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Stream Depth Gauge

Stream Depth Gauge. Team: SDMAY 12-23. Team Members John Henderson Curt LaBarge Greg Pearson Yixin Qiao. Client/Advisor Steve Holland (ISU Canoe and Kayak Club). Project Goal. Design and build a low-cost stream depth gauge The gauge should be: Self contained

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Stream Depth Gauge

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  1. Stream Depth Gauge Team: SDMAY 12-23 Team Members John Henderson Curt LaBarge Greg Pearson Yixin Qiao Client/Advisor Steve Holland (ISU Canoe and Kayak Club)

  2. Project Goal Design and build a low-cost stream depth gauge The gauge should be: • Self contained • Robust in the environment • Low maintenance • Low power • Capable of transmitting measurements wirelessly SDMAY12-23

  3. Problems Iowa flow levels change dramatically • Current gauging strategies are inadequate • High Maintenance • At threat of cancelation • Cover a limited amount of streams and rivers • Canoers and Kayakers need easy access to flow data to accurately plan trips • Some waterways are currently not monitored Photo Credits: ISU Canoe and Kayak Club SDMAY12-23

  4. United States Geological Survey Expensive • $5,000/yr to maintain Complex Design • Stilling basin • Two story structure • Under ground pipes • Electronic recorder Typical USGS Gauge Design Photo Credit: USGS http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/streamflow1.html SDMAY12-23

  5. Functional Specifications • Total Price of Materials < $500 • Measurement Accuracy: 1inch • Operating Temp: -5°C to 70°C • Survivable Temp: -40°C to 70°C • Daily data transmission • Power save during winter SDMAY12-23

  6. Weather Conditions Our design must withstand the following: High Winds Floods Rain Snow Ice SDMAY12-23 Photo Credits last slide

  7. River Conditions • Any object placed directly in body of water must withstand the following conditions: Ice formations Other Floating debris SDMAY12-23 Photo Credits last slide

  8. Non Functional Specifications • Low maintenance cost • Long battery life • Minimum: 1 yr • Rugged design SDMAY12-23

  9. Sensor Options Possible Choices: • Ultrasonic range sensor • Float System • Water Pressure Sensor • Air Pressure Sensor • Absolute • Differential SDMAY12-23

  10. Sensor Options • List of Choices: • Ultrasonic range sensor • Basic Float System–Moving parts easily break! • Water Pressure Sensor - Too expensive ! • Air Pressure Sensor • Absolute – Not as simple as differential option • Differential SDMAY12-23

  11. Sensor Options SDMAY12-23

  12. Choosing a Sensor Best option: Differential Air Pressure Sensor • Why? • The sensor costs 1/10th of the ultrasonic sensor • Can be placed underwater instead of above it • Could be buried under sand • Sand can be used to protect the sensor • Leaves the team with more installation options and configurations SDMAY12-23

  13. Under Water HousingConcept and Design • Water level is proportional to air pressure inside cylinder • As water depth over cylinder increases, so does air pressure • Housing and tubing buried under a sand bank for added protection against floating debris AIR Tube to Pressure Sensor SDMAY12-23

  14. Battery Concept Diagram Microcontroller Pressure Sensor Cell Module Water Voltage Regulator Voltage Regulator Voltage Regulator Power Bus Air Solar Cell Charging Circuit SDMAY12-23

  15. Concept Diagram SDMAY12-23

  16. Microcontroller • The team will use the ATMega128 • Why • Past experience • Can talk directly to cell modem through UART • State machine style in our programming • will greatly help out in our debugging phase SDMAY12-23

  17. Cell Module • Pros: • Easy to use • Commands given through UART • Cons: • Poor signal strength • We will choose a testing location based off of this • Prepaid Billing • The more we test, the more we pay SDMAY12-23

  18. Hardware • Cell Module will “text” the ISU Canoe and Kayak Club with measurements • Measurements will occur once per day • Microcontroller will: • Take pressure sensor reading • Convert pressure reading into water depth • Send data to cell module for transmission through UART SDMAY12-23

  19. Power Circuit • Determines the success of our project • Must be designed to keep system powered for an entire year • All components should contain as low leakage current as possible • Foreseen issues we are currently dealing with • Snow build up on solar cell • Battery failure due to cold weather • Strict power budget SDMAY12-23

  20. Power Circuit Hardware • Power Circuit will consist of • 5 Watt solar cell • 2 6V Lead Acid Batteries • Charging circuit • 3 Voltage regulators will be used to keep Microcontroller and Cell Module’s input voltage constant SDMAY12-23

  21. Power Budget SDMAY12-23

  22. Past Accomplishments • Extensive research on: • Possible Environmental Conditions • Different options for measuring water height • Power Requirements • We have purchased the following: • Microcontroller • Pressure Sensor • Cell Module • Under-water tubing • AT&T SIM Card • Solar Cells and Battery SDMAY12-23

  23. Current Tasks • Test individual components such as: • Cell Module • Microcontroller • Waiting for Evaluation board • Pressure Sensor • Designing power system • Choosing components based off of 5Watt power budget SDMAY12-23

  24. Future Tasks • Test Power System Components • Construct Under Water Housing component • Program microcontroller and cell module • Put system together • Create working prototype by spring thaw • Upon Spring Thaw: • We will field test our prototype in a local stream SDMAY12-23

  25. Testing Requirements • Our team will test the following: • Accuracy of water height measurement • Air leakage in under water housing unit and tube • Power Management • Can solar cell keep system charged up for a year? • Wireless signals • Max and Min operating temperatures • Overall ruggedness of system • Will the system hold up to extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, hail, wind? SDMAY12-23

  26. Project Status • Microcontroller and Cell Module have arrived • Power Components have been ordered • Under water housing has been designed and will be built in the coming weeks • Software implementation has been researched and test code is currently under development SDMAY12-23

  27. Main Goal • The team is working hard to complete a working prototype by spring thaw • This goal has been set by our advisor who has stressed this goal since day one • Field testing our system is vital and will be used to point out any weaknesses our system might have that controlled testing could not. SDMAY12-23

  28. Questions ? Brief Summary • Stream depth gauge • Components • Pressure sensor • Microcontroller • Cell Module • Power Circuitry • Major Tasks • Implement code • Build prototype by spring thaw ? ? ? ? ? ? SDMAY12-23

  29. Image Sources • “High Winds” http://freeimagefinder.com/pic/scargill.html • “Rain" http://www.desicomments.com/desi/rain/ • “Floods” http://www.securityworldnews.com/2011/09/28/dont-become-the-victim-of-a-flood/mailbox-in-flood-waters/ • “Snow” http://wallpaper-s.org/42__Snow-Covered_Trees,_Varmland,_Sweden.htm • “Ice” http://www.danzfamily.com/archives/2007/12/tulsa_ice_storm_pictures_update.php • “Ice Formations”http://www.minnesotansforglobalwarming.com/m4gw/2009/03/ice-blasted-to-put-end-to-bismarck-flood.html • “Other Floating Debris” http://www.paddlinginstructor.com/blog/general-news.html?start=20 • All other images were taken from Microsoft Office Clip Art SDMAY12-23

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