ISBN: 978-15-086565-24

Date: 22.3.2015
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TRENDS IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH

X.ADVANTAGES

Easy to communicate with the people as others so their ideas cant be used by others for the growth of nation.
They can be as normal human beings.
Can be used for partially paralysed people so that they can control the thing by their own and not depend on others.
Easy to use.
Voice can be changed based on users choice.

XI. LIMITATIONS
Cost becomes more for complex movements.
Program needs modification for more movements based on users requirement.

XII. FUTURE ENHANCEMENT

The project can be enhanced to include two or more accelerometers to capture the orientation of hand movements
once the gesture is made. This will expand the capability to translate larger gestures. Then flex sensor can be used.
Load devices can be operated using wireless communication so that home automation can be brought using basic hand
movements.
X. REFERENCES

[1]

Ruize Xu, Shengli Zhou, And Wen J. Li, Mems Accelerometer Based Nonspecific-User Hand Gesture year may 2012,
VOL. 12, NO. 5.
[2]
Anbarasi Rajamohan , Hemavathy R., Dhanalakshmi M. Deaf Communication Interpreter year 1 may 2013,Volume 2 Issue
5.
[3]
Syed Faiz Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Baber Ali, Sh. Saqib Munawwar Qureshi, Syed Faiz Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Baber
Ali, Sh. Saqib Munawwar Qureshi, ]Electronic speaking glove for speechless patients april 2014, Volume 3, Special Issue 4.
[4]
S. Saivenkatesh, k. Suriya Intelligent speech recognition and translating embedded device for deaf and dumb individuals,
april 17/04/2014.
[5]
A.Y. Satpute1 and A. D. Bhoi Electronic speaking system for dumb, july 2013, ISSN: 22311963.
[6]
by M. Rahim1, Tamnun E Mursalin2, Nasrin Sultana3 Intelligent Sign Language Verification System Using Image
Processing, Clustering and Neural Network Concepts,may 2011.
[7]
Bhavina Patel, Vandana Shah, Ravindra Kshirsagar, Microcontrollor based gesture recognition system for handicap people
October-decemeber 2011, E-ISSN0976-7916.
[8]
Chenghui Yang]Based on Artificial Neural Networks for voice recognition word segment by may 2010.
[9]
R. San-Segundo, J.M. Montero, J. Macas-Guarasa, R. Crdoba, J. Ferreiros, J.M. Pardo, Generating Gestures from
Speech by may 2012.
[10]
Abjhijt Auti, V. G. Puranik, Dr. A. K. Kureshi, Speaking Gloves for Speechless Persons by april 2014.

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ISBN: 978-15-086565-24
Date: 22.3.2015
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TRENDS IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH

AUTOMATION OF INSTRUMENT AIR DRYER CONTROL USING

PLC
KIRUTHIGA.P
SAVEETHA ENGINEERING COLLEGE, THANDALAM
Pkiruthiga93@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The project Automation of instrument air dryer control system using PLC is designed to develop the
technique in order to modernize the instrument air dryer system which is implemented using PLC. The
project is designed so that the manual operation gets reduced. Automation of the process would provide
for regular time based drying of the instrument air as well as the ability to initiate a dry sequence
automatically. In this project drying and regeneration operation is being controlled on a regular time
basis. Thermodynamics of adsorption is the principle underlying the drying operation. A four way valve
is provided to redirect the operation from dryer to regenerator after a specified time limit. Earlier
relay logic is employed in this type of operation. But relay logic brings in lots of problems during trip off
conditions. The case becomes even worse to detect a problem in complex conditions. Hence, a decision
has been made to incorporate the drying operation using ladder logic. Conditional logic is used in
PLC programming. It is based on developing ladder diagram for a sequence of four outputs such as
thermostat output, dryer/regenerator output and drain valve output and controlling the operation
using PLC.A HMI screen has been developed to provide a visual description of the drying process.
I.INTRODUCTION
The project Automation of Instrument Air Dryer Control System using PLC is developed by conducting a
complete analysis of the current system. The results of the complete analysis of the current system reveal that
the current system faces problems due to manual regeneration. The dryer system used in the power plants is
desiccant dryers. Desiccant dryers use absorbing materials such as silica gel or activated alumina to remove
moisture from the air. The earlier system which exists now uses relay logic. The relay is a switch with multiple
contacts that is operated when the coil is energized. So, if there is a problem with dryer or if it trips off, the
process becomes more tedious and complex. Then the equipment is evaluated and the alternatives are designed.
The solution to these alternatives is designing PLC and HMI programming. The PLC scans its inputs and
depending on the program, switches on or off for various combinations of outputs. The logic state of the output
depends on the input conditions and hence the term conditional logic is being used.
II.PRINCIPLE OF ADSORPTION
Adsorption principle is the principle employed for dryer and regeneration operation. Adsorption process by
which molecules of gases are liquids become attached to the surface of another substance. The desiccants used
in the dryers are activated alumina and molecular sieve. [1]. Activated alumina is a porous high- area form of
aluminum oxide, prepared either directly from bauxite (Al2O3.3H2O) or from the monohydrate by the dehydration
and recrystallisation at elevated temperature. The surface is most strongly polar than that of silica gel and has
both acidic and basic character, reflecting the amphoteric nature of the metal. At room temperature, the affinity
of activated alumina for water is comparable with that of silica gel but the capacity is over. At elevated
temperatures, the capacity of activated alumina is higher than silica gel and it was therefore commonly used as a
desiccant for drying warm air or gas streams. However for this application it has been largely replaced by
molecular sieve adsorbents which exhibit both a higher capacity and a lower equilibrium vapor pressure under
most conditions of practical importance. [2].
A. Need for Instrument Air Dryers
In most cases, instrument quality air is defined as clean, dry air. Since zero particulates, zero water is
impossible, what is an acceptable level. [3]Water vapor is contained in high pressure air. In vapor form, the
water creates little damage in most components. But if the water is allowed to condense system, it can cause
great damage. Drying of compressed air is achieved by passing through dryers. Compressed air dryers reduce
the quantity of water vapor, liquid water,, and hydro carbon in compressed air. Moisture in compressed air is
harmful. Water damages a compressed air system in several ways such as erosion, corrosion, microbial
contamination and freezing. [4]. When air is compressed, it gets hot and moisture or water vapor levels are

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ISBN: 978-15-086565-24
Date: 22.3.2015
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TRENDS IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH

raised. These problems can be eliminated for the most part by passing the air through air dryers. [5].To avoid
dew point change condensation from expansion of air both at the compressor and at point of use, air dryers are
normally installed immediately downstream of the instrument air compressors. The air dryers are usually of the
regenerative type and provide air having a dew point of app-400 F/- 400C standard conditions. [6].
III.OPERATION OF INSTRUMENT AIR DRYERS
The types of dryers which are normally employed for this sort of operation are desiccant air dryers. Desiccant
air dryers utilize chemical beds, called desiccant, to adsorb water vapor from compressed air. A desiccant dries
air by adsorbing moisture on its surface and holding the water as a mono or bimolecular film. The method of
regeneration, process of removing adsorbed water from the desiccant, is the primary distinguishing feature
among the various types of desiccant dryers. Most regenerative desiccant dryers are dual chamber systems with
one chamber on stream drying the compressed air while the other being regenerative. [7]. A four way valve is
provided to direct the operation from the dryer to regenerator after a specified time limit. Regeneration of the
desiccant bed is effected by passing through the bed containing a stream of heated air and venting this stream to
the atmosphere. This heated stream removes the water from desiccant to restore its hygroscopic properties. At
the end of this heated cycle cooled air is reintroduced to cool down the bed to its operating temperature. By this
way, the process gets repeated. [8].
IV.AUTOMATION USING PLC
Automation is needed in instrument air dryer control system. There are various factors influencing the need for
automation in dryers. For example, if there is a loss of instrument air, a plant was shutting down due to the loss
of raw water to the plant. The alarm indicates that an instrument air dryer had switched improperly and it was
missed in the flood of alarms. The problem was detected when the control valves for the shut down were not
responding due to the loss of instrument air. [9].If this system is automated, then the system will work on
regular time basis and hence the shut down problems can be avoided. So the traditional equipments had been
replaced by commercially available programmable equipment. This equipment is industrially hardened, field
proven, digital software based control equipment whose designs overcome the problems attributed to traditional
component control implementations. [10].This paper explains the automation of dryers using PLC.A PLC is user
friendly, microprocessor based specialized computer that carries out control functions of many types and levels
of complexity. Otherwise, a programmable logic controller (PLC) is a solid state device designed to perform
logic functions previously accomplished by electro-mechanical relays. The relay is a switch with multiple
contacts that is operated when the coil is energized. It uses electromagnetism to switch contacts. A relay will
usually have one coil but may have any number of different contacts. So, if there is a problem with relays, it is
difficult to find the exact spot and clear it out. Hence, a decision has been made to move from electromechanical
relay logic to ladder logic. Ladder logic is not a method of circuit design; it is a method of circuit presentation,
like an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic circuit. [11]. Ladder logic has lot of advantages like it is easy to
operate. It is cost effective and it shuts off power without a switch. Circuits created are simple and more reliable.
This increases the life of products that incorporate them, from mechanical parts to electrical outlets. Ladder
logic is also versatile. [11].The actual logic of the control system is established inside the PLC by means of a
computer program. This program dictates which output gets energized under which input conditions. Although
the program itself appears to be a ladder logic diagram, with switch and relay symbols, there are no actual
switch contacts or relay coils operating inside the PLC to create the logic relationship between input and output
.Theses are imaginary contacts and coils. The program is entered and viewed via a PC connected to the PLCs
programming port. [12].

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ISBN: 978-15-086565-24
Date: 22.3.2015
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TRENDS IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH

SWITCH ON THE
DRYER INPUT

ENERGIZE
THE COIL
TO OPEN
FOR
DRYER
VALVE FOR
8 HOURS

AFTER 8
HOURS DE
ENERGIZE
THE DRYER
VALVE AND
ENERGIZE
THE
REGENERATO
R VALVE

CYCLE
CONTINU
ES FOR 4
HOURS
AND
RESET
THE
TIMER
AGAIN

HEATER IS
ON FOR 4
HOURS
UNTIL THE
SET POINT
IS REACHED

AFTER 4
HOURS
THE
HEATER
IS
SWITCHE
D OFF

THE
TIMER IS
RESET AND
THE
CYCLE
CONTINUE
S FOR
EVERY 4
HOURS

DRAIN
VALVE IS
OPENED
FOR 20
MINUTES

AFTER 20
MINUTES
DRAIN
VALVE IS
CLOSED

THE CYCLE
IS
PERIODICA
LLY
OPENED
AND
CLOSED BY
RESETTING
THE1.TIMER
Fig

Fig .1 ladder logic sequencing for PLC programming

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