Introduction
Fuel level sensors and gauges are imperative in measuring the correct level of fuel while filling fuel in most automotive. It is significant ton know the amount of fuel present in the fuel tank for various reasons. The current fuel level sensors are fitted with a digital display whose accuracy is not assured of. This project employs the use of pressure sensors below the fuel tank. Fixing pressure sensor directly below the fuel tank allows for accurate data to be read and transmitted to the processor, thus accurate data about the fuel levels.
The application of pressure sensor under the fuel tank provides continuous data about the level of fuel in the fuel tank. This aids the processor to display the accurate data in the digital numeric form. As compared to the current system, this project presents a more economic system. It aids in monitoring accurate fuel consumption (Cohn, Heywood and Bromberg, 2014).
System description
A fuel gauge or fuel level detector is a combination of mechanical and electronic devices used to measure, process and display appropriate data about the level of fuel in the fuel tank. The system is made up sensors, processors and display for output. In most cases, pressure sensors are used to collect mechanical data under the fuel tank. The pressure sensor converts the raw analogue data to digital data and relays it to the processors. The processor is in charge of converting the received raw data into digital data which can be displayed on the display as output (Kang et al., 2015).
The system can be in various applications; however it functions best when applied in measuring the level of gasoline or fuel in a fuel tank. It will be composed a sensing unit (pressure sensor) that captures the raw data in the fuel tank, a display unit which displays the received information, and a processor which converts and process received signal to a form that can be displayed for reading. A fuel level sensor can be designed in numerous different forms and designs. Most of the existing gauges have different shortcomings that affect the accuracy of the reading from the fuel tank.
The current system
The current fuel level sensors or gauges are made up of two systems that communicate with each other to estimate the fuel level in the tank. Most fuel level gauges employ the use of sensing and display systems for gauging the fuel level in the fuel tank. The sensing system is usually fitted in the fuel tank while the display unit is located on the car's dashboard. A float inside the fuel tank is employed as the sensing system most analogue systems and existing fuel level gauges (Cohn, Heywood and Bromberg, 2014). The float is connected to a metal rod which connects to a small circuit. The level of the floater is changed by the amount of fuel in the fuel tank. Apart from inaccuracy, this system exhibited a variety of different flaws.
System Operation
The use of Arduino micro controller system enables the fuel level to be read and displayed in a digital form. Digital method of determining the fuel levels presents a variety of advantages over the manual system. It employs the use of pressure sensors fixed at the bottom of the fuel tank. This provides exact and more accurate fuel level reading as compared to the manual system. Apart from the data improved collection in the new system, it employs the use of the digital display. The level of the fuel or the liquid in the tank is measured using the weighing mass of the liquid. The signal is detected and accepted by a pressure sensor which relays the information to the Arduino board.
The board acts as the processor which converts the received data and information from the pressure sensor to a form that can be digitally displayed on the LED monitor. The pressure sensor is tasked with the production of the electrical signal. This signal is then amplified by the amplified present in the processor (Goundar et al., 2014).The microcontroller accepts and converts the signal from the pressure sensor to an electric digital display. The converted signal is then relayed as the output signal to the digital display unit. The digital display unit employs the use of digital electronic numeric to display the current level of fuel in the tank.
The fuel level sensors using the Arduino microcontroller presents an efficient and effective system that can be employed in fuel economy. Additionally, it allows for the digital display of the fuel level which is more accurate than the mechanical and analogue systems. The microcontroller is started, and the amount of fuel in the tank is detected by pressure sensor fitted to the fuel tank. System components include; a microcontroller, pressure sensor and LCD (Kang et al., 2015).
Applications and Ethical Implications
Liquid level sensor using Arduino plays a significant role in our daily lives, commercial sector as well as in industrial applications. The concept and technology can be applied in gasoline stations, oil tanks and public water supplies. As compared to the traditional sensors, the liquid level sensor with Arduino has the ability to satisfy the demands in harsh conditions.
The system does not only measure and display the level of fuel in the fuel tank, but it also has the functionality that warns the driver when the fuel is low or critically low. This helps the driver to plan and refuel the vehicle so as to avoid any inconveniences. The use of Arduino microcontroller allows the system to add additional functionalities such as GPRS, which can be programmed to locate the location of a filling station in case the fuel level is extremely low. This system installs effective and efficient fuel management in drivers. It can be produced and sold commercially as a single unit for managing and monitoring the fuel levels.
References
Cohn, D.R., Heywood, J.B. and Bromberg, L., Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, 2014. Fuel management system for variable ethanol octane enhancement of gasoline engines. U.S. Patent 8,857,410.
Goundar, J.A., Chand, A.A., Tabua, N., Prasad, R., Chand, P., Metha, U. and Mamun, K.A., 2014, November. Mechatronic design solution for fuel level monitoring using pressure sensor. In Computer Science and Engineering (APWC on CSE), 2014 Asia-Pacific World Congress on (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
Kang, L., Qi, B., Janecek, D. and Banerjee, S., 2015, September. EcoDrive: A Mobile Sensing and Control System for Fuel Efficient Driving. InProceedings of the 21st Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking (pp. 358-371). ACM.
