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One of the problems with household electric irons is that they can cause a fire if left plugged in for an extended period of time.
During this period, iron still consumes energy, which increases the total energy consumption.
However, students from the Physics Department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) designed a low-cost plug adapter that has the ability to turn off the iron after a predetermined time set by the user, elapsed.
According to a report published in 2016 in the Journal of Occupational Health and Safety, home fires accounted for 41% of the total number of fires in Ghana.
The electric iron is one of the most widely used household appliances.
These irons are the most common cause of contact burns in children, accounting for up to 75% of these injuries.
The students, Peter Azure and Kenneth Akanbodiipo, share their motivation behind the innovation.
“This project was undertaken with the goal of saving energy and reducing the risk associated with leaving an electric iron powered on for long periods of time to be a potential cause of home fires due to neglect. human, ”they said.
The design uses a microcontroller, AC-DC converter and rotary potentiometer which allows the user to set the desired ironing time.
The adapter is programmed from 5 minutes to 1 hour.
The plug adapter supplies power to the electric iron connected to it for the duration selected.
After the selected time interval has elapsed, the outlet will automatically turn off the power to the iron completely.
This reduces the risk of fire and injury associated with accidentally leaving the electric iron unattended.
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