Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller
This work is an easy-to-use circuit of an automatic infrared (IR) faucet controller suitable for hand hygiene and water conservation at homes, hospitals and offices. With this compact controller you can turn on and off a faucet automatically, preventing water wastage and saving energy costs.
The core part of the faucet controller is an electronic circuitry that determines the opening of the valve. An IR sensor continuously monitors objects like hands in front of the faucet. When you place your hand in front of the faucet, it automatically activates an electromagnetic relay to switch a solenoid valve, and concerted action provides enough water.
Another advantage of this battery-operated faucet controller is that, it can be installed on an existing water tap.
The circuit is constructed using a reflective optical sensor TCRT5000. It includes a 950nm IR emitter and phototransistor in a leaded package (with daylight blocking filter), which blocks visible light to a certain extent.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWELDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
- PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
- AIM OF THE PROJECT
- OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
- PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
- LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
- ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
- PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT
- APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
- RESEARCH QUESTION
- PROJECT ORGANISATION
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
- OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
- REVIEW OF THE RELATED STUDY
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY
3.1 BASIC OF THE SYSTEM
3.2 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM
3.3 SYSTEM OPERATION
3.4 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
3.5 CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
3.6 DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS USED
3.7 POWER SUPPLY UNIT
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 TESTING AND RESULTS
- CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING
- INSTALLATION OF THE COMPLET DESIGN
- ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
- TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION
- COST ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FIVE
- CONCLUSION
- RECOMMENDATION
- REFERENCES
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The author’s prototype on a breadboard is shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1: Author’s prototype
Circuit and working
The circuit diagram of the automatic IR faucet controller is shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2: Circuit diagram of automatic IR faucet controller
It is built around Schottky diode 1N5817 (D1), optical sensor (OS1), PNP transistor S8550 (T1), two NPN S8050 transistors (T2, T3), rectifier diode 1N4007 (D2), 5V-1CO relay, 6V solenoid valve and a few other components.
The circuit is constructed using a reflective optical sensor TCRT5000. It includes a 950nm IR emitter and phototransistor in a leaded package (with daylight blocking filter), which blocks visible light to a certain extent.
It is powered by 4.8V, drawn from a series of four nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable cells (1.2V each). External 6V DC power supply connected across connector CON1 is also provided as an alternate for running the circuit.
Power supply is protected by 1N5817 (D1). 6V can be used to recharge the battery pack, with only minor modifications. Switch S1 is used for turning the circuit on and off.
Resistor R1 controls the operating current of the IR inside TCRT5000 (OS1) within safe limits. R2 determines the detection sensitivity of the IR sensor. The IR emits an invisible constant beam of IR light. When a hand or object crosses this beam, some IR light is reflected back to the sensor.
This reflection is detected by the IR receiver (inbuilt phototransistor), which results in a voltage drop across R2. This switches off S8050 (T2). Next, S8550 (T1) and S8050 (T3) support efficient driving of the 5V electromagnetic relay (RL1) when a valid proximity detection is made.
The electromagnetic relay enables and disables the flow of water through the connected solenoid valve. The 10µF capacitor (C1) ensures a turn-off delay of about six seconds, so that the circuit does not stop water flow as soon as the proximity sensor is turned off.
LED1 works as active-state indicator. 1N4007 (D2) adds effective circuit protection, as it provides a path for the dissipation of stored energy (without flowing back) when RL1 is de-energised.
Construction and testing
An PCB layout of the automatic IR faucet controller circuit is shown in Fig. 3 and its components layout in Fig. 4. After assembling the circuit on the PCB, connect 6V across CON1.
Fig. 3: PCB layout of automatic IR faucet controller Fig. 4: Components layout for the PCB
Download PCB and Component Layout PDFs: Click here
Build the circuit with the battery pack in a waterproof enclosure. Make sure that the IR sensor can easily detect hands near the washbasin.
Note that, selection and installation of the solenoid valve depends on specific requirements. If you have a low-voltage (6V) solenoid valve, it may work with the 4.8V battery pack (most 6V types work smoothly with 4.8V). But if you have a high-voltage valve (greater than 6V), connect it to an external power supply. Wiring diagram of solenoid valve is shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 5: Proposed faucet arrangement Fig. 6: Wiring diagram of solenoid valve
A proposed faucet arrangement of the system is shown in Fig. 5. The circuit draws under 50mA current in quiescent state. It goes above 100mA in active state if a low-voltage solenoid valve is also powered by the circuit.
The Title Page should be the first section of your project “Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller”, providing essential details like the project title, your name, your supervisor’s name, the institution, and the submission date. After that, the Abstract offers a brief summary of your project, touching on its purpose, methods, results, and conclusions in 150-300 words. The Acknowledgments section is where you can thank those who supported your research, such as your supervisor, peers, or organizations that provided resources.
Next, the Table of Contents organizes the Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller by listing its chapters and sections, along with page numbers for easy reference. The List of Figures and List of Tables help guide readers to specific visual elements like graphs, charts, or tables included in the document. There should also be an Abbreviations and Glossary section to explain any specialized terms or acronyms, making the content clearer to readers unfamiliar with the technical language.
The main body of the Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller should start with the Introduction, which provides background information, outlines the research problem, states your objectives, and gives a brief overview of your research methods. Following that, the Literature Review offers an in-depth look at previous research relevant to your project, identifying gaps your study aims to address. The Methodology section then explains the research design, tools, and data collection methods you used to conduct the project and analyze the data.
In the Results and Discussion section, you present your findings and discuss them in relation to the Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller research questions or objectives, often using tables or charts to help explain the data. The Conclusion summarizes the key results, discusses their implications, and suggests possible directions for future research. You may also include recommendations based on your findings, offering practical advice for improvements or applications. Finally, the Design And Construction Of An Automatic Infrared Faucet Controller project should include a References or Bibliography section to list all the sources you cited, as well as Appendices for any additional material. A Statement of Originality is often included to confirm the authenticity of your work