Advanced Arduino Robotics Project #5, Intelligent 3-Phase Indicator for Industrial Applications

The project of Intelligent 3-Phase Indicator for Industrial Applications explained here is very useful to avoid false alarms during single or dual or even all phase supply failure. When this project is installed in industries it is observed that the production rate increases by 30%, due to real time monitoring of 3-phase supply.

Basic Concept

Three-phase electric power is a common method of alternating current in power generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of poly-phase system. It is the most common method used by electrical grids worldwide to transfer power. It is also used to supply large power to heavy duty motors and other heavy loads.

Distribution of 3-Phase Supply

What happens when one phase is OFF?

• This is called phase failure or single phasing.
• If a 3-phase motor is operating and loses one of the phases, the motor will continue to operate at a reduced speed and experience vibrations.
• The current will also increase considerably in the remaining phases, causing an internal heating of the motor components.

So what to do in a phase supply failure?

• Actually we cannot do anything in phase failure situation…!
• We can only do one thing, and that is to switch off all the supply of the machine and stop production…!

How to identify Phase Failure?

• In every industry they use 3 indicator coloured lights (Red, Yellow & Blue) on a display board or panel to indicate that all the 3 phases are ON.
• However the problem starts now…!
• If all the 3-phases are ON then the 3 bulbs will also be ON. This appears quite OK…!
• If all the 3-phases are ON but any one bulb gets fused, then what…?
• The industrial workers simply assume that there is a phase failure and they switch off the machines and so the production stops…!
• This is not at all tolerable by any industrialist…!
• But the problem is still there…!
• When production is shut down nobody knows whether the bulb is fused off or there is a real phase failure…!!!

What to do then?

• The solution on this problem is very simple…!
• This project is actually the solution…!
• Now how does this project work…???
• The simple solution is to keep all the three bulbs OFF when all the 3-Phases are ON.
• So that the working life of bulbs will increase…!

The Logic used in this Project

• We want to construct an intelligent circuit which will overcome all the problems discussed previously…
• For that we shall use a simple circuit using Arduino UNO/Nano.
• First we shall write the truth table for our bulbs conditions…
• For the time being, we shall replace bulbs with LEDs…

The Truth Table

Advantages

• This circuit will increase the working life of indicator bulbs in industries…
• This circuit will perfectly avoid the problem of false alarm of phase failure…
• So the rate of production in the industry will increase…

Required Material

• Arduino UNO/Nano – pin configuration details
• 10mm Red LED – 1
• 10mm Yellow LED – 1
• 10mm Blue LED – 1
• 6”x 8” PVC box – 1
• 330Ω, 100kΩ & 3.3kΩ – 3 each
• 1N5402 diodes – 3
• 100uF Electrolytic capacitors – 3
• Connecting wires, breadboard, etc.

Circuit Diagram

Video Guidelines

The Code

/* This code was developed by Vidyasagar Academy Akola,
 * www.vsa.edu.in
 * License: You can use it for any purpose as long as you don't 
 * claim that you are its author and
 * you don't alter License terms and 
 * formulations (lines 1-9 of this file). 
 * Project: Intelligent 3-Phase Indicator for Industries using Arduino
 * Date of Creation: 30.07.2020
*/

int R_ind = 1; // RED LED indicator
int Y_ind = 2; // YELLOW LED indicator
int B_ind = 3; // BLUE LED indicator
int Buzzer = 4; // Buzzer for audio alert

int RED_input = A0; // input from Red-phase supply
int YELLOW_input = A1; // input from Yellow-phase supply
int BLUE_input = A2; // input from Blue-phase supply

void setup() 
{
  pinMode(R_ind,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Y_ind,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(B_ind,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Buzzer,OUTPUT);

  pinMode(RED_input,INPUT);
  pinMode(YELLOW_input,INPUT);
  pinMode(BLUE_input,INPUT);
}

void loop() 
{
  int R=digitalRead(A0); // reading the presence of Red-phase 
    int Y=digitalRead(A1); // reading the presence of Yellow-phase 
      int B=digitalRead(A2); // reading the presence of Blue-phase 

  // conditional logic starts from here **** DO NOT CHANGE ANY CODE BELOW ****

  if((R==0)&(Y==0)&(B==0)) // indicates complete power failure (all phases gone)
  {
    // Alert Alert Alert - all LEDs blinking with buzzer beeps
    digitalWrite(R_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(100); // short delay beeps
    digitalWrite(R_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(100);
  }

  if((R==0)&(Y==0)&(B==1)) // Red & Yellow phases are OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,LOW);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(500); // medium delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(500);
  }

  if((R==0)&(Y==1)&(B==0)) // Red & Blue phases are OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,HIGH);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(500); // medium delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(500);
  }

  if((R==0)&(Y==1)&(B==1)) // only Red phase is OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,LOW);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(1000); // long delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(1000);
  }

  if((R==1)&(Y==0)&(B==0)) // Yellow & Blue phases are OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,HIGH);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(500); // medium delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(500);
  }

  if((R==1)&(Y==0)&(B==1)) // only Yellow phases is OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,HIGH);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,LOW);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(1000); // long delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(1000);
  }

  if((R==1)&(Y==1)&(B==0)) // only Blue phases is OFF
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,HIGH);

    // buzzer beeps continue
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(1000); // long delay beeps
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(1000);
  }

  if((R==1)&(Y==1)&(B==1)) // all phases are ON (normal condition)
  {
    digitalWrite(R_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ind,LOW);
    digitalWrite(B_ind,LOW);

    // very long delay buzzer beeps
    // to give audio indication that system 
    // is live and functioning normally    
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,HIGH);
    delay(100); // short beep
    digitalWrite(Buzzer,LOW);
    delay(10000); 
  }
}