Ehvac: Wireless Modular Multi-Zone hvac controller Group b javier Arias Ryan Kastovich Genaro Moore Michael Trampler

Section 3: Research

3.1 Research Methods

Throughout the spring semester, the group met once week to discuss and plan for the modular HVAC system. We discussed we wanted to accomplish with this project and how we were going to reach the goals. First we laid out exactly what parts and features the project needed to have, then decided on what extra components we wanted to add. Once we had decided on all of that, we divided up the workload amongst the four of us. After that the group started their individual research efforts to better understand the project as a whole and the individual components.

The bulk of the research was done via the Internet searching Google for websites on HVAC design and control. The internet was also used to find resources on the software aspects of the project such as the web page design, the communication of the web application to microcontrollers, and how to host a web server. We also looked at previous senior design project that are HVAC related to better understand exactly what is being asked of us as far as the senior design project guidelines. The older projects helped us gauge what will be and will not be feasible in the two semester time period and gave the group some insight on where to begin and what they can improve. Besides using the Internet and Google for resources, the UCF Library also proved its worth by having very helpful books on HVAC fundamentals and design. These books helped with the understanding of the many different components in an HVAC system which will be needed in order to control these components.
Some classes and workshops were available on campus to aid the group in many different aspects in the scope of the project. The group attended a professional workshop hosted by Texas Instruments to learn how to use their microcontrollers. The group gained valuable information from this workshop as well as free microcontrollers for themselves to develop and prototype on and into the future. Cadsoft hosted another workshop on campus where the group learned about their PCB design software Eagle. Cadsoft also informed them how the group could populate their board using this software. This will be helpful, obviously for design the PCB for the system later down the road. A few of the group mates attended a series of coding classes to learn the Python coding language. In addition to these extra classes, some classes in the groups required coursework served quite useful when brainstorming about the design. Electronics II, Digital Signal Processing, and Embedded Systems were the most useful of the coursework. Some of the group members already had some experience with microcontrollers and PCB design. They gained this experience from personal interests in programming microcontrollers, system controls, website design and from Do-It-Yourself projects similar to this project that they have done in the past.