POURfect - a Smart Liquid Measuring Gadget

Hello everyone! The name is Ayushmaan, and I am currently pursuing Electrical and Electronics Engineering. I enjoy creating DIY form of electronics. My goal was to create something that would effortlessly and accurately measure liquids, which led me to creating POURfect–a smart liquid measurement system.

POURfect does exactly as its name suggests with the help of an ESP32, an OLED display, and YF-S201 flow sensor, which are used to accurately measure the flow of liquids. It is completely wireless and easy to operate, thanks to the 3.7V Li-ion battery. For cooking, measuring water intake, or even simple lab experiment, POURfect eliminates the hassle of using measuring cups or any other additional effort.

Now, I want to tell you about the process of building it.

To build Pourfect, I used the following components:

1. ESP32 – the brain of the project
2. YF-S201 Flow Sensor – to measure liquid flow
3. 0.96” OLED Display – to show the measured values
4. 3.7V 600mAh Li-ion Battery with PCM – for power
5. Rocker Switch – to start/reset
6. Wires – to connect everything
7. 3D-Printed Enclosure – to keep it all neat and compact

For POURfect, I ergonomically designed an enclosure in Fusion 360 that serves all of its intended purposes.

The funnel is the most crucial part of the entire system. Without it, precise flow measurements would not be possible. The enclosure itself is crafted in a simplistic and functional form factor, which reduces the overall size, increases ease of use, and enhances the enclosure's stiffness.

In order to achieve that, I will 3D print the body with grey PLA for the lower part as it looks better and funnel part will be printed in different color to enable better recognition of the part and its purpose.

he circuit is pretty straightforward. The ESP32 reads pulses from the YF-S201 flow sensor and converts them into volume. The result is displayed on the OLED screen. Here’s how everything is connected:

Wiring Details

1. Flow Sensor (YF-S201):
2. Red → 3.3V
3. Black → GND
4. Yellow → GPIO D13
5. OLED Display :
6. VCC → 3.3V
7. GND → GND
8. SCL → GPIO D22
9. SDA → GPIO D21

For portability and efficiency, POURfect uses a small 3.7V 600mAh Lithium-ion cell. A Protection Circuit Module (PCM) has been included to safeguard the battery against short circuits, overcharging, and over-discharging, thus assuring its dependable and safe operation.

In terms of wiring, the battery input terminal of the ESP32 is directly connected to the positive terminal of the lithium cell. The main power switch is wired to the negative terminal of the lithium cell and works in such a way that it could either connect the overall power to a system by closing the other terminal of the rocker switch to the ESP32 battery ground.

After wiring it up, I assembled all the components in the 3D-printed shell designed in Fusion 360. The OLED display was put exactly in the allotted slot allowing the user a clear view of it. The push button was placed where it is easily accessible for operation. The ESP32 and flow sensor along with the battery were securely mounted to prevent movement inside the enclosure. The battery was insulated and was placed in such a way that, whenever it is being operated, it gives a complete feel of wirelessness and no clutter, as shown in the above clips.

The code is the backbone of the "POURfect" digital funnel, managing all functionalities. It tracks the liquid volume poured and calculates the pouring flow rate using a YF-S201 flow sensor. The OLED screen displays the readings clearly in real-time. Additionally, the system auto-resets after 30 seconds of inactivity, ensuring ease of use in a kitchen setting.

The complete code for this project is attached for you to upload directly onto your microcontroller.

Result:

To test POURfect, I poured water from a 70ml cup, and the device displayed a reading of 68.4ml. This result is quite accurate, considering the cup wasn't filled to the brim. The flow sensor calibration and ESP32 processing worked effectively, ensuring precise measurements. The OLED display showed real-time readings that were easy to see and understand making the device handy for daily use.

Conclusion:

POURfect offers a straightforward yet productive way to measure liquid flow . Its 3D-printed case, calibrated YF-S201 flow sensor, and ESP32 integration make it a dependable option for tasks that need exact liquid measurements. I picked ESP32 for this project because I intend to link it to a smart app in the future. This app will help guide recipes making it more useful in kitchens. With some tweaks, this project can grow to serve bigger needs in labs, kitchens, or automated systems. In the end, the outcomes show that POURfect gives accurate flow readings in a small, easy-to-use design.