LEELA EDUCATION SOCIETY

G. V. ACHARYA POLYTECHNIC
Veeracharya Technical Education Complex, Shelu / Dam at, Opposite Shelu
Railway Station, Taluka - Karjat, District – Raigad – 410201

A
Micro Project title
Built Fan speed
Regulator using
Triac and Diac

For the subject

BPE
In Academic
Year 2020-
2021

GUIDED BY: -
JAYSINGH KAKADE

Group members
SRN ROL NAMES OF ENROLMENT NO.
O. L STUDENTS
NO
1 811 Jay p. Bhekare
2 812 Vighnesh l. Shelke
3
 CERTIFICATE

This is certified that Jay, vighnesh has completed the micro project

work during the study of BPE and report embodies the result of

work. It is therefore recommended and forwarded for submission.

Subject teacher HOD principal

Mr. Jaysingh Kakade Ms.Rupali
pantanker Mrs.Rupa Acharya
 ABSTRACT:

Marking attendance in the class meeting session and the marks of

the students are the prime tasks of the subject handlers, since
marking the attendance can regular the students to attend the
classes. Moreover, it verifies Number of students present in the
conducted classes.
The purpose of recording the marks is to analyze the performance
of the students in terms of curricular activities. Earlier, the tasks of
marking attendance and recording the marks are handled
manually by pen and paper method. This Method consumes more
time and adds more workload to the subject handlers and
sometimes the data presents a mobile application for student
attendance and Management system. This application is mainly
designed for the faculties and other staff members of the
organization who maintain attendance and marks Regularly.
Using the system, the subject handlers, staffs or the authorities can
verify the Number of students present or absent in the class
meeting sessions. This application allows the users to mark
attendance through mobile devices and to keep in touch with
students, Furthermore, this application allows the teacher to mark
and edit the attendance and also to add the marks.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We take this occasion to thank God, almighty for blessings us with
his grace and taking our endeavor to a successful culmination. We
extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to our esteemed guide, Mr.
Jaysingh Kakade for providing us with the right guidance and
advice at the crucial junctures and for showing me straightway.
We also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude
to our class coordinators, Mr. Jaysingh Kakade and for their
cordial support, valuable suggestions and guidance. We extend our
sincere thanks to all our respected Head of the EXTC department
Ms. Rupali patanker ,for allowing us to use the facilities
available. We would like to thank the other faculty Members also,
at this occasion. Last but not the least, we would like to thank our
friends and family for the support and encouragement they have
given us during the course of our work.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

Fan Speed Regulator

Fan control is the management of the rotational speed of an electric fan. In
computers, various types of computer fans are used to provide adequate cooling, and
different fan control mechanisms balance their cooling capacities and noise they
generate. This is commonly accomplished by the motherboards having hardware
monitoring circuitry, which can be configured by the end-user through BIOS or other
software to perform fan control
Need for fan control As modern PCs grow more powerful so do their requirements
for electrical power. Computers emit this electrical power as heat generated by
all major components. Heat production varies with system load, where periods of
compute-intensive activity generate much more heat than the idle time does.[1]
Processors in most early x86-based computers, up to some of the early 486s, did not
need active ventilation. Power supplies needed forced cooling, and power supply fans
also circulated cooling air through the rest of the PC with the ATX standard. The
byproduct of increased heat generation is that the fan(s) need to move increasing
amounts of air and thus need to be more powerful. Since they must move more air
through the same area of space, fans will become more noisy.
Fans installed in a PC case can produce noise levels of up to 70 dB. Since fan noise
increases with the fifth power of the fan rotation speed,[2] reducing revolutions per
minute (RPM) by a small amount potentially means a large reduction in fan noise.
This must be done cautiously, as excessive reduction in speed may cause components
to overheat and be damaged.[needs update] If done properly fan noise can be drastically
reduced.
Fan connectors
The common cooling fans used in computers use standardized connectors with two to
four pins. The first two pins are always used to deliver power to the fan motor, while
the rest can be optional, depending on fan design and type:

• Ground – common ground

• Vcc (Power) – nominally a +12 V supply, though it may be variable
depending on fan type and desired fan rotation speed
• Sense (or tachometer) output from fan – outputs a signal that pulses twice
for each revolution of the fan as a pulse train, with the signal frequency
proportional to the fan speed
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

• Control input – a pulse-width modulation (PWM) input signal, used when

the cooling fan assembly has an internal motor driver circuit. Fan assemblies
with this control input provide the ability to adjust the rotational speed of the
fan without changing the input voltage delivered to the cooling fan
assembly. A variable rotation speed allows the cooling rate to be adjusted to
meet demand, quietening the fan and saving energy when full speed is not
required.The color of the wires connected to these pins varies depending on
the number of connectors, but the role of each pin is standardized and
guaranteed to be the same on any system. Cooling fans equipped with either
two- or three-pin connectors are usually designed to accept a wide range of
input voltages, which directly affects the rotation speed of the blades.

Types of control

1)Thermostatic
In this style of fan control, the fan is either on or off. Temperature inside the chassis is
checked, and if an outside-of-range temperature is detected, fans are set to their
maximum speed. When the temperature drops below a threshold again, the fans are
turned back off. This control method reduces noise issues and power requirements
during periods of low usage, but when the system is operating at capacity, the fan
noise can become a problem again.

2)Linear voltage regulation

A standard cooling fan is a DC motor with blades attached. By varying the voltage
input across the acceptable range for a fan, the speed of the fan will increase (to added
voltage) and decrease (to reduced voltage); a faster fan means more air moved and
thus a higher heat exchange rate. There are a few ways to perform this regulation, as
described below.
3)Resistors
Resistors in series with a fan's power pin are the simplest method of reducing fan
noise, but they add to the heat generated inside the computer case. Since the voltage
drop is proportional to the current, the fan may not start. They need to be of the
appropriate power rating. For variable fan control, potentiometers could be used along
with a transistor such as a MOSFET whose output voltage is controlled by the
potentiometer. It is possible to use a rheostat instead.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

4)Diodes
A diode in series with the fan will reduce the voltage being output to the fan. A silicon
diode provides a relatively constant voltage drop of about 0.7 V per diode; data sheets
for a specific diode specify its voltage drop, for example the 1N4001 silicon diode's
voltage drop varies from approximately 0.7 to 0.9 V as the current varies from 0.01 to
1 A.[3] The power rating should be noted and some diodes may require cooling to
operate at their rated current. The voltage drop across the diode will fall with
temperature, causing the fan to speed up.
Like other series regulators, the diode will dissipate power equal to its voltage drop
times the current passing through it.
5)Voltage modification ("volt modding")
The voltage a computer cooling fan receives is defined by the difference between the
voltage wire (+12 V) and the ground wire (+0 V). By connecting one or both wires to
a different voltage, the voltage the fan receives will be different from the default 12 V
the fan was designed for.
Increasing the voltage[4] over the default 12 V can be achieved by e.g. connecting the
−12 V or −5 V power line instead of the ground wire in the fan connector, and by
connecting the 5 V power line in the +12 V input of the fan connector. Through this
procedure, 10, 17 and 24 V voltages can be achieved, with voltages exceeding 12 V
being potentially damaging to the computer fans rated at 12 V. However, the
combination of modern power supplies no longer being required to provide a −5 V
power line and the limited power delivery capability of the −12 V line (usually less
than 1 A of current) reduces the total capacity for volt modded fans in modern
systems.
Connecting the +5 V power line to the +12 V input of the fan reduces the voltage the
fan receives to +5 V. Some fans will not work at such low voltage at all, while some
other fans may run at +5 V once they have started rotating at a reasonable speed.[citation
needed]

Another method of reducing the fan speed[5] is by moving the 5 V wire in the
classical Molex power connector in the place of the Ground wire going to the fan,
thereby delivering +7 V (12 V − 5 V = 7 V) to the fan. However, this is a potentially
risky method, because +5 V PSU line is intended to source current only, not sink it, so
the PSU is likely to get damaged in case of load on 5 V PSU line being below the load
generated by 7 V fans (e.g. when PC enters idle/sleep state). Also, the components
inside the computer using +5 V power might be exposed to over 5 V in case of a short
circuit in the fan.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

6)Integrated or discrete linear regulators

SMSC EMC2102 rotational-speed-based fan controller with hardware thermal

shutdown
Common voltage regulator ICs like the popular LM78xx series are sometimes used to
provide variable or constant voltage to fans. When thermally bonded to the computer's
chassis, one of these ICs can provide up to 1 A of current at a voltage of 6, 8, 9 or
10 V for the LM7806, LM7808, LM7809 and LM7810, respectively.[6] Adjustable
versions like the popular LM317 also exist; when combined with a potentiometer,
these adjustable regulators allow the user to vary the fan speed of several fans at
currents far in excess of what a standard potentiometer could handle.[7]
For higher currents, discrete linear regulators are relatively simple to construct using a
power transistor or MOSFET and a small signal transistor or a Zener diode as a
voltage reference. While discrete regulators require additional components (a
minimum of two transistors, three resistors and a small capacitor), they allow for
arbitrarily high currents, allowing for the regulation of additional fans and accessories.
As with other linear regulators, the waste heat that is produced will be roughly P =
(Vin - Vout) Iout.[8]
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

7)Pulse-width modulation
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is a common method of controlling computer fans. A
PWM-capable fan is usually connected to a 4-pin connector (pinout: Ground, +12 V,
sense, control). The sense pin is used to relay the rotation speed of the fan and the
control pin is an open-drain or open-collector output, which requires a pull-up to 5 V
or 3.3 V in the fan. Unlike linear voltage regulation, where the fan voltage is
proportional to the speed, the fan is driven with a constant supply voltage; the speed
control is performed by the fan based on the control signal.
The control signal is a square wave operating at 25 kHz, with the duty
cycle determining the fan speed. 25 kHz is used to raise the sound of the signal above
the range of human hearing; use of a lower frequency could produce an audible hum
or whine. Typically a fan can be driven between about 30% and 100% of the rated fan
speed, using a signal with up to 100% duty cycle. The exact speed behavior (linear, off
until a threshold value, or a minimum speed until a threshold) at low control levels is
manufacturer dependent.[9]
Many motherboards feature firmware and software that regulates these fans based on
processor and computer case temperatures.
8)Fan speed controllers

A fan controller with LEDs indicating fan status and potentiometers and switches to
control fan speeds
Another method, popular with gamers[which?], is the manual fan speed controller. They
can be mounted in an expansion slot or a 5.25" or 3.5" drive bay or come built into a
computer's case. Using switches or knobs, attached fans can have their speeds adjusted
by one of the above methods.
Hardware
Most modern motherboards feature hardware monitoring chips, which are capable of
performing fan control,[1] usually through the PWM method as described above. These
chips can be configured through BIOS,[10]:§11.1 or by using specialised software once
the operating system has booted.
Processors produce varying levels of heat depending on system load, thus it makes
sense to reduce the speed of the fans during idle to decrease the noise produced by
fans running full speed, until the load does goes up, at which point fan speed must be
adjusted promptly to avoid overheating. Modern hardware monitor chips, once
configured, are capable of independently running this monitoring loop without any
need for a functioning BIOS or an operating system. This automatic control offered by
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

some chips may be called Thermal Cruise mode for maintaining a thermal envelope,
as well as Fan Speed Cruise mode for maintaining a specific fan speed
automatically.[10]:§12
However, not all software is capable of accessing these advanced configuration
parameters provided by some chips, and it is very common that the generic software
implements only the most basic interfacing with the chips, namely, an explicit setting
for the duty cycle for each fan control setting, subsequently performing the duty cycle
adjustments itself in software, and thus requiring that both the operating system, as
well as this third-party software itself to continue running on the main CPU to perform
the monitoring loop.[10]:§11.3 This may not be a problem until the system or the utility
crashes, at which point the system may overheat due to the failure of the fans to
maintain adequate cooling whilst running at reduced voltage and speed.
A generic AC fan regulator circuit is essentially used to vary the speed of the fan. In
this project, we will build our own fan regulator with minimum components and for
better efficiency. Generally, the fan generates a humming noise when brought to use
with different fan regulator circuits, our circuit uses DIAC and a TRIAC and produces
minimum to no humming noise and works like a charm! We also have designed
multiple fan speed control circuits and also implemented IoT techniques to control
them, go ahead and take a look at those amazing circuits for reference if you are
interested.

Components Required to build an AC Fan Regulator

The components required to build a TRIAC fan regulator circuit are listed below:
1. 500k ohm Potentiometer
2. BT 136 TRIAC
3. DB3 DIAC
4. 0.1uf/400v Capacitor
5. 10k ohm resistor
6. 2 pin Terminal Block
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

Circuit Diagram for the AC Fan Regulator

The AC fan regulator circuit diagram is given below. The 220V AC mains voltage is
given as the input to the one terminal of the fan (load) and the other terminal of the fan
is connected to the one leg of the 10K ohm resistor. The 10K ohm resistor will be
connected to the one terminal of the 500K ohm potentiometer, whereas the output
terminal will be shorted and connected to the one pin of the DIAC and to the 0.1uF
capacitor. (DIAC does not have a polarity, so it can be connected from any end).
The DIAC’s other end-pin is connected to the Gate terminal of the TRIAC, which
basically controls the ON and OFF state of the TRIAC. The 10K ohm resistor is
connected to the MT2 pin of the TRIAC. The connection is quite simple and can be
made over a perfboard. We can also design our own PCB board to house all the
components easily.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

Tip:
1. Use a heat sink with the TRIAC as it may heat up after some time of its working
or with high wattage appliances.
2. Load capacity is <200 watts. If you wish to use a higher wattage load, use other
variants of BTA TRIACs.
I have built this circuit on a zero PCB for testing it and my board after soldering all the
components is looked like as shown in the image below. As you can see, the project
looks simple and easy, so I would also recommend you to get your Veroboard and get
started with it.

Quick Introduction for TRIAC and DIAC

The two main components used in the circuit are the TRIAC and the DIAC, let us
quickly understand the basics of their working. You can also check out the detailed
article on the working of TRIAC and the working of DIAC if you wish to explore more.
TRIAC: TRIACs are the components used in controlling the AC signals. They are used
in multiple applications where high-power switching is required in AC
waveforms. TRIACs are generally used in AC dimmer circuits and come in very handy
when trying to control the speed of a fan or as a dimmer to the LED bulb.
DIAC: DIAC stands for Diodes for Alternating Current. It is a bi-directional component
having two electrodes. It is another component of the Thyristor family. It only works
when it surpasses its breakover voltage (VBO) and is usually used to trigger
the TRIACs. The graph below depicts the working of a DIAC.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

The waveform presented above depicts the current vs voltage graph of the DIAC. As
we are aware that, in our project, DIAC is the component that is controlling the
conducting phase of a TRIAC through its Gate terminal, we need to know how
the breakover voltage (VBO) works in a DIAC. The DIAC only gets to its conducting
stage once it crosses a barrier voltage (VBO) which is roughly around 30V but differs
with different component models. Initially, DIAC is a device that has a higher resistance
but after a continual increase in the voltage level and at the point of VBO, the resistance
decreases drastically and it starts conducting which results in an increase in the current.
The DIAC stays in its conducting state till the current drawn from it decreases to a level
called ‘holding current’. Once the current drawn drops below the holding current,
the DIAC becomes non conducting again.
As shown in the graph above, the voltage (x-axis) is gradually increased until it reaches
its breakover voltage (VBO) which is 30-40V after which a sudden decrease is observed
and constant current output is obtained (10mA) which is the holding current.

Difference between a TRIAC and a DIAC

Despite the two devices being different in the number of pins and configuration,
both DIAC and TRIAC belong to the Thyristor family. TRIAC is a high-power device,
whereas a DIAC is considered being a low-power device. The Breakdown
voltage (VBO) of the DIAC can not be altered whereas a TRIAC’s VBO can be
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

altered using its gate terminal. DIAC is a device used to control the triggering point of
the TRIAC. A typical pinout symbol for a TRIAC and DIAC is shown below.

Working of AC Fan Regulator Circuit

The circuit works mainly by controlling the gate terminal of the TRIAC and the other
terminal of DIAC besides changing the discharge time of the capacitor. During the
positive half of the cycle, the capacitor plates charge following a polarity, and the
current also flows towards the T1 terminal of TRIAC, but the DIAC is still not triggered
since we have not crossed the Breakover voltage (VBO) of the DIAC (usually around
30V for DB3. As the resistance is varied and the capacitor discharges to a voltage above
the breakover voltage of the DIAC, the DIAC starts conducting and the output is
given to the gate terminal of the TRIAC which is then triggered and the circuit is
completed and the fan rotates.
 Built Fanspeed Regulator using Triac and Diac

Similarly, for the negative half of the cycle the capacitor charges but with interchanged
polarity, and once the breakover voltage is achieved (VBO), the DIAC conducts and
triggers the TRIAC hence, the circuit gets completed. The graph above indicates the
triggering and the conducting points and the triggering points along with the holding
current (Ih) of the TRIAC during the full-wave AC signal.
After completing the whole process of soldering and procuring the fan, I connected the
module to the 220V AC voltage mains supply and the fan, whose speed is to be
regulated. When I switched the supply ON and started to rotate the potentiometer, I
noticed the fan rotating as per how much the potentiometer was rotated. The varying
resistance of the potentiometer was aiding the fan speed to be regulated with the help of
our TRIAC and DIAC.
Hope you have learnt something new and have enjoyed building your own AC Fan
regulator. If you have any questions, leave them in the comment section or use
our Electronics forum.