Construction Of A Power Failure Alarm

INTRODUCTION

In modern society, it is impossible to imagine life without electricity. Modern equipment requires a continuous supply of electricity. Not only industry, but also in the household. Take the case of an ordinary refrigerator. If you experience a power off situation, your food will be spoilt. But much more important, what if the power failure "spoils" your business. For example, uninterrupted power supply is needed for your server, which manages your accounting programme or provides uninterrupted operation of your website. 

Of course, in most critical applications, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are used, but this is not always the case. Also, these devices cannot provide continuous operation in the event of remote power off. Often you need to take other action according to the situation. But how do you know that the remote site has experienced a power off condition? 

For us to be notified when the power off condition has occurred a power failure signal device is used. This system indicates when there is power failure through alarm indication. As soon as the system experiences power failure you will receive a signal from an alarm. 

Power Outage signal notifies you by alarm when your electrical equipment suffers a power outage. If you have important equipment running and want to know if there has been a power cut while you're not around, this app can help. From Freezers to Fish Tanks and all things electrical, Power Outage Alarm can provide you with additional peace of mind.

Power failure may be caused by various factors: an overload on the power plant, a thunderstorm, cable breakage during excavations. Whatever the reason you will be notified as soon as the power failure occurred in your remote area and you can act accordingly. This system also will give a notification when the power was restored.

Power Outage Alarm works happily in the background on your Android device and will keep monitoring even when your device is asleep and the screen is off.

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Power failure in homes, offices and workplaces can be irritating, frustrating and devastating and at the same time affect our appliances. However, ignorance of the situation makes matter worse in that the occupant may not be aware of the power failure in order to switch OFF their appliance or to switch over of another source of supply or backup. Hence the need for a power failure alarm that will always alert or inform people when there is power failure. 

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The objective of the project is to construct  a power supply monitoring device that will trigger a buzzer when the mains supply cuts off. Once the buzzer sound, one will know that there is a loss of power supply and actions need to be taken to rectify the situation by providing alternative power supply or relocating the installation.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

A failure in the power supply to some people causes only a irritant, they may have to reset a clock, but to other people especially business, they can and do cause thousands of pounds of damage. This damage may be in the form of lost food in a fridge or freezer, amounting to hundreds of naira of lost stock, it may be chemicals, medicines, and electronics.

A power cut may have cut the heater off in the greenhouse, a fan off in a computer room, it may have caused a computer to fail, there are hundreds of reasons that you need to know if there is or has been a power failure. This device is designed to inform you when the power has failed.

1.4 CONSEQUENCES OF A POWER FAILURE

• No lights in the house

• Loss of refrigeration – food spoils 

• No heat or air conditioning

• No flushing toilets or running water

• Can’t cook on electric range or in microwave oven

1.5 APPLCATION OF POWER FAILURE ALARM

Typical uses of power failure signal include monitoring:

* fridges/freezers;

* fish tanks/aquariums;

* sump pumps;

* computer equipment; 

* heating systems;

* chemical storage;

* and many other applications.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study has to do with constructing a power failure monitoring device that will trigger a buzzer when the mains supply cuts off. At the same time a light emitting diode is turned ON. This device is helpful to inform one about the loss of power supply to some critical installations. It helps one to be aware of the situation and take necessary actions.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Alarm: An alarm is any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention. It is also a mechanical contrivance for awakening people from sleep, or arousing their attention.

2.Power failure: A power failure also called power cut, power outage, or power blackout is a short term or long term loss of electric power supply to an area.

3. Construction: This is the process or act of constructing or putting together the parts of anything. It is also the act of devising, forming or fabricating something

4. Voltage: The term used to describe the electric potential of the distribution network. The measurement of voltage is the potential between two separate points.

5. Switch: A device for making, breaking or changing connections in an electrical circuit.

1.8 PROJECT ORGANISATION

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work,   chapter two presents the literature review of the study,  chapter three describes the methods applied,  chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.