In this project, an approach based on a combined model for dynamic and automatic regulation of indoor temperature is proposed. The proposed project performs indoor temperatures forecasts that are used to manage the on/off switching of the Air conditioner system and the regulation of the inlet Temperature.
Air temperature control inside buildings is not easy if the purpose is the maintaining of thermal comfort conditions. The Arduino UNO and TMP36 Temperature sensors are the devices used to regulate the indoor temperature parameters. It is low-cost and reusable. It is necessary to consider the increase of power consumption, due to the setting choices of the users inside the building. Therefore, it is necessary to develop smart strategies for thermal control in order to obtain internal comfort automatically. It will also employ an audible alarm to alert people and emergency services when the temperature exceeds 55 degrees Celsius or 131 Fahrenheit.
In this project, if the inlet temperature below 25 degrees Celsius or 77 Fahrenheit, the Air conditioner systems of the building are turned off and the building will be in power-saving mode. And if the inlet temperature is between 25 degrees Celsius or 77 Fahrenheit to 55 degrees Celsius or 131 Fahrenheit, the Air conditioner systems of the building are turned on. And if the inlet temperature exceeds 55 degrees Celsius or 131 Fahrenheit, the system will employ an audible alarm to alert people and emergency services.
System Overview
The core of this project is to create a temperature control model that can adapt to real-world environmental conditions. The system continuously predicts and monitors the indoor temperature to decide when to turn the air conditioning on/off and maintain the inlet temperature within a specified range.
The operation is designed to be systematic and cost-effective by utilizing internationally standard microcontrollers and high-precision sensors. This makes the system reusable and easy to install at various scales.
Hardware Components
- Arduino UNO: Serves as the Central Processing Unit for receiving analog signals from sensors, processing them through predefined logic, and sending control commands to relays or other driver devices.
- TMP36 Temperature Sensor: A high-precision Analog Temperature Sensor that outputs a voltage linearly proportional to the temperature (Linear Output). Its advantages include not requiring complex external calibration and being able to measure temperatures that cover the system's requirements.
- Audible Alarm (Piezo Buzzer): An audible signaling device that activates immediately when the system detects a critical condition (temperature exceeding the set limit) to ensure the safety of life and property.
Control Logic & Energy Management
The system is designed to operate in three main states (Three-State Logic) based on the measured temperature range, as follows:
- Power-Saving Mode: When the indoor temperature is below 25 degrees Celsius (77 °F), the system automatically turns off the air conditioner, as this temperature range is sufficient for comfort and to reduce unnecessary electricity consumption.
- Active Cooling Mode: When the temperature is between 25 degrees Celsius and 55 degrees Celsius, the system commands the air conditioner to operate to lower the temperature into a suitable Comfort Zone for working or living.
- Emergency Alert Mode: If the temperature rises above 55 degrees Celsius (131 °F), the system will assume that an abnormality or fire may be occurring. It will activate the ventilation system/air conditioner and send an audible alarm to notify occupants and promptly contact emergency services.
Technical Implementation
In terms of engineering, the program's operation relies on reading values from the Arduino's ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) port to convert voltage values from the TMP36 into degrees Celsius, using the formula:
Voltage = Reading * 5.0 / 1024
Temperature = (Voltage - 0.5) * 100
The system then uses conditional statements to check the calculated values and decide on the most appropriate operating state in each main loop iteration, enabling real-time response to temperature changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J2Ttsj1OiE&feature=youtu.be
Conclusion
This project not only helps reduce electricity costs through intelligent air conditioning management but also enhances building safety with its integrated fire alarm system. By utilizing cost-effective components like Arduino UNO and TMP36, this solution serves as a highly efficient prototype for future Smart Home and Green Building innovations.