Air Flow Control of a Smart Electric Fan using IoT Solutions

Abstract

Remote control of electric fans by the application of IoT technology addresses the restrictions of “push button” controls that are usual in conventional fans. This paper explains a new control method for air flow control of a Smart Electric Fan (SEF), in this case fans mainly used in the household. In this new method the supply voltage that is applied to the motor terminals of the SEF is precisely changed with the mobile application developed by using IoT solutions. As this proposed method integrates with the conventional control methods referred to as the Firing Angle Control method or Phase Angle Control method with a new IoT-based solution, the controlling of any device becomes simpler. We developed a mobile application that enables the fan to be remotely controlled using a smartphone or tablet computer. The phase or delay angle of the voltage waveform is changed by giving as an input from the smart phone mobile application, and this results in minimizing the power loss caused due to switching in case of push button system. We demonstrated that by using this app, implementing the IoT-based solution, the air flow rate of the SEF was increased and the performance of the SEF exceeded the air flow rate of the original, conventionally controlled fan with the speed of the fan being significantly increased. Applying this control method has thus been verified to be advantageous and appropriate for the remote control of the air flow and fan speed, resulting in the efficient Smart Electric Fan. The main focus of this research was to implement the integrated control method in the residential fans.