Navigate the intricacies of fluid dynamics and airflow control with confidence, thanks to the MPXV7007DP and PIC18F57Q43
From flow rate monitoring to filter performance analysis
Published Feb 13, 2024
Click board™
Diff Press Click
Dev. board
Curiosity Nano with PIC18F57Q43
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
PIC18F57Q43
Experience a new level of precision in differential pressure measurement with our innovative sensor, built to streamline your operations and enhance decision-making
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Hardware Overview
How does it work?
Diff Press Click is based on the MPXV7007DP, a highly advanced, integrated monolithic differential pressure sensor from NXP Semiconductor. This sensor features piezo-resistive MEMS sensing element, combined with the integrated electronic components that allow it to achieve a high degree of linearity, as well a very low drift over temperature. It can be used to measure the differential pressure within the range of ±7kPa. The casing of the sensor contains two small tubes referred to as "ports" in the datasheet. They can be used to easily interface the sensor with various components which produce gas pressure, preventing leakage that might appear if the sealing is not good enough. The sensor is guaranteed to operate according to specifications only if used in dry air conditions. Please refer to the datasheet of the MPXV7007DP for more details. The MPXV7007DP sensor has two ports in a form of two tubes for simplified attachment to a pressurized system, as already discussed. One of these ports is designated as the Pressure side, while the other one is designated as the
Vacuum side. The Pressure side is protected by a fluoro-silicone gel which protects the die from harsh media. However, the sensor is designed to be used with both positive and negative differential pressure values, depending on the application requirements (P1 > P2 or P2 > P1). The sensor outputs half the maximum output voltage when there is no pressure difference between two input ports. As the difference increases, the voltage either decreases down to 0V (-7kPa) or increases up to its maximum value of 4.5V, typically (+7kPa). The internal calibration and a signal conditioning circuit ensure that the output voltage changes linearly with the pressure difference. The MPXV7007DP datasheet offers a graphic diagram, displaying the output voltage in respect to the pressure difference. Besides the diagram, the datasheet also offers the transfer function for the sensor output voltage, in a form of an equation. All the parameters can be found within the datasheet, if a precise calculation of the pressure is required. Besides the MPXV7007DP, Diff Press click utilizes an additional IC. It uses the
MCP3221, a 12-bit successive approximation A/D converter (ADC) with I2C Interface, from Microchip. It is used to sample the output voltage from the sensor, providing data for the microcontroller (MCU) or some other device capable of communicating over the I2C bus. The voltage is sampled to a 12-bit value using the 5V mikroBUS™ rail as the voltage reference. The relation between the ADC value and the voltage on the output pin is given by the formula: VOUT = 5/4096 x VAL. Where VOUT is the output voltage of the sensor and VAL is the 12-bit ADC value. However, the Click board™ is supplied with the mikroSDK library which contains functions for data conversion, providing readings in physical units. Two resistors are used to pull up I2C bus lines. An onboard jumper labeled as VCC SEL offers selection of the I2C communication voltage level by connecting these resistors either with 3.3V or 5V mikroBUS™ rail. This jumper can be used to interface the Click board™ with both 3.3V and 5V MCUs, allowing a wide range of different MCUs to be used with the Click board™.
Features overview
Development board
PIC18F57Q43 Curiosity Nano evaluation kit is a cutting-edge hardware platform designed to evaluate microcontrollers within the PIC18-Q43 family. Central to its design is the inclusion of the powerful PIC18F57Q43 microcontroller (MCU), offering advanced functionalities and robust performance. Key features of this evaluation kit include a yellow user LED and a responsive
mechanical user switch, providing seamless interaction and testing. The provision for a 32.768kHz crystal footprint ensures precision timing capabilities. With an onboard debugger boasting a green power and status LED, programming and debugging become intuitive and efficient. Further enhancing its utility is the Virtual serial port (CDC) and a debug GPIO channel (DGI
GPIO), offering extensive connectivity options. Powered via USB, this kit boasts an adjustable target voltage feature facilitated by the MIC5353 LDO regulator, ensuring stable operation with an output voltage ranging from 1.8V to 5.1V, with a maximum output current of 500mA, subject to ambient temperature and voltage constraints.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Architecture
PIC
MCU Memory (KB)
128
Silicon Vendor
Microchip
Pin count
48
RAM (Bytes)
8196
You complete me!
Accessories
Curiosity Nano Base for Click boards is a versatile hardware extension platform created to streamline the integration between Curiosity Nano kits and extension boards, tailored explicitly for the mikroBUS™-standardized Click boards and Xplained Pro extension boards. This innovative base board (shield) offers seamless connectivity and expansion possibilities, simplifying experimentation and development. Key features include USB power compatibility from the Curiosity Nano kit, alongside an alternative external power input option for enhanced flexibility. The onboard Li-Ion/LiPo charger and management circuit ensure smooth operation for battery-powered applications, simplifying usage and management. Moreover, the base incorporates a fixed 3.3V PSU dedicated to target and mikroBUS™ power rails, alongside a fixed 5.0V boost converter catering to 5V power rails of mikroBUS™ sockets, providing stable power delivery for various connected devices.
Used MCU Pins
mikroBUS™ mapper
Take a closer look
Click board™ Schematic
Step by step
Project assembly
Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Curiosity Nano with PIC18F57Q43 as your development board.
Track your results in real time
Application Output
1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.
2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.
3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.
Software Support
Library Description
This library contains API for Diff Press Click driver.
Key functions:
diffpress_get_adc_data- Gets adc data functiondiffpress_get_pressure_difference- Gets pressure difference function
Open Source
Code example
The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.
/*!
* \file
* \brief DiffPress Click example
*
* # Description
* This demo application is made for measuring differential pressure.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Initializes device and logger module.
*
* ## Application Task
* Logs pressure difference data.
*
* \author MikroE Team
*
*/
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "diffpress.h"
// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES
static diffpress_t diffpress;
static log_t logger;
float pressure_difference;
// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg;
diffpress_cfg_t cfg;
/**
* Logger initialization.
* Default baud rate: 115200
* Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
* @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX
* are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will
* need to define them manually for log to work.
* See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
*/
LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );
// Click initialization.
diffpress_cfg_setup( &cfg );
DIFFPRESS_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
diffpress_init( &diffpress, &cfg );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
pressure_difference = diffpress_get_pressure_difference( &diffpress );
log_printf( &logger, "-- Pressure difference : %f kPa\r\n", pressure_difference );
Delay_ms ( 500 );
}
int main ( void )
{
/* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
#ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
preinit();
#endif
application_init( );
for ( ; ; )
{
application_task( );
}
return 0;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
