MICROCONTROLLER

BASED

AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL

CONTROL & ALERT

SYSTEM
 Academic Information

“To Be Done by Student”

 Acknowledgement

“To Be Done by Student”

 Introduction

Water scarcity is one of the major problems facing major cities of the
world and wastage during transmission has been identified as a major
culprit. This is one of the motivations for this research, to deploy
computing techniques in creating a barrier to wastage in order to not
only provide more financial gains and energy saving, but also help the
environment and water cycle which in turn ensures that we save water
for our future. We presented our research in embedding a control
system into an automatic water pump controller through the use of
different technologies in its design, development, and
implementation. The system used microcontroller to automate the
process of water pumping in an over-head tank storage system and
has the ability to detect the level of water in a tank, switch on/off the
pump accordingly the status on tank.
 Working

We are using two single core wires one is at the top level of water
tank and another is at the lower level of water tank. Third wire will be
ground wire placed at the floor of water tank.

Initially both sensor and wires is connected with the ADC pins of
microcontroller with pull-up activated. If ground wire and sensor wire
in contact then a specific voltage drop will be occur at that point. As
we start unit first it will check the analog voltage at the upper and
lower sensor or wire. If analog voltage is down to 3v then it will be
water level. If it does not get any drop in voltage in sensor wires then
it means tank is empty and it will start the motor.

After motor start up it will wait for drop of voltage at both the sensor
unit. When it get drop at the upper sensor wire then it means that tank
is full now and switch off the motor automatically. At start up and
stop of pump a buzzer will sound for alert.

In this work, the automatic water level monitor here presented

consists of the following major units: Wire sensors, Internal ADC,
microcontroller and the pump driving unit. The core work of detecting
the level of water is done by the ADC. When water touches the
copper wire sensor positioned at a particular level in the tank, voltage
is transferred to the copper which in turn is transferred to the ADC
circuit for further processing. This Voltage drop was fed into the
microcontroller which in turn uses this to control the water pump. The
programmable Atmel microcontroller was programmed was used as
the processor to control the functionalities of the entire system. Relays
were used in building a switching unit that simply triggers the pump
on or off, depending on the signal received from the microcontroller.
 Cicuit & Component Description

Microcontroller (Atmega-8A)

Features

• High-performance, Low-power 8-bit Microcontroller

• Advanced RISC Architecture

9 Most Single-clock Cycle Execution

9 32 x 8 General Purpose Working Registers
9 Fully Static Operation
9 Up to 16MIPS Throughput at 16MHz
9 On-chip 2-cycle Multiplier

• High Endurance Non-volatile Memory segments

 9 8KBytes of In-System Flash program memory
9 512Bytes EEPROM
9 1KByte Internal SRAM
9 Write/Erase Cycles: 10,000 Flash/100,000 EEPROM
9 Data retention: 20 years at 85 Deg C/100 years at 25 Deg C
9 Optional Boot Code Section with Independent Lock Bits

• In-System Programming by On-chip Boot Program

• True Read-While-Write Operation

9 Programming Lock for Software Security

• Atmel QTouch library support

9 Capacitive touch buttons, sliders and wheels

9 Atmel QTouch and QMatrix acquisition
9 Up to 64 sense channels

• Peripheral Features

9 Two 8-bit Timer/Counters

9 One 16-bit Timer/Counter
9 Real Time Counter with Separate Oscillator
9 Three PWM Channels

• Eight Channels 10-bit Accuracy

9 6-channel ADC in PDIP package

• Six Channels 10-bit Accuracy

9 Byte-oriented Two-wire Serial Interface

9 Programmable Serial USART
9 Master/Slave SPI Serial Interface
 9 Programmable Watchdog Timer with Separate On-chip Oscillator
9 On-chip Analog Comparator

• Special Microcontroller Features

9 Power-on Reset and Programmable Brown-out Detection

9 Internal Calibrated RC Oscillator
9 External and Internal Interrupt Sources
9 Five Sleep Modes

• Operating Voltages

9 2.7 - 5.5V
9 0 - 16MHz

Atmega-8 PDIP Pin Diagram

Microcontroller Pin Description (Used)

o VCC

+2.7V to +5.5V

o GND
Ground Supply

o AGND
ADC or Analog Ground

o AREF

Reference voltage for ADC

o PC5 – PC0
Bidirectional In/Out Pin Multiplex with ADC

o RESET
Microcontroller Reset

o PD7 – PD0
Bidirectional In/Out Pin
 Piezoelectric Buzzer

Piezo buzzer is an electronic device commonly used to produce

sound. Light weight, simple construction and low price make it usable
in various applications like car/truck reversing indicator, computers,
call bells, security system etc. Piezo buzzer is based on the inverse
principle of piezo electricity discovered in 1880 by Jacques and Pierre
Curie. It is the phenomena of generating electricity when mechanical
pressure is applied to certain materials and the vice versa is also true.
Such materials are called piezo electric materials. Piezo electric
materials are either naturally available or manmade. Piezoceramic is
class of manmade material, which poses piezo electric effect and is
widely used to make disc, the heart of piezo buzzer. When subjected
to an alternating electric field they stretch or compress, in accordance
with the frequency of the signal thereby producing sound.

The above image shows a very commonly used piezo buzzer also
called piezo transducer operating at DC voltage. Encapsulated in a
cylindrical plastic coating, it has a hole on the top face for sound to
propagate. A yellow metallic disc which plays an important role in the
producing sound can be seen through the hole.

This one is petite but loud! Drive it with 3-30V peak-to-peak square
wave. To use, connect one pin to ground (either one) and the other pin
to a square wave out from a timer or microcontroller. For the loudest
tones, stay around 4 KHz, but works quite well from 2KHz to 10KHz.
For extra loudness, you can connect both pins to a microcontroller
and swap which pin is high or low ('differential drive') for double the
volume.
 R
Relay

Now a days mo
ost of thee high endd industriial appliccation dev
vices havve
relays for their effectivee workingg. Relayss are simpple switch
hes whicch
are opeerated booth electriically andd mechanically. Reelays con
nsist of a n
electro
omagnet and
a also a set of coontacts. The
T switcching mecchanism iis
carriedd out withh the hellp of the electrom
magnet. Thhere are also otheer
operatiing princiiples for its
i workinng. But th
hey differr accordinng to theiir
applicaations. Most of thee devices have the application of relaays.
The main
m operation of a relay ccomes inn places w
where onnly a low
w-
power signal caan be used to conttrol a circcuit. It is also used
d in placees
where only onee signal can
c be used to coontrol a llot of cirrcuits. Thhe
applicaation of relays
r starrted durinng the inv
vention oof telepho
ones. Theey
playedd an impoortant role in swittching caalls in telephone exchanges
e s.
They were also used in long distance telegraphy. They were used to
switch the signal coming from one source to another destination.
After the invention of computers they were also used to perform
Boolean and other logical operations. The high end applications of
relays require high power to be driven by electric motors and so on.
Such relays are called contactors.
 ULN-20003 Driv
ver

ULN2003 is a high volttage and high currrent Darllington arrray IC. IIt
containns seven open
o colllector Darrlington pairs
p withh commonn emitterss.
A Darllington paair is an arrangeme
a ent of two
o bipolar transistorrs.  

 
ULN2003 belongs to the family of ULN200X series of ICs. Different
versions of this family interface to different logic families. ULN2003
is for 5V TTL, CMOS logic devices. These ICs are used when driving
a wide range of loads and are used as relay drivers, display drivers,
line drivers etc. ULN2003 is also commonly used while driving
Stepper Motors.

Each channel or Darlington pair in ULN2003 is rated at 500mA and

can withstand peak current of 600mA. The inputs and outputs are
provided opposite to each other in the pin layout. Each driver also
contains a suppression diode to dissipate voltage spikes while driving
inductive loads. The schematic for each driver is given above.
 
 Power Supply Section

Power supply is a reference to a source of electrical power. A device

or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output
load or group of loads is called a power supply unit or PSU. The term
is most commonly applied to electrical energy supplies, less often to
mechanical ones, and rarely to others.

Here in our application we need a 5v DC power supply for all

electronics involved in the project. This requires step down
transformer, rectifier, voltage regulator, and filter circuit for
generation of 5v DC power. A brief description of all the components
is given as follows:

Circuit Diagram for power supply

Transformer

A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one

circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors — the
transformer's coils or "windings". Except for air-core transformers,
the conductors are commonly wound around a single iron-rich core,
or around separate but magnetically-coupled cores. A varying current
in the first or "primary" winding creates a varying magnetic field in
the core (or cores) of the transformer. This varying magnetic field
induces a varying electromotive force (EMF) or "voltage" in the
"secondary" winding. This effect is called mutual induction.

If a load is connected to the secondary circuit, electric charge will

flow in the secondary winding of the transformer and transfer energy
from the primary circuit to the load connected in the secondary
circuit.

The secondary induced voltage VS, of an ideal transformer, is scaled

from the primary VP by a factor equal to the ratio of the number of
turns of wire in their respective windings:
By appropriate selection of the numbers of turns, a transformer thus
allows an alternating voltage to be stepped up — by making NS more
than NP — or stepped down, by making it

Bridge Rectifier

A bridge rectifier makes use of four diodes in a bridge arrangement to

achieve full-wave rectification. This is a widely used configuration,
both with individual diodes wired as shown and with single
component bridges where the diode bridge is wired internally.
Diode

A diodde is a semicond
s ductor deevice whiich allow
ws currennt to flow
w
through
h it in only
o onee directioon. Althoough a trransistor is also a
semicoonductor device, it
i does noot operatte the waay a diodde does. A
diode is
i specifically mad
de to alloow curren
nt to flow
w through
h it in onlly
one dirrection. Some
S ways in whhich the diode
d cann be used are listeed
here.

ƒ A diode can be useed as a reectifier that converrts AC (A

Alternatinng
C
Current) too DC (Diirect Currrent) for a power supply dev
vice.
ƒ Diodes
D c
can be used to separate the ssignal from radiio
fr
frequencie
es.
ƒ Diodes
D caan be useed as an on/off sw
witch thaat controlls currennt.

This syymbol is used to indiccate a dio

ode in a ciircuit diagram. Thhe
meaninng of the symbol iss (Anoode) (Cathodde).

Currennt flows from the anoode sidee to thhe cathoode sidee.

Althou
ugh all dio
odes operrate with the samee general principlee, there arre
different types suited to
t differeent appliications. For exaample, thhe
followiing devicces are best used foor the appplications noted.

Light emitting
e diode

The circuit symbol is .

This tyype of diiode emitts light w
when currrent flow
ws throughh it in thhe
forwarrd directioon. (Forw
ward biaseed)
Characteristics of Diode

The graph above shows the electrical characteristics of a typical

diode. When a small voltage is applied to the diode in the forward
direction, current flows easily. Because the diode has a certain
amount of resistance, the voltage will drop slightly as current flows
through the diode. A typical diode causes a voltage drop of about 0.6 -
1V (VF) (In the case of silicon diode, almost 0.6V)

This voltage drop needs to be taken into consideration in a circuit

which uses many diodes in series. Also, the amount of current passing
through the diodes must be considered.

When voltage is applied in the reverse direction through a diode, the

diode will have a great resistance to current flow. Different diodes
have different characteristics when reverse-biased. A given diode
should be selected depending on how it will be used in the circuit.
The current that will flow through a diode biased in the reverse
direction will vary from several mA to just µA, which is very small.

The limiting voltages and currents permissible must be considered on

a case by case basis. For example, when using diodes for rectification,
part of the time they will be required to withstand a reverse voltage. If
the diodes are not chosen carefully, they will break down.

Regulator (lm7805)

It is a three pin IC used as a voltage regulator. It converts unregulated

DC current into regulated DC current.

Normally we get fixed output by connecting the voltage regulator at

the output of the filtered DC (see in above diagram). It can also be
used in circuits to get a low DC voltage from a high DC voltage (for
example we use 7805 to get 5V from 12V). There are two types of
voltage regulators 1. Fixed voltage regulators (78xx, 79xx) 2.
Variable voltage regulators (LM317) In fixed voltage regulators there
is another classification 1. +ve voltage regulators 2. -ve voltage
regulators POSITIVE VOLTAGE REGULATORS This include 78xx
voltage regulators. The most commonly used ones are 7805 and 7812.
7805 gives fixed 5V DC voltage if input voltage is in (7.5V, 20V).
 Capacitors

In a way, a capacitor is a little like a battery. Although they work in

completely different ways, capacitors and batteries both store
electrical energy. Like Inside the battery, chemical reactions produce
electrons on one terminal and absorb electrons on the other terminal.
A capacitor is much simpler than a battery, as it can't produce new
electrons -- it only stores them.

Inside the capacitor, the terminals connect to two metal plates

separated by a dielectric material. We can easily make a capacitor
from two pieces of aluminum foil and a piece of paper. It won't be a
particularly good capacitor in terms of its storage capacity, but it will
work.
The dielectric can be any non-conductive substance. However, for
practical applications, specific materials are used that best suit the
capacitor's function. The dielectric dictates what kind of capacitor it is
and for what it is best suited. Depending on the size and type of
dielectric, some capacitors are better for high frequency uses, while
some are better for high voltage applications. Capacitors serve any
purpose, from the smallest plastic capacitor in your calculator, to an
ultra capacitor that can power a commuter bus. NASA uses glass
capacitors to help wake up the space shuttle's circuitry and help
deploy space probes. Here are some of the various types of capacitors.

• Air - Often used in radio tuning circuits

• Mylar - Most commonly used for timer circuits
• Glass - Good for high voltage applications
• Ceramic - Used for high frequency purposes like antennas
• Super capacitor – Powers Electric & Hybrid Cars
 Resistor

Electricity flow
ws throughh a materrial carried by elecctrons, tin
ny chargeed
particlees insidee atoms broadly speakin
ng; materrials thatt conducct
electriccity well are oness that alloow electrrons to fl
flow freelly througgh
them. In metalls, for exxample, the atom
ms are locked intoo a solidd,
crystalline struucture (aa bit likke a meetal clim
mbing fraame in a
playgroound). Although
A m
most of tthe electrrons insidde these atoms arre
fixed in place, some can swaarm throuugh the structuree carryinng
electriccity with them. Th
hat's why metals arre good conductor
c rs: a metaal
puts up
u relativ
vely little resistance to eleectrons flowing
f th
hrough it.
Plastic are entirrely differrent. Althhough often solid, they don't have thhe
same crystalline
c e structurre. Their moleculees (whichh are typiically verry
long, repetitive chains caalled polyymers) aree bonded together in such a
Way that the electrons inside the atoms are fully occupied. There are,

In short, no free electrons that can move about in plastics to carry an

electric current. Plastics are good insulators: they put up a high
resistance to electrons flowing through them.

This is all a little vague for a subject like electronics, which requires
precise control of electric currents. That's why we define resistance
more precisely as the voltage in volts required making a current of 1
amp flow through a circuit. If it takes 500 volts to make 1 amp flow,
the resistance is 500 ohms (written 500 Ω). The relationship written
out as a mathematical equation:

V=I×R

This is known as Ohm's Law. Figure above shows color coding of

resistor.
Circuit/Block Diagram

“As Attached”
 Software Requirement

Cross Compiler: AVR Studio 6.0

Atmel Studio 6 is the integrated development platform (IDP) for

developing and debugging Atmel ARM Cortex-M and Atmel AVR
microcontroller (MCU) based applications. The Atmel Studio 6 IDP
gives you a seamless and easy-to-use environment to write, build and
debug your applications written in C/C++ or assembly code.

Atmel Studio 6 is free of charge and is integrated with the Atmel

Software Framework (ASF)—a large library of free source code with
1,600 ARM and AVR project examples. ASF strengthens the IDP by
providing, in the same environment, access to ready-to-use code that
minimizes much of the low-level design required for projects. Use the
IDP for our wide variety of AVR and ARM Cortex-M processor-
based MCUs, including our broadened portfolio of Atmel SAM3
ARM Cortex-M3 and M4 Flash devices.

Atmel Studio 6.2 is now available, adding advanced debugging

features such as Data and Interrupt Trace, improved RTOS
integration, and better ability to debug code that has been optimized.

With the introduction of Atmel Gallery and Atmel Spaces, Atmel

Studio 6 further simplifies embedded MCU designs to reduce
development time and cost. Atmel Gallery is an online apps store for
development tools and embedded software. Atmel Spaces is a cloud-
based collaborative development workspace allowing you to host
software and hardware projects targeting Atmel MCUs.

In summary, standard integrated development environments (IDEs)

are suited for creating new software for an MCU project. By contrast,
the Atmel Studio 6 IDP also:

• Facilitates reuse of existing software and, by doing so, enables

design differentiation.
• Supports the product development process with easy access to
integrated tools and software extensions through Atmel Gallery.
• Reduces time to market by providing advanced features, an
extensible software eco-system, and powerful debug integration.

Programming Language: Embedded C

Looking around, we find ourselves to be surrounded by various types

of embedded system. Be it a digital camera or a mobile phone or a

washing machine, all of them has some kind of processor functioning

inside it. Associated with each processor is the embedded software. If

hardware forms the body of an embedded system, embedded

processor acts as the brain, and embedded software forms its soul. It
is the embedded software which primarily governs the functioning of

embedded systems.

During infancy years of microprocessor based systems, programs

were developed using assemblers and fused into the EPROMs. There

used to be no mechanism to find what the program was doing. LEDs,

switches, etc. were used to check correct execution of the program.

Some ‘very fortunate’ developers had In-circuit Simulators (ICEs),

but they were too costly and were not quite reliable as well.

As time progressed, use of microprocessor-specific assembly-only as

the programming language reduced and embedded systems moved
onto C as the embedded programming language of choice. C is the
most widely used programming language for embedded
processors/controllers. Assembly is also used but mainly to
implement those portions of the code where very high timing
accuracy, code size efficiency, etc. are prime requirements.

Initially C was developed by Kernighan and Ritchie to fit into the

space of 8K and to write (portable) operating systems. Originally it
was implemented on UNIX operating systems. As it was intended for
operating systems development, it can manipulate memory addresses.
Also, it allowed programmers to write very compact codes. This has
given it the reputation as the language of choice for hackers too.
 Result

In this work, the microcontroller for the automatic water level monitor
with feedback, having passed the necessary tests with the other
components interfaced to it, is hereby presented. With this
implemented system, it is possible to monitor the water level in an
over-head tank, switch on the water pump when the tank is empty and
switch off the same pump when the tank is full without any need for
human intervention. By so doing, the incidence of water wastage is
eliminated and abrupt cut-off of water supply is equally also
eliminated. As already highlighted in the previous sections, the
microcontroller is the heart of this project work, as all the control
signals pass through and are processed by the microcontroller. The
microcontroller then processes the data received and uses it to control
the pump based on the written flow or control algorithm stored in its
ROM.
 Conclusion

Automatic water pump control system employs the use of different

technologies in its design, development, and implementation. The
system used microcontroller to automate the process of water
pumping in an over-head tank storage system and has the ability to
detect the level of water in a tank, switch on/off the pump. This
research has successfully provided an improvement on existing water
level controllers by its use of calibrated circuit to indicate the water
level and use of DC instead of AC power thereby eliminating risk of
electrocution.
 Refrences

1. “AVR and embedded system” by Mazidi and Mazidi

2. All datasheets from www.datasheetcatalog.com

3. About ATMEGA8 from www.atmel.com

4. And www.triindia.co.in