SANJAY GHODAWAT UNIVERSITY

PDD Project Report

Water Level Indicator Mechanism
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
T.Y.B.TECH – A DIV.
BY:- Omkar Gulavani (Roll no. 35)
Pratik Latne (Roll No.37)
Year:- 2019-20
Abstract
The project is highly concentrated for the commercial water tanks.
Water tanks for commercial use have capacity of 500 litres to 10000
litres. Mostly 1000 litres to 5000 litres are used. For this trial, we have
used a 300 litres tank for our model testing.
The safety of humans comes into picture because it is seen that many
times accidents happen in case of children who can’t swim when they
go to check the water level in tanks having large capacity.
Generally, pumps are used everywhere to lift water from ground level
to higher level. During this lifting period, we have to always check
ourselves the water level in tanks and to switch off the button a lot of
time and manpower is wasted.
A product similar to this one is available in the market but it is based
on Electronics and thus its cost is about 2000 INR. Hence, by using
simple mechanism and electronics circuit, we made a device which
will work efficiently to fulfill the same requirement for a lot lesser cost
than the one available in the market.
Introduction To Project
Project Name: Water Level Indicator Mechanism for triggering the
switch set at minimum and maximum allowable water level.
The mechanism indicates the 20% and 90% of water level in the tank
so that, the switch controlling the power input to the motor can be
operated automatically without any human involvement.
The project is based on both mechanical and electronic principals.
The mechanical principals are used for providing the indication of
water level whereas the electronic principals are concerned with
automatic switching off the electric motor.
The mechanical part of the project is discussed in this report.

Information
The project is highly concentrated for the commercial water tanks.
Water tanks for commercial use have capacity of 500 litres to 10000
litres. Mostly 1000 litres to 5000 litres are used. For this trial, we have
used a 300 litres tank for our model testing.
Generally, pumps are used everywhere to lift water from ground level
to higher level. During this lifting period, we have to always check
ourselves the water level in tanks and to switch off the button a lot of
time and manpower is wasted.
Also, if the motor is not switched off at the right time, then there is
wastage of water and power supply. To avoid this, we have selected
this project to minimize the power lost and ensure the safety of
humans. The safety of humans comes into picture because it is seen
that many times accidents happen in case of children who can’t swim
when they go to check the water level in tanks having large capacity.

Materials Used
1) Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe (PVC Pipe)
Polyvinyl chloride; abbreviated PVC is the world’s third most widely
produced synthetic plastic polymer, after polyethylene and
polypropylene. About 40 million tons are produced every year.
PVC comes in two basic forms: rigid (sometimes abbreviates as
RPVC) and flexible. The rigid form of PVC is used in making pipes
and in profile applications such as doors and windows. It is also used
in making bottles, non-food packaging, food covering sheets, and
cards (such as bank or membership cards). It is also used in
plumbing, electric cable insulation, imitation leather, flooring, signage,
phonograph records, inflatable products and many other applications
where it replaces rubber.

2) Thermocol
It is obtained from polymerization of styrene or phenylethene
polystyrene synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer made from the
monomer styrene.
Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is
clear, hard and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight.
It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapour and has a
relatively low melting point.
Components
 Thermocol Sheets

 Elbow Joint for PVC

 Tee joint

 PVC Pipes
  Union to connect PVC to tank

Hence, by above properties of materials like availability, cost,

recycling/effect on environment/degradation factors for thermocol, we
select PVC pipes and Thermocol for our project.
Product Design
Assembly
 First, make sure that all the required parts are present for
assembly. For our model, the required part list is as follows:
(a) PVC pipe length 5 feet. Cut it into required parts- one
single long pipe reciprocating and two 11 cm pipes
which fit into Tee connection at the bottom. One for pilot
mechanism and one to connect to Tees.
(b) One union joint which connects pipe rigidly to the tank
surface. It gives fixed support.
(c) We took one guide and supportive end for
reciprocating pipe. Hence, two Tees are used there.
Third Tee used to fix thermocol position as shown.
(d) Thermocol with proper size. The size should be
selected by calculations.
(e) One nail is used to provide pivot joint.
(f) One flexible but rigid enough to produce tension force
steel wire with suitable length is used.
(g) Hacksaw blades, PVC pipe solution, wire cutter, drill
to produce hole in tank.
 We took reference plane for tank surface to fix the support
and guide mechanism by union joint.
 We fixed Tee joint to PVC pipe (used for support).
 Then, the pipe is fixed to one end of the union.
 Another Tee which is aligned with the above one is connected
by small piece of pipe with the support.
 The moving / reciprocating pipe is then passed through tank
surface and Tee joint.
 Then the pipe end in tank has a tee and pipes to both sides
(11 cm) and the thermocol is fixed to both pipes.
 The upper end of moving pipe has a Tee or elbow to press the
button required for triggering.
 By calculation, to detect the max. level of water, we fixed the
pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism pipe has the steel
 wire at one end to press the other triggering button.

Working
 We are triggering the switches which control the power given to
motor.
 When the tank level is minimum, then the switch is made to start
the motor by triggering the switch.
 When the tank level is maximum, then the switch is made to stop
the motor by triggering the switch.
 To detect minimum level, density difference principle is used.
  When the water level is above the minimum level, due to density
of thermocol being less than water, the thermocol floats and lift is
restricted by the support end.
 When the water level reaches minimum level, then the whole
moving assembly weight is made to act on the switch fixed at
upper surface of tank. The elbow connected at the moving pipe
does this.
 When the water level is reaching the maximum level, then the
thermocol attached to the pivot point mechanism lifts upward
with water level but the lever action at the other end of pipe goes
down.
 The other end has the flexible steel wire which is in tension while
the pipe end moves downward while thermocol lifts upward.
 This steel wire is connected to the switch which causes the
power supply to motor pump to cut. The switch acts due to
tension in wire.
 Hence, by above explanation we get working of the triggering
mechanism. It is mainly based on Density difference, Buoyancy,
Pivot point, Lever rules.

Result
What we learned from the subject Product Design and Development,
we applied those ideas and concepts for solving the problems faced
while doing the project. We learned the importance of subjects like
Fluid Mechanics, Theory of Machines, Product Design and
Development to solve each problem in project.