Team Name:

Team Members:Branden Carpenter EE SeniorJon Stoker CS SeniorMaggie Richardson EE SeniorWayne Romine EE Senior

Project Title:LSV2 (Large Scale Vehicle)

Autonomous Battery Charger

Our Sponsor

Initial Specifications _• Must remotely access the

battery chargers– Including all displayed values

such as:• Fault Indicators• Displayed values for Current and

Voltage– As well as providing control

capability:• Ability to change voltage and

current levels• Have an emergency stop function

• Graphical user interface mush be easy to understand/use

• Remote control function must have a PC control option– Charging algorithm will be

implemented in later project– Separate control unit will be able

to implement the charging algorithm• Unit will also act as a backup if there

is a computer failure

• Design must use the current control board installed in the charging units– Units have a local remote switch

that utilizes a PCB housed inside the charger

Preliminary Results • From initial research the RS-485 pin

connection on the PCB inside the charging unit will likely be the point of control.

• A microcontroller will need to be employed to display and control the charging units remotely.

• A separate box will be created to handle the control and display of information. – PC control will be added at a later

time– Although this box should be able to

operate indecently, connections for the PC will be an important element to our design

• A optimum charging profile was designed for a previous Senior Design project.

• This profile will be used to create a charging algorithm that will automate the charging process.

• Commercial embedded controllers exist but our team should be able to design a more economical solution for our client.

• The Client presently has a system that displays the battery charging level. Connection from that system will provide a feedback loop for the charging algorithm implemented via a PC.

Problem Statement• Presently a battery technician monitors screen displaying the voltage and current

levels being sensed in the seven battery strings comprising the LSV2 battery bank. • Once a condition requiring action is reached, the technician must leave the computer

workstation and adjust analog knobs located on the front panel of the charging units. These units are installed in a different location of the moorage facility.

• Once the alteration is manually set on the charging unit, the technician returns to the workstation to check that the desired effect begins to take place.

• This process is repeated for each of the seven charging units at specific points in the charging process.

• The optimized profile could be better implemented if the charging profile of each battery sting are controlled autonomously.

• Our team proposes to design a configuration that allows the chargers be controlled remotely, specifically at the workstation that monitors the charge.

• With this capability it is then possible to automate the entire process and control it from any location connected to the monitoring workstation.

Images of the USS Cutthroat

Initial Controller Conceptual Design

C:

V:

Charger #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7

0000.00

0000.00

UP

DN

UP

DN

Input Current

Input Voltage Select

charger

Charger #

Input voltage value

Input current value

Enter Voltage

Enter Current

Local /PC Toggle Switch

Fault Indicators