An Arduino-based Self-sustaining Buoy Prototype for A Non-contact Infrared Sensor System Raw Crude Oil Detector

The oil detection buoy is based from the previous study of researchers which used a non-contact infrared sensor oil detection buoy. The researchers engaged minimal changes with the design of the buoy such as on its size and the addition of solar cells to lengthen the life span of the prototype. The process of gathering data in the current buoy utilized that of the previous researchers' methods by first testing the prototype in a kiddie pool before launching it in the sea of San Juan, Mabini, Batangas. The design of the buoy was inspired to provide an aid for unprivileged places in the country where there is no access to electricity, the reason for the incorporation of solar panels as the power source of the buoy. The study focused on the detection of crude oil in seawater, determining the relationship between the light intensity reflected by the IR emitter with raw crude oil thickness, and making the device rely on solar energy for its source of power for the whole period of time it will be used. The resulting average voltage output detected to have a presence of crude oil has a value of 1.37, thus it was identified as the reference point for the voltage reading, causing the values below the reference point not considered to be detected with crude oil.