Final Technical Paper

PART A:

1. Problem Definition

In many parts of the world agriculture is the livelihood for many people. Even when the world faced a pandemic, so many people turned into growing their own produce. The problem with novice and experienced farmers is that it is difficult to determine if your soil needs water or does it have too much water without actually going over there and either physically touching it or take samples of the soil. This task is very daunting and time consuming. This method is not 100% effective and can be the breakdown of any agriculture whether it be on a large scale or just at home.

2. Proposed Solution

My solution is to build a smart irrigation system. The system will include a moisture sensor that will determine if the soil needs to be watered. Along with the moisture sensor there will be a temperature/humidity module as well. The water tank will also have a float switch sensor to detect when the water tank is running low and when the tank is full. This will create a system that is efficient and effective.

3. Conceptual Design

MOISTURE SENSOR

ARDUINO

UNO

PUMP

RELAY

LCD DISPLAY

POWER SUPPLY

Green alarm light

Water Tank

Red alarm light

Low water sensor

Full water sensor

The top block diagram is just for the water tank that will give a simple visual aid to the person of when the tank is low by turning on a red light. This will also give the user help when the tank is full as it will light a green light. The bottom block diagram is the smart irrigation system.

TEMPERATURE/Humidity Module

4. Functional Specification

The function of this system is to water the soil when it is dry and to stop watering once the soil is moist enough. At the same time, the system will monitor humidity and temperature. This all will be displayed through the LCD board.

5. Narrative of design

There will be an external water tank with float sensors that will determine if the water tank is empty or full. This will be just a visual aid for the user to let them know the water level. The tower alarm on top of the tank will have either a red led for low or no water indication and a green light for tank full indication. The design will have a moisture sensor along with a temperature and humidity module. The moisture sensor will determine if the Arduino is to turn on the pump to allow water to start wetting the soil. In the process, the temperature and humidity levels will be read. This will all be visually present through an LCD. Once the sensor has detected that the soil is moist enough, the pump will turn off until the sensor detects that the soil is once again dry.

6. Results of simulation

7. Summary of any changes to overall design

My original proposal was rejected and so I submitted another proposal which is this smart irrigation system with just the moisture sensor. Then I was told that the complexity of my proposal wasn’t enough to get it approved. So I added a humidity and temperature module along with a microcontroller(Arduino). So, my overall design has changed a lot along with the cost. The schedule wasn’t affected much as the project will still be on time.

8. Appendix A

· Arduino Uno

Input Voltage (recommended): 7-12V

Operating Voltage: 5V

Input Voltage (limit): 6-20V

· Moisture Sensor

Operating Voltage: 3.3V to 5V

Operating current: 15mA

· Temperature/Humidity Module

Operating Voltage: 3.3V to 5V

Operating current: 0.3mA (measuring) 60uA (standby)

Temperature Range: 0°C to 50°C

Humidity Range: 20% to 90%

· Power Supply

Operating Voltage: 3.7V

Max Loading Current: 2A (peak value)

Max Loading Current: 1A (constant)

· LCD Display

Operating Voltage: 3V to 5V

Supply Current: 0.8mA

· Relay

Operating voltage: 5v

Current rating: 3A

· Pump

Operating Voltage: 3V

Operating Current: 0.12A

Power: 0.36W

9. Appendix B

At start, the system is activated.

The moisture sensor is planted in the soil which is connected to the microcontroller.

The microcontroller process the information along with reading the temperature and humidity of the soi.

If moisture level is determined to be either greater than or less than 20%.

If moisture level is said to be greater than 20% than a signal is sent to the relay which in then turns on the pump for a couple of seconds and waters the soil.

If moisture level is said to be less than 20%, than pump is not activated.

The LCD picks up all the readings and has it digitally displayed for the user to visually see it.

NO

YES

LCD DISPLAY

PUMP OFF

ACTIVATE PUMP

ACTIVATE RELAY

START

MOISTURE SENSOR

MICROCONTROLLER

STOP

MOISTURE LEVEL >20%

TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY MODULE

10. Appendix C

ITEM NUMBER	PART DESCRIPTION	QUANTITY
1	WATER LEVEL SENSOR	1
2	LED ALARM TOWER	1
3	POWER SUPPLY TRANSFORMER	1
4	WATER TANK	1
5	MOISTURE SENSOR	1
6	LCD DISPLAY	1
7	JUMPER WIRE	1
8	1KOHM RESISTOR	1
9	BREADBOARD	1
10	HUMIDITY/TEMP MODULE	1
11	3.7V BATTERY	1
12	ARDUINO UNO	1
13	SIGNAL RELAY	1

PART B:

a. Scientific methods provide credibility, consistency, and an impartial perspective on water management. Data and results of scientific analysis quantify the comparison of choices available to make complex decisions required to effectively use an irrigation system. Moisture content sensors takes the readings of water amount in the soil, the soil moisture content is then converted to electronic signals hence being transmitted to the micro-controller. Ultrasonic sensor is employed at the reservoir. Its operation is almost similar to that of a transducer, conversion of water depth in the reservoir to the electronic signals directed to the micro controller. It then receives the measured values from the multiple sensors in an analog form and then digitizes them.

Computation of the appropriate control scheme meant is employed to initiate the irrigation based on soil moisture content and water level in the reservoir. Controller output is sent as digital control to the irrigation pumps through the relays. System status with water level, content of the moisture and pumps initiated for irrigation are represented on the LCD inking to the micro controller. In the process of water optimization ultrasonic sensor takes water level readings in the reservoir then sends to the micro controller. Micro controller decides pumps to be deployed for irrigation basing on the specified time.

b. Throughout the world, irrigation is probably the most important use of water. Continuity and momentum equations are employed to derive general hydraulic equations on unsteady flow within the prismatic open channel with the arbitrary cross-sectional shape. Shallow waters theory and hydrodynamics are initiated. There is a singularity point (the origin) with a zero point (x=0) where the equations of motion can be formulated. Hence, there is the need to solve boundary value problem for depth and velocity of the flow in order to obtain a description of the flow in the surface irrigation.

It’s feasible through imposing a critical depth and velocity at initial state of the two dimensions flow. A “Centered Simple Wave” is the mathematical model for a we-known precise remedy, the Ritter solution, to the darn breaking problem, is already well-known. In the Ritter case, the discharge is constant always (x=0).

Week 1

Preliminary Design

Week 2

Fine tune PDR

Week 3

Detail Design & Component Selection

Week 4

Prototyping

Week 5

Project build and testing

Week 6

Testing

Week 7

Project completion