Week 8 - Arduino Levitation Research

The Magnetic Levitation component of our product is quite critical to the operation of our product (we really need a name for it!). Since we have seen that it is possible with the use of an arduino circuit and programming I have been looking into how it has been done before. The circuit that was used is very straight forward and is explained on this blog entry Arduino Magnet Levitation – detailed tutorial. The programming is however much more difficult however the files that are needed to run the circuit are also posted at the bottom of this the Arduino Magnet Levitation – detailed tutorial.   

http://mekonik.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/arduino-magnet-levitation/

This diagram shows the basic layout of the components involved in the visible part of the magnetic levitation system. 

• The coil is the electromagnet that is adjusted to attract the permanent magnet below.
• This is controlled by the information sent from the sensor that reads the strength of the permanent magnets magnetic field.
• The sensor samples at a very high frequency so that the electromagnet can continually adjust its strength to hold the magnet at a set distance.

These diagrams are the circuit diagrams for the arduino board.

Driver Circuit Diagram - Output (http://mekonik.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/arduino-magnet-levitation/)

Sensor Circuit Diagram - Input (http://mekonik.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/arduino-magnet-levitation/)

The circuit diagrams appear to be quite straight forward though it will be a matter of getting the right components to put the circuit together.

To further understand how the prototype will work and how it could be implemented in terms of the interface and user interaction I have quickly looked into how the hall sensor works.

I found that this site explains the three different types extremely well: 

bildr.org/2011/04/various-hall-effect-sensors/

I now understand why I need a linear Hall sensor and how it can be implemented to gain a particular set of information/input readings.

Below is a checklist of the components that I require:

• Arduino Duemilanove
• Switched power supply 12V
• Linear Hall effect sensor Honeywell SS19
• Norton operational amplifier MC3401P
• NPN transistor MPSA06
• Rectifier 1N4001
• Electromagnet (I used a coil from a 12V push-type solenoid)
• Resistors 2x 1k, 5k6, 47k, 68k, 330k, 4x 1M
• Capacitors 2x 1μ

I will aim to have all of these within the week so that I can have the circuit together by week 10 to that the prototype can be finished as there is still a lot of work to be done on igniting the gas and the mechanisms behind that for the proof of concept prototype.