Water Distribution Methods

Valve Design A Valve Design B Valve Design C

• Single motor control • Single motor control • Multiple solenoid valves (high
• Complex geometry (even more complex for • Prone to water leak power consumption)
more outlets) • Open one outlet at a time • Large components
• Multiple outlets can be opened at once. • Simple geometry • Expensive to manufacture
Valve Design A (cross-section)
• Electric pump pumps water from water tank
Water Outlets
to the valve water inlet.

Outlet C
Valve distributes water via outlet A,B & C.

Outlet B
•

Outlet A
Water Inlet
Stepper Motor Connected to pump
Control water output

Valve Housing

O-Ring
Prevent water leak
 Valve Design A Prototype
Stepper Motor Driver

LEDs
Motor Push Buttons
USB Power Supply (select outlet)
Housing Confirm
Cover Button
Rotating Drum

Pipe Connectors Microcontroller

O-Rings

Valve Components Bolts

Instructions: Water Pump Water Inlet

• Select water outlets with push buttons
• 3 LEDs On = 3 Opened Outlets Stepper
B Motor
• Press confirm button C
Water Inlet
• Wait for outlets to open up (connects to water supply) Outlet A
• Wait for water to fill up valve cavity
• Water travels through the opened outlets Valve Prototype
 Water Tightness Test

Control Outlets with a screwdriver

Power Supply

Water Inlet
Places to check leakage:
• O-ring seals
Valve
• Pipe connectors
(without motor) • Between outlets

Pump
Water Outlets

Water Supply

Water Leak Check

Valve Water tightness Testing

 Outlet Control Test
Rotating drum
inside the valve

Motor Driver

LEDs Breadboard ⌀9.5mm x 1.8mm O-Ring ⌀9.5mm x 1.6mm O-Ring

Stack of washers Allen Key

Overtightened Frictional force

bolts increases

Stepper Motor
Valve Problem
Valve

Outlets (opened) Solution to problem

Valve Breadboard Prototype
 Blue – Expected Results
Valve In-depth Testing Red – Unexpected Results

Valve Test Results Green – Short Pipe Yellow – Median Pipe Orange – Long Pipe
 Redesign

Water outlets x 6

Valve New Design

Bolts Connector

Valve New Design

360 Feedback Servo

Water Inlet

Rotating Drum

O-rings

Valve New Design (cross section)