GSM based LPG weight and LPG leakage detection System

GSM based LPG weight and LPG leakage detection System

Description:

GSM based LPG weight and LPG leakage detection System has application in Home, Hotels, restaurants, as well as in Industries. This project is used to monitor the weight of LPG gas cylinder. In our home we observe whenever LPG Gas cylinder is empty, we give request for new cylinder at the office of Gas cylinder provider. Many times it happens that because of the Rush or due to the shortage of cylinder, there is a delay in providing the gas cylinder. Main reason behind this is delay in informing to the gas provider or we inform the gas provider at the last moment when the gas is empty. One more example in hotels or sometimes in industry also the LPG gas is also used. In home or in hotels the main purpose of LPG gas is for cooking. But in industry sometimes, LPG gas or some other combustible gas is used for some other purposes like welding or cutting or for some other use. In these places if the LPG gas inside gas cylinder is finished at that time request for new gas cylinder is sent to the storage department but if there is shortage in stock then there is delay in providing new gas cylinder.

To avoid all such situations, we have implemented a project called SMS based LPG gas weight detection using GSM technology. In this project we have used a loadcell as weight sensor. This sensor will be placed below the LPG gas cylinder. Output of weight sensor is given to microcontroller. Microcontroller will continuously monitor the weight of LPG gas. This is calculated by total weight received by weight sensor minus the weight of empty gas cylinder. Because the gas cylinder is made up of metal and it has some weight.
So the actual weight of LPG gas is calculated by formula below.

LPG weight = Actual weight received by weight sensor – actual weight of empty gas cylinder

Whenever LPG gas weight is 20% remaining, system sends a low priority or low warning message to the owner of the house or owner of hotel or industry. So the owner will get SMS. Contents of SMS will be “Weight of LPG gas is below 20% threshold value. The actual weight is XYZ kilogram.” The value of XYZ will be replaced by the value received by the formula given above.

So first a low warning messages is sent when there is 20% gas remaining in the cylinder. The second message is sent which has high priority or we can say that it is a critical message when the gas cylinder is just 5% remaining.

So use of first low priority SMS is that user gets intimation about the weight of the gas. So he/she can immediately place the order / book a new LPG gas cylinder or gas refilling. In some cases user can ignore the first SMS because it has low priority but still there is a 20% gas remaining inside the cylinder. 20% means still there are some days for which user can use the gas and whenever the user receives the second SMS then he/she can immediately give order for the gas.

Now days LPG Gas cylinder booking in some cities is done by sending SMS. We have to send SMS from a registered number to the gas booking agency. Then our request is taken down which means we don’t have to dial a call or we don’t have to visit the agency personally. This project helps in implementing this method by sending SMS whenever the gas is empty. We can send SMS to the gas provider agency whenever gas is 5% or empty

Block Diagram:

SMS received on mobile:

Description in detail:

Various important blocks of system are:

1) Weight sensor: We have used strain gauge as a weight sensor. The function of strain gage is to give output voltage as per the force/weight applied to it. Sensor converts the applied force into corresponding electrical signal. The output of weight sensor is in analog form. It is given to a Digitizer board which comes with this weight sensor. Function of Digitizer board is to give digital output which is proportional to analog input received from weight sensor. This digital output is given to microcontroller for further processing. We have used a weight sensor of 40 kg capacity. So 40 kg is the maximum weight that can be applied to this weight sensor.

2) Microcontroller: We have used 89S51 which is a 8051 series microcontroller. Various functions of micro controller are:
i) Read the input from weight sensor digitizer board which is in digital format.
ii) Calculate the weight which is corresponding to this digital input.
ii) Read input from LPG gas sensor
iii) Display these data on LCD display.
iv) Find out whether the weight is above the threshold weight level or below the threshold weight level.
v) To turn on the buzzer when threshold level crossed or LPG gas leakage is detected
vi) To communicate with GSM modem to send the SMS to the owner of gas cylinder.

3) LPG gas sensor: It is used to detect LPG gas leakage. It gives analog output voltage which is proportional to the LPG gas sensed.

4) Comparator: LPG sensor output is in analog form and microcontroller requires digital signal. For this reason we have used comparator IC. Comparator is a mediator or communication channel between micro controller and weight sensor.

5) GSM Modem: This is one of the important blocks in our project. GSM modem is used for sending SMS so that user can get remote indication. GSM modem is used to send SMS to user about the situation of gas cylinder like threshold is cross or gas level is 20%, gas level is below 5%. Microcontroller communicates with GSM modem and sends commands to GSM modem. Thus a text SMS is sent to the owner of the gas cylinder.

6) LCD Display: We have also provided Liquid Crystal Display (LCD display) to this system. We have used 16by2 alphanumeric display. LCD display shows actual weight of the gas and at the same time it shows various status messages like “Sending SMS”, “SMS sent” and “Gas has reached to 20% value” or “Gas has reached to 5% value”. All these kind of messages are shown on the LCD so that person operating this project can read these message. LCD display is useful in testing purposes as well.

7) Buzzer: Buzzer is used to indicate the user about the threshold level. Buzzer is provided with this system which is turned on after LPG gas leakage. Then the people near gas cylinder come to know about the status of the gas.

Applications and Advantages:

Applications of GSM based LPG Leakage and weight detection System:
This project can be used in schools, colleges, Industries, Hospitals and at our home.
1) Domestic purpose: In our home, in our day to day basis we use LPG gas cylinder. Mainly we use it for cooking purpose and for various other purposes like boiling the water and some other functions. So this project can be used for domestic use.
2) Hotels: Hotels are one of the largest areas where LPG gas is used. Mainly for cooking food. Hotels and restaurant use large number of LPG gas cylinders. So this is the area where our project finds its most suitable application.
3) Industry: In industries, LPG gas is used or some other gas cylinders are used mainly for welding purposes or cutting purposes or hitting purposes. With the use of this project, the industry owner can be intimated about the gas weight or the gas availability.

Advantages of GSM based LPG weight and LPG leakage detection System:
1) This project is easy to use. And this project is fully automated so no human attention is required.
2) It avoids the problematic situation or the trouble caused due to unavailability of gas cylinder. Generally unavailability is caused by late intimation or late booking of gas cylinder.
3) This project avoids the accident or the fire which is caused due to leakage of LPG gas.

Future Development:

1. Voice feedback system can be included in GSM based LPG weight and LPG leakage detection system. User will get intimation through prerecorded voice messages like the weight of gas Cylinder is XYZ kg.

Project Photographs: