an efficient and reliable system that wirelessly changes the Fan speed level just by pressing a remote was built to solve the problems and shortcomings associated with manually method of Fan speed control.

1.3                        AIM/OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The aim is to design a remote control that is portable in size and a receiver that responds only to the infra-red signal transmitted by the remote control. The system responds favorable and automatically changes the fan speed. The objectives are:

1. To wirelessly control the speed of fan
2. To build the device that can control the speed of an electric fan from a distance of 10m.

• To reduce human labour

The receiver-transmitter maximum distance is approximately 10m; this is the range of the transmission of the infra-red diode used. It was noted that the receiver unit was able to receive signal propagated of the distance within the range.

1.4                            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This work provides a means of control ceiling fan speed from a distance using remote. The device would allow a person to control the speed of a fan by simply pointing the remote towards a sensor and then pressing any key. Now you can lie in your bed or sit on the sofa and conveniently operate your fan. You don’t need to or have to get up. Besides, you now have extra functions that were not possible with the conventional fan regulators. It is cheap and consumes less current, this system uses from 5v to 12v dc supply while the remote uses two AAA battery [3].

The 5-speed ceiling fan remote control allows you stay away from your ceiling fan’s regulator and conveniently operate it. Even from a significant distance away. this fan remote control works up to a distance of 10 meters. With this control system, a fan has to be deliberately put on. It doesn’t come on just with the return of power supply. Consider how much energy you waste when fans are forgotten in ‘on’ position when power outage occurs and they just get working when power returns, often in your absence [5].

1.5                                              PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT

The only problem of this device: even though pwm is generating fan speed remains full speed and does not change according to pm signal.

1.6                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

As we all know that no human effort to achieve a set of goals goes without difficulties, certain constraints were encountered in the course of carrying out this project and they are as follows:-

1. Difficulty in information collection: I found it too difficult in laying hands of useful information regarding this work and this course me to visit different libraries and internet for solution.
2. Difficulty in parts gathering: I found it too difficult when gathering electronics parts used for the prototype.

Financial Constraint:        Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).

Time Constraint:   The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.7                                                 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

This device can be used to remotely control the speed of an dc fan and to switch it on or off. A remote control works in the following manner. The unit provides 5 way speed control from 0 to 5. The current speed is displayed in a seven segment display. The yellow LED on the PCB indicates the power status of the load. If the load is switched off using the R/C then the LED will also be switched off.

1.8                                             RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In the course of carrying this study, numerous sources were used which most of them are by visiting libraries, consulting journal and news papers and online research which Google was the major source that was used.

1.9                                     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.