SOLAR POWERED DIGITAL WATER CONSUMPTION METER WITH IOT INTERFACE FOR MOBILE WATER SUPPLYING VEHICLES

Abstract

The titled invention discloses a solar-powered digital water consumption meter designed for mobile water supplying vehicles, providing accurate measurement and real-time monitoring of water distribution. The device comprises a water inlet and 10 outlet, a solar panel and rechargeable battery for power, an impeller driven by water flow, and a rotary encoder for detecting impeller rotations. A microcontroller processes these rotations to calculate the flow rate and volume of water, which are displayed on an LCD screen. The invention further includes an loT interface for transmitting water consumption data and timestamps to a remote observer, enabling off-site monitoring. 15 The system is housed in a protective cabin, ensuring durability and environmental protection. This invention helps tracking water distribution in mobile water supply operations, enhancing accuracy and preventing potential discrepancies or fraud

Specification

The present invention relates to the field of water flow measurement and monitoring,
and more particularly relates to a solar-powered digital water consumption meter with
an loT interface designed for mobile water supplying vehicles.
10 DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The present facing problem lies in the inability to accurately measure the volume of
water distributed by mobile water supplying vehicles, leading to potential
discrepancies and fraud. A reliable measuring system is not available which allows for
15 employees to potentially misreport the amount of water distributed to consumers,
resulting in financial losses for the owner.
The present invention solves this problem by using a solar-powered digital water
consumption meter with an loT interface. This device measures the volume of water
discharged by tracking the rotations of an impeller within the water flow sensor. The
20 data is processed by a microcontroller and displayed on an LCD screen in real-time,
showing both the flow rate and the total volume of water distributed. The device is
equipped with an loT interface that sends this information to a remote observer, along
with timestamps for each opening and closing of the water tap. By using this system,
the invention ensures accurate tracking and reporting of water consumption, thereby
25 avoiding the misreporting and potential fraud in mobile water supply operations.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The· present invention is a water flow monitoring system designed to accurately
N 30 measure and display the flow rate and volume of water discharged from mobile water
M
supplying vehicles. The device features a water flow sensor with an impeller, a solar
photovoltaic panel for power, a microcontroller for data processing, and an LCD
display for real-time data visualization. The system calculates water flow rate and volume based on the impeller's rotations, with the data displayed on the LCD and sent
to a remote observer via an loT interface. This setup allows for precise tracking of
water distribution, helping to prevent inaccuracies and potential fraud. The device is
particularly useful for mobile water supply vehicles, enabling real-time monitoring and
5 recording of water consumption for each consumer, with the data accessible through
the loT interface.
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20
Figure shows the drawing SOLAR POWERED DIGITAL WATER CONSUMPTION
METER WITH loT INTERFACE FOR MOBILE WATER SUPPLYING VEHICLES
1. WATER INLET
2. WATER OUTLET
3. SOLAR PANEL
4. RECHARGEABLE BATIERY
5. CONTROL INTERFACE
6. IMPELLER
7. ROTARY ENCODER
8. LCD DISPLAY
9. lOT INTERFACE
10.MICRO CONTROLLER
Figure shows the flow chart diagram
25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO DRAWING
1. WATER INLET
The pipe or opening through which water enters the device from the water tank
of the vehicle.
The pipe or opening through which water exits the device, connected to a hose
for distributing water to consumers.
3. SOLAR PANEL
A photovoltaic panel that converts sunlight into electrical power to run the
device and charge the rechargeable battery.
5 4. RECHARGEABLE BATTERY
A storage unit that supplies power to the device when sunlight is not available
and gets recharged by the solar panel during daylight.
5. CONTROL INTERFACE
10 The user interface that allows for the configuration, control, and monitoring of
the device's operations.
6. IMPELLER
A rotating component with vanes or blades that is driven by the flow of water
through the pipe.
7. ROTARY ENCODER
A sensor coupled to the impeller shaft that converts the angular motion of the
impeller into digital signals, which are used to calculate the flow rate and volume
of water.
8. LCD DISPLAY
A Liquid Crystal Display that visually presents real-time data on the ,flow rate
and total volume of water being discharged,
9. lOT INTERFACE
An Internet of Things interface that enables the device to send data on water
consumption, along with timestamps, to a remote observer or a connected
mobile application.
10. MICRO CONTROLLER
The central processing unit of the device that receives data from the rotary.
encoder, calculates the flow rate and volume of water, updates the LCD display,
and manages the loT interface for data transmission
The present invention is designed to accurately measure and monitor water
distribution.
5 The device features a water inlet (1) and a water outlet (2), both with a 2-inch diameter,
facilitating the flow of water from the vehicle's tank to the consumers.
The system is powered by a solar panel (3) that converts sunlight into electrical energy,
which is stored in a rechargeable battery (4) to ensure continuous operation.
The main part of the device is an impeller (6) is positioned within the water flow path.
10 As water flows from the inlet (1) to the outlet (2), it drives the impeller (6), causing it to
rotate. The rotational motion of the impeller is detected by a rotary encoder (7) coupled
to the impeller shaft. The rotary encoder (7) generates digital pulses corresponding to
the number of rotations, which are then processed by a microcontroller (10).
The microcontroller (1 0) is programmed to calculate the flow rate and volume of water
15 based on the pulses received from the rotary encoder (7).
The cross-sectional area (A) of the pipe is calculated as\( A= \pi \times (0.0254)A2 =
0.002027 \, \text{m}A2 \), and the flow rate constant (K) is determined as \( K = 1 \,
\text{liter} /7.5 \, \text{pulses} = 0.1333 \, \text{liters/pulse} \).
Using these constants, the microcontroller (10) evaluates the discharge volume of
20 water and updates the LCD display (8) in real-time, showing the flow rate in liters per
second and the total volume in liters.
The device includes a control interface (5) for user interaction and an loT interface (9)
for remote monitoring.
The built-in time clock within the microcontroller (10) records the evaluated water
25 consumption data each time the tap is opened and closed, along with the
corresponding timestamps This data is then transmitted to a remote observer via the loT interface (9), ensuring
accurate and timely reporting of water distribution.
The entire system is housed within a protective cabin made of molded plastic,
providing durability and protection from environmental factors.
METHOD OF OPERATION
Installing the device onto the mobile water supplying vehicle by connecting the water
inlet (1) to the vehicle's water tank and the water outlet (2) to the distribution hose.
10 Ensuring the solar panel (3) is positioned to receive adequate sunlight for power
generation and charging the rechargeable battery (4).
Upon opening the water tap, water flows from the inlet (1) to the outlet (2), driving the
impeller (6) to rotate. The rotary encoder (7) coupled to the impeller shaft detects these
rotations and sends corresponding digital pulses to the microcontroller (1 0).
15 The microcontroller (1 0), powered by the solar panel (3) and rechargeable battery (4),
processes the received pulses to calculate the flow rate and volume of water using
pre-programmed constants. Specifically, it utilizes the cross-sectional area of the pipe
(A = 0.002027 m2
) and the flow rate constant (K = 0.1333 liters/pulse) to compute
these values accurately.
20 Simultaneously, the microcontroller (10) updates the LCD display (8) in real-time,
presenting the flow rate in liters per second and the total volume of water discharged
in liters. This visual feedback allows on-site monitoring of water distribution .
The microcontroller (10) records the water consumption data along with timestamps
for each opening and closing of the tap, facilitated by its built-in time clock. This data
25 is then transmitted to a remote observer through the loT interface (9), enabling realtime,
off-site monitoring and recording of water distribution .
Users can interact with the device via the control interface (5) for configuration and
monitoring purposes. The protective cabin made of molded plastic houses . all
components, safeguarding them from environmental damage and ensuring_ the
30 system's durability and reliability during operation .
ADVANTAGES
}> The invention ensures precise measurement of water flow rate and volume in
real-time, eliminating guesswork and potential human error in tracking water
5 distribution.
The loT interface enables real-time, off-site monitoring of water consumption,
allowing · authorized persons to track water distribution efficiently and
conveniently from a remote location.
}> The device is powered by a solar panel, making it energy-efficient and
environmentally friendly. This feature reduces operating costs by eliminating
the need for external power.sources WE CLAIM
1. A solar-powered digital water consumption meter for mobile water supplying
vehicles, comprising:
s i. a water inlet (1) and a water outlet (2) for water flow;
ii. a solar panel (3) and a rechargeable battery (4) for power supply;
iii. an impeller (6) driven by water flow and a rotary encoder (7) for detecting
impeller rotations;
iv. a microcontroller (1 0) programmed to calculate flow rate and volume based
10 on rotary encoder pulses;
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v. an LCD display (8) for real-time data presentation; and
vi. an loT interface (9) for remote data transmission
2. the solar-powered digital water consumption meter as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the microcontroller (10) is programmed to calculate the flow rate and
volume using the cross-sectional area of the pipe (A = TTr2
) and a flow rate
constant (K = 0.1333 liters/pulse)
3. the solar-powered digital water consumption meter as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the LCD display (8) shows the flow rate in liters per second and the
total volume of water discharged in liters
4. the solar-powered digital water consumption meter as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the loT interface (9) transmits water consumption data and
co-responding timestamps for each opening and closing of a water tap to a
remote observer 5. the solar-powered digital water consumption meter as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a control interface (5) for user interaction and device
configuration
5 6. the solar-powered digital water consumption meter as claimed in claim 1,
wherein all components are housed within a protective cabin made of molded
plastic, providing durability and protection from environmental factors.

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