Project Overview

I developed a control system using an Arduino to automate the movement of a butterfly valve installed in a 1.5-meter perimeter pipeline. The valve regulates water flow from a small reservoir and is powered by a 1.5 HP single-phase motor. To increase torque, a reducer with a belt system was added.

The system includes:

• Limit switches to detect full open/close positions.

• A potentiometer to measure the valve’s position and calculate the percentage of opening.

• A relay module controlled by the Arduino to signal a variable frequency drive (VFD), which powers the motor.

• A water level sensor to monitor the water level in a domestic-use storage tank.

Programming & Technologies Used

The control program was developed using GP-PRO, a SCADA software that only supports specific PLC models. To integrate the Arduino with SCADA, I converted it into a Modbus TCP device, allowing it to be recognized as a standard PLC. This enabled full control of the valve, real-time monitoring of the water level, and valve positioning from the SCADA interface.

Additionally, the Arduino sent data via a REST API to a server, reporting:

• Tank water level

• Valve status (open/closed)

Technologies Used:
✅ C++ (Arduino programming)
✅ SCADA (GP-PRO)
✅ Modbus TCP/IP Libraries
✅ REST API for data transmission

On the left video, you can see the valve opening process. The SCADA interface, which I also developed using GP-PRO (GP-PRO is a SCADA software that I had to research to determine how it could communicate with an Arduino by making it act as a PLC. This research took me two months), is displayed, communicating with the Arduino inside this control box via a Modbus library.

The video also shows:

• The motor in action, moving the valve until it reaches the limit switch, which signals the end of the opening.

• The Arduino reading the limit switch states and calculating the percentage of valve opening using a potentiometer that I installed for precise position tracking.

On the right video, you can see the valve closing process, with all three views displayed in real time.