Group 10 (2005)

Left-to-right: Nunez, Kimura, Davidson, Mellov

Student Members:
Takahiro Kimura
James W. Davidson
Brian Mello
Harry D. Nunez

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Gilbert Fain

Project Title:
Power Controller

Project Description (provided by group):
Team ten constructed a functioning prototype of a Power Monitor for a Long Island based power company, All-City Switchboard Corp. The power monitor has a range of operating voltages, from 120/208VAC to 347/600VAC three phase. The unit is also self-powered through line voltages.

The basic overview is that it monitors the current, voltage and phase rotation to a given load. It is also able to monitor a temperature through a set of inputs. These different detections are selectable through a menu system that we have implemented. If the customer wants only a certain detection to occur, they have a way to select the appropriate detection. Thresholds for the different detections are entered into the menu.

If the controller detects one of these faults, (i.e. the thresholds are surpassed) the controller activates a relay that has been preset by the user. A special case is called the shunt trip, which cuts power to a load. These relays can withstand a 10A load at 120V. The main key point about the relays is that they can be interchangeable from one detection circuit to the other via the menu selection.