Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration
This paper presented an autonomous electronic system for sunshine duration (SD) monitoring based on the contrast method and developed to operate on a horizontal surface. The prototype uses four photoresistors arranged at 90° in a 20 mm diameter circumference separated by a shading structure used to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/16/4606 |
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| author | Álvaro B. da Rocha Eisenhawer de M. Fernandes Carlos A. C. dos Santos Júlio M. T. Diniz Wanderley F. A. Junior |
| author_facet | Álvaro B. da Rocha Eisenhawer de M. Fernandes Carlos A. C. dos Santos Júlio M. T. Diniz Wanderley F. A. Junior |
| author_sort | Álvaro B. da Rocha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presented an autonomous electronic system for sunshine duration (SD) monitoring based on the contrast method and developed to operate on a horizontal surface. The prototype uses four photoresistors arranged at 90° in a 20 mm diameter circumference separated by a shading structure used to create a shadow pattern on the detection element. Photoresistors are inserted in individual signal conditioning circuits based on the association between Wheatstone bridges and operational amplifiers to provide an analog signal to the microcontroller unit. The determination of SD occurs through the implementation of fuzzy logic with numerical calculation methods to estimate the probability (f) of solar disk obstruction and estimate SD values. The system does not require additional adjustments after installation or use of energy sources for operation due to the use of an internal battery with charge recovery by solar panels. Experimental results of the proposed system were validated with the ones provided by a government meteorology station. Statistical analysis of the results showed a confidence index (c) greater than 90%, with a precision of 94.26%. The proposed system is a feasible low-cost solution to the available commercial systems for the measurement of sunshine duration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d52cebbab3c4bb981551c05fb887615 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:21:13Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d52cebbab3c4bb981551c05fb8876152023-11-20T10:20:32ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202020-08-012016460610.3390/s20164606Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine DurationÁlvaro B. da Rocha0Eisenhawer de M. Fernandes1Carlos A. C. dos Santos2Júlio M. T. Diniz3Wanderley F. A. Junior4Academic Unit of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba 58429-900, BrazilAcademic Unit of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba 58429-900, BrazilAcademic Unit of Atmospheric Sciences, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba 58429-900, BrazilSchool of Apprentices-Sailors of Pernambuco, Navy of Brazil, Recife, Pernambuco 53110-901, BrazilAcademic Unit of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba 58429-900, BrazilThis paper presented an autonomous electronic system for sunshine duration (SD) monitoring based on the contrast method and developed to operate on a horizontal surface. The prototype uses four photoresistors arranged at 90° in a 20 mm diameter circumference separated by a shading structure used to create a shadow pattern on the detection element. Photoresistors are inserted in individual signal conditioning circuits based on the association between Wheatstone bridges and operational amplifiers to provide an analog signal to the microcontroller unit. The determination of SD occurs through the implementation of fuzzy logic with numerical calculation methods to estimate the probability (f) of solar disk obstruction and estimate SD values. The system does not require additional adjustments after installation or use of energy sources for operation due to the use of an internal battery with charge recovery by solar panels. Experimental results of the proposed system were validated with the ones provided by a government meteorology station. Statistical analysis of the results showed a confidence index (c) greater than 90%, with a precision of 94.26%. The proposed system is a feasible low-cost solution to the available commercial systems for the measurement of sunshine duration.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/16/4606autonomous electronic systemsunshine durationfuzzy logiclow-cost solution |
| spellingShingle | Álvaro B. da Rocha Eisenhawer de M. Fernandes Carlos A. C. dos Santos Júlio M. T. Diniz Wanderley F. A. Junior Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration Sensors autonomous electronic system sunshine duration fuzzy logic low-cost solution |
| title | Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration |
| title_full | Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration |
| title_fullStr | Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration |
| title_short | Development and Validation of an Autonomous System for Measurement of Sunshine Duration |
| title_sort | development and validation of an autonomous system for measurement of sunshine duration |
| topic | autonomous electronic system sunshine duration fuzzy logic low-cost solution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/16/4606 |
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