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diff --git a/presentation/script b/presentation/script new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b93ef32 --- /dev/null +++ b/presentation/script @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +[Intro] + + +# Problem + +The best humidity for an indoor space is 35--50%. That's what Health +Canada recommends. But when indoor heating is used, the air gets dry. +In the winter it can easily drop below 30%. This can be pretty +uncomfortable. It irritates your skin and eyes, and can lead to +respiratory infections. + + +# Solution + +The solution is a humidifier system. It can be installed in campus' +HVAC systems to regulate the humidity. + +Ideally it should be user-programmable, energy-efficient. It should be +able to control humidity dynamically, so it uses a closed-loop control +system. + + +# Schematic + +Installed in each room of the building is a microcontroller that +periodically measures the humidity of the room and sends it to a web +server. It also sends the target humidity which is controlled by the +user. There are two buttons, one to increase the target humidity and one +to lower it. This whole enclosure with the microcontroller, humidity +sensor, and buttons, will be mounted on the wall like a thermostat. +It also has an OLED screen which shows the target humidity and the +measured humidity. + +The server keeps track of the humidity measurements from each room and +calculates an average for the whole building. It has a web control panel +that displays the current conditions in the building and a graph of the +humidity of each room over time. + +The humidifier itself is stored in a back room somewhere, connected to the +HVAC ductwork. It's a _fog type_ humidifier---it uses a high-pressure +water pump and a nozzle to inject tiny water droplets into the air. +The flow of water is controlled by a solenoid which is driven by PWM +from a microcontroller. It receives the measured and target humidity +from the server and uses a PID algorithm to determine how much water +to inject. If the humidity is too low, it will increase the duty cycle +of the solenoid to bring the humidity back on-target. + + +# Assessment + +Overall, I'm happy with the outcome of the project. The system satisfies +all of the original goals and criteria. + +It regulates humidity dynamically using a closed-loop PID algorithm with +feedback from the sensor in each room. + +It's user-programmable with the up and down buttons. + +It's easy to use. The screen shows the target and actual humidity, +and the web dashboard can be used to monitor the system. + +It's easy to install into an existing HVAC system on campus. + +It's energy-efficient which also means it's cheap to run. + +- Security [HTTPS?] + +It's reliable. The ESP32s are programmed to reconnect to WiFi if they +lose their connection. The server can handle requests concurrently and +the internals are synchronized properly. It does input validation on +all of the POST requests from the Arduinos. |