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Humidity Controller Project #23. By Gary Stoedter for ECE 345 Senior Design Laboratory. Introduction: why I chose this particular project. Interest in controls Work experiences at the Air Conditioning Research Center The opportunity to help solve a “real world” problem.
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Humidity ControllerProject #23 By Gary Stoedter for ECE 345 Senior Design Laboratory
Introduction: why I chose this particular project • Interest in controls • Work experiences at the Air Conditioning Research Center • The opportunity to help solve a “real world” problem
What makes the humidification process difficult to control? • Long time constants • Humidity sensors are not very precise • Humidity is usually controlled indirectly through temperature
Controller Design Objectives • More precise control than what is commercially available now • Compatibility • Low cost • Ability to achieve steady state quickly
Initial Ideas for the Design • Emphasis placed on integral and proportional control • Discrete analog IC’s for each function to help clarify circuit operation • Synchronization of output with 60 Hz AC line to achieve compatibility goals
Functional Building Blocks of the Controller • Stage One: Input and Error Generation • Stage Two: Error Conditioning • Stage Three: Synchronization • Stage Four: Comparison and Final Control
Special Problems That Occurred • Unfamiliarity with the actual physical devices • Ramp generator • Error signal limits • Thermocouple input scaling • Integral control limits • Calibration
Tests Performed to Insure Functionality • Measurement of time constant • Measurement of ability to hold temperature • Measurement of ability to move from one set-point to another and achieve steady state
Did the final circuit meet expectations? • No direct testing with a humidifier • Level of control achieved in a temperature control setup • Interface between circuit and DA system achieved • Low cost achieved
Recommendations • Actual testing of the circuit with humidity chamber • Further study to see if an IC can be built using this controller design • Investigation of automation possibilities