Politeknik & Kolej Komuniti Journal of Engineering and Technology

A Smart Control of Solar Panel Mechanism with Arduino Based Data Logger for Neural Network Analysis

N.H. Ibrahim, B.H. Baharuddin, A.K. Ismail, K.A. Shamsuddin — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

A solar panel mechanism is a system of devices that can track the sun's movement and adjust the solar panels accordingly. In this experiment, the amount of solar irradiation that can be captured and converted into electrical energy by a solar panel and pyranometer is being investigated. Preliminary study has been done to gather solar irradiance data from the pyranometer and solar panel for comparison. The data gathered was then used to perform a forecast using neural network analysis. Two configurations were used in this experiment where both labelled as "Auto-detect" and "Passive." Auto-detect refers to the placement of the solar panel on a 3D-printed base with a servo motor that regulates rotations in response to inputs from Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensor. This arrangement will keep an accurate orientation between solar panel and solar energy source. While in passive configuration, the solar panels are manually positioned. From this study, the maximum sun irradiance measurements made with a pyranometer were 0.9986 W/m2 in auto-detect mode and 0.9962 W/m2 in passive mode. Auto-Detect Configuration has 72.46% efficiency while Passive Configuration: 58.46%. For the neural network analysis, it has been found that the prediction has low accuracy. Therefore, additional improvement techniques can be used in future work.

A Study of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System: Solar PV And Wind Energy with Battery Storage

M. Mustaffa, J. A. Besar, B. Mustapha — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

Hybrid renewable energy systems generate power by combining two or more renewable energy sources. Traditionally grid energy method having an intermittent failure issues which can interrupt many industrial activities. The aims of this research to implement a combination of a PV-Wind-Battery hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) using MATLAB/Simulink software. As a result, the usage of renewable energy (RE) sources such as solar PV and wind energy is required as a backup. The combination of both as a non-conventional energy can overcome the power failure issue. Because solar energy is intermittent, a hybrid energy source that combines two or more renewable sources with battery storage may help to increase the scheme's effectiveness. Emphasis is given to the analysis of parameters and performance of the standalone solar PV system, which incorporates a DC-DC boost converter employing the Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm. The battery modelling also being addressed, where it will serve as a backup power source for the entire system. The MATLAB/Simulink simulation result shown that the input and output characteristics of the solar PV, wind turbine and battery energy storage were accurately captured and aligned with manual calculations. The implementation of the boost converter with Perturb and Observe (P&O) MPPT technique proved beneficial. The successful simulation

Comparison of Lead-Controller and Pid-Lead Controller to Control InnoSAT Attitude System

F. Hashim, M. Y. Mashor, Z. Osman, N. H. Zainol — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

Space technology advancement is gaining popularity as it is one of the measures used to gauge a nation's level of development. One of the countries that is starting to develop into a nation involved in the exploration of satellite technology is Malaysia. Finding all appropriate prospective solutions is crucial. One of the problems that may occur in space is a satellite's position being altered by various events. The stability and orientation of a satellite can be controlled and maintained using an attitude control system (ACS). The Malaysian Innovative Satellite (InnoSAT) nano-satellite system can be stabilized by focusing on the control method. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to improve the three axes of the control system-Roll, Pitch and Yaw. Next, two control strategies for the InnoSAT system ACS have been proposed by this study: Lead Controller and PID-Lead Controller. The simulation was done using reference inputs composed of unit step functions. In comparison to the PID-Lead Controller, research has demonstrated that the Lead Controller successfully produces lower tracking performance. The key result of the study is that a PID-Lead controller is more suitable for managing satellite attitude.

Wireless Aromatherapy Humidifier Robot for Interior Space to Promote Relaxation and Bliss

A. K. Shamsuddin, M. D. Darmin, N. H. Ibrahim — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

A wireless aromatherapy humidifier robot is developed to promote relaxation and bliss for a solution to the problem of unpleasant odours in interior space. The robot consists of a control car and an aromatherapy humidifier that works together to move around the space and spray essential oils to create a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere. The robot is equipped with two motors and tires to ensure smooth movement. The function of the mist maker to disperse the fragrances evenly throughout the room. The use of ESP32 enable to connect smart devices to the internet and can pair with more components to quickly develop device prototypes. It can wirelessly control the robots using a smartphone. The ESP32 can act as a Wi-Fi signal receiver to access the internet with other networked devices because it has an embedded Wi-Fi module and feasible to connect with any wireless devices through the facility of Internet of Things (IoT). By providing a mobile and effective solution to unpleasant odors, the wireless aromatherapy humidifier robot can improve the quality of life for the elderly and enhance their well-being. In the future this prototype will be present in a larger size and able to move by itself using sensors.

Impact of Productivity of Dried Chillies Using Semi-Automatic Cleaning and Straining Machine

R. Ramli, Z. Talib, A. S. Buang — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

The Small and Medium Industries (SME) sector is witnessing rapid economic growth and gaining competitiveness, making it crucial for the country's income and local communities. In this context, the ground chili production industry operated by Syarikat Hijrah Dagang Enterprise in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, faces challenges in the manual cleaning and evaporation of dry chili, impacting productivity in terms of time and workforce. The primary issue lies in the labour-intensive process of manually preparing ground chili, involving soaking 20kg of dry chilies for 6 to 12 hours, followed by high-pressure water cleaning to separate seeds and impurities. The cleaning process demands considerable time and effort until the water turns clear. Subsequently, grinding the chili takes additional time, requiring 2 hours to clean and steam 20kg of chili with a workforce of 5 people. To address these challenges, a solution is proposed in the form of a machine that utilizes rotation and high-pressure water jets for cleaning dry chilies. Additionally, the machine facilitates the subsequent evaporation process and the transfer of chili to the grinder through a specially designed door. By implementing this semi-automatic dry chili cleaning and evaporating machine, the study resulted in significant improvements. Specifically, there was a 75% reduction in processing time and a 40% decrease in required manpower, effectively cutting down the overall work process by 67%. This innovative approach brings considerable efficiency gains, streamlining the ground chili production process and positively impacting the company's financials by reducing labour costs and boosting productivity.

Absorbency Spectrum of Dual Band Metamaterial Absorber

N. Aziziuddin, S.A.M. Ali — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

This paper study on the absorbency of dual band metamaterial absorber. The metamaterial absorber is designed based on a rectangular shaped for the patch layer and full ground plane plated as a ground layer. Both layers are used Perfect Electromagnetic Conductor (PEC) with 0.0.35 mm. Meanwhile, TLY-5 material is used as a substrate which is stacked in between the patch and ground. The thickness of the TLY-5 substrate is chosen to be 0.018λ to the respect of the lower resonant frequency. Initially, the rectangular patch is designed horizontally, then being rotated anti-clockwise from 0° to 90° to study the change of the absorbency. Thus, to study the harmonic frequency in order to developed the dual band metamaterial absorber while maintained the perfect absorbency for each band. Maximum absorbency is achieved as the rectangular patch is rotated at 45o. Dual band metamaterial absorber is developed which are resonated at 2.50 GHz with 99.92% absorbency and 4.97 GHz with 99.95% absorbency. Then, the Q-factor of the dual band metamaterial absorbed is evaluated to study the relationship between the substrate’s thickness against the bandwidth at each resonant peak. These features have the potential to be utilized in reducing radar cross-section for stealth applications in satellite and radar communications transmission.

Temperature Distribution Analysis during Solidification Process in Reflow Machine for Printed Circuit Board

I.I. Ismail, A.K. Ismail, S.S. Riduan, I.A Azid, K.A. Shamsuddin — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

In the semiconductor industry, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is soldered by using an SMT Reflow Machine. It has several phases and within each phase, a temperature profile is fixed so that the solder paste could melt and cooled efficiently. However, uneven temperature distribution still poses a big challenge on reflow soldering of surface mount components. In this study, a non-conventional reflow oven is built to duplicate the reflow process and to improve the soldering quality of a PCB. The reflow oven prototype developed in this project has been tested and is able to be used to complete a soldering process but with a longer period of time. A comparison has been made which shows that both profiles obtained from conventional and industrial reflow oven have a similar trend. A simulation of the reflow soldering has also been done on selected IC component to study the temperature distribution on the component especially on the IC pins. It shows that heat transferred in both directions which are to the IC packages and circuit board. In the simulation results indicates that the process has an unequal distribution of thermal energy. Time study will be done to investigate the solidification process as obtained in experimental study.

Towards Sustainable Buildings Community College: An analysis of Energy Consumption at KKSS, Malaysia

K. K. Chow , W. L. LEW — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

The growing demand for energy and the push to enhance indoor environmental quality necessitate innovative strategies to promote energy efficiency and conservation in buildings. This research aimed to evaluate energy consumption in a community college building located in Kampung Sungai Sejuk, Sungai Siput, Perak, focusing primarily on an analysis of installed appliances. Detailed evaluations were made regarding appliance power ratings, their locations across different room types, and their usage durations. Based on the acquired data, the aggregate energy consumption of the building was estimated, encompassing aspects like illumination, office equipment, air conditioning, and other relevant variables. This analysis was conducted in accordance with the Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Regulations 2008 (EMEER 2008). Upon conclusion, the study successfully identified viable and economically efficient avenues for energy savings, shedding light on energy conservation opportunities (ECOs) within the building. In addition to these findings, the economic implications of the facility's energy usage were assessed. An evaluation of the Building Energy Intensity (BEI) is currently in progress to benchmark against the designated standards for governmental structures in Malaysia.

Design and Optimization of Disc Brake Using FEA

N. Chik, B. Zubir, A.F. A Rahman — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

One of a car's most crucial active safety elements is the disc brake unit, which is situated at the front axle. An essential part of the disc brake system is the brake disc rotor. The rate of friction between the brake pads and the rotor and the amount of heat released into the air define how effective this braking system is. It could harm the brake mechanism and cause it to overheat due to thermal stress which would cause the brake system to break down. Grey cast iron, stainless steel, and aluminium were the three main types of materials used in this study. In addition, three designs solid, semi-ventilated, and ventilated disc were applied in this investigation. As for design and analysis, thermal analysis and Solidworks were used. Based on the results, the ventilated disc brake is the best design in terms of heat transfer. Aluminium is a material with good heat distribution but cast iron can be consider as an option for production.

Isolation of Species Specific Bacteria from Raw Nature for Porcine Gelatin Detection

M.F. Lamri, S. A. Mutalib, M. A. Ghani, A. Abdullah — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0800

The ability of gelatinase bacteria to hydrolyze gelatin makes them widely distributed and may have an impact on the safety and quality of gelatin manufacture. A study was conducted to find out specific species of gelatinase bacteria in 14 samples from selected sources using the agar isolation method through 1, 3 and 5% porcine gelatin. The samples are chosen from various types of soil, animal skin and water. The selection is made in the event of gelatinase activity on the agar surface. Findings were obtained with the 10 most active gelatinase bacteria characterized through culture morphology which were then isolated to see their sensitivity in the detection of Halal gelatin.