CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the

growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and re-vegetation of disturbed soils in

dry areas and during periods of inadequate rain fall. When a zone comes on, the water flows

through the lateral lines and ultimately ends up at the irrigation emitter (drip) or sprinkler heads.

Many sprinklers have pipe thread inlets on the bottom of them which allows a fitting and the

pipe to be attached to them. The sprinklers are usually installed with the top of the head flush

with the ground surface. When the water is pressurized, the head will popup out of the ground

and water sprinkle, until the desired level is achieved and the valve closes and shuts off that

zone. Once there is no more water pressure in the lateral line, the sprinkler head will retract back

into the ground. Emitters are generally laid on the soil surface or buried a few inches to reduce

evaporation losses. Water is a source that all living species need. It is therefore very precious and

has to be used with moderation to be preserved for the generations to come. Agriculture is an

industry that uses a lot of water. Most of the time, this resource is not used efficiently and

substantial amounts of water are wasted. In the near future, these wastes will represent a large

sum of money. The ones who manage this resource efficiently will be winning time and money.

In this project report, an automated irrigation system is suggested to minimize the water input

wastages and human intervention, while satisfying the plant needs. First, the details of the

problem are summarized. The objective and the scope of the project are described. Some general

approaches to the design are reviewed. The results and conclusions of an experiment to

determine the required amounts of water will be discussed. Then, the suggested design will be

explained in detail with the purpose, requirements and constraints, simulation and test results for

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each of its parts. A brief cost analysis is performed to estimate the viability of such a project on

the market. Finally, the design is criticized, and suggestions are made for future improvements.

An automatic irrigation system does the operation of a system without requiring manual

involvement of persons. Every irrigation system such as drip, sprinkler and surface gets

automated with the help of electronic appliances and detectors such as computer, timers, sensors

and other mechanical devices. Healthy plants can transpire a lot of water, resulting in an increase

in the humidity of the greenhouse air. A high relative humidity (above80-85%) should be

avoided because it can increase the incidence of disease and reduce plant transpiration.

Sufficient venting or successive heating and venting can prevent condensation on plants surfaces

and the greenhouse structure. The use of cooling systems during the warmer summer months

increases the green house air humidity. During periods with warm and humid outdoor

conditions, humidity control inside the greenhouse can be a challenge. Greenhouses located in

dry, dessert environments benefit greatly from evaporative cooling systems because large

amounts of water can be evaporated into the incoming air, resulting in significant temperature

drops. Since the relative humidity alone does not tell us anything about the absolute water

holding capacity of air, a different measurement is sometime used to describe the absolute

moisture status of the soil. The vapor pressure deficit is a measure of the difference between the

amount of moisture the air contains at a given moment and the amount of moisture it can hold at

that temperature when the air would be saturated. Pressure deficit measurement can tell us how

easy it is for plants to transpire: higher values stimulate transpiration (but too high can cause

wilting), and lower values inhibit transpiration and can lead to condensation on leaf and

surfaces.

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1.2 Statement of Problem

Irrigation of plants is usually a very time-consuming activity; to bed one in areas on cable

amount of time, it requires a large amount of human resources. Traditionally, all the steps were

executed by humans. Nowadays, some systems use technology to reduce the number of workers

or the time required to water the plants. With such systems, the control is very limited, and many

resources are still wasted. Water is one of these resources that are used excessively. Mass

irrigation is one method used to water the plant. This method represents massive losses since the

amount of water given is in excess of the plant needs. The excess water is evacuated by the holes

of the pots in greenhouses, or it percolates through the soil in the fields. The contemporary

perception of water is that of a free, renewable resource that can be used in abundance. However,

this is not reality; in many parts of North America, water consumption is taxed. It is therefore

reasonable to assume that it will soon become a very expensive resource everywhere. In addition

to the excess cost of water, labor is becoming more and more expensive. As a result, if no effort

is invested in optimizing these resources, there will be more money involved in the same

process. Technology is probably a solution to reduce costs and prevent loss of resources.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The aim of this project is to design and construct an automatic plant irrigation system using

capacitive sensor.

The following are objectives of the studies:

 To develop an algorithm that will be followed to design the project

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  To gather the needed components and materials needed for the project

 To choose and program the microcontroller needed for the project

 To simulate and design the circuit for the system using Proteus simulation software

 To interface the different sub-systems to form a complete automatic plant irrigation

system.

1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

The increasing world population has led to exponential increase in food demand. This event has

necessitated the need for more land to be cultivated. Relatively, due to change of weather

patterns brought about by global warming, irrigation remains the only reliable method of crops

production by using it to maintain the moisture of the soil crops grow in. With more and more

land now being for irrigation, there is a need for optimal, efficient and sustainable use of water.

Over the last few years knowledge in electronics and computation has been used to solve present

day challenges. In the forefront of the electronics revolution has been the microcontroller. The

microcontroller has been used together with various sensors to measure and control physical

quantities like temperature, humidity, heat and light. By controlling these physical quantities

using the microcontroller; automatic systems have been achieved.

Irrigation systems in crop production can and has also been automated. This solves the challenge

brought about by the unreliability of climate changes thus need for water optimization.

Automation of the soil moisture sensor irrigation systems is one of the most convenient, efficient

and effective method of water optimization. The systems help in saving water and thus more land

can be brought under irrigation. Crops grown under controlled conditions tend to be healthier

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and thus give more yields. Controlled watering system results in reduction of fertilizer use and

thus fertilizer costs go down.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

This project involves the evolution of watering manually to watering automatically. The

controlling of the automatic watering system is used in a house, institution or any organization with

flowers planted for decoration and landscapes. Sensor used to control the watering system is soil

moisture sensor. Other than that, this system should also monitor the water level and know when

the soil is saturated with water and then cut off. It should be able to use less energy in terms of

electrical power and also be robust to withstand corrosion that may occurs from the reactions that

involves water hence plastic pipes are used for water transfer.

A critical consideration is the installation costs, since costs generally determine the feasibility

and viability of a project. The installation must be simple enough for a domestic user. The water

savings was also an important aspect, since there is a demand to minimize water loss and to

maximize the efficiency of water used. Since the objective is to minimize the cost of labor and

minimal supervision, therefore calibration must be needed. The system must operate with

optimized consistency. The power consumption must also be monitored. For maintenance, there

replacement or spare parts must be readily available and easy to install in the case of failure.

Finally, the possibility for implementing the system at a larger scale (e.g. in greenhouses) should

be investigated.

However, this project is limited to only work in a small farm system or a green house, and hence

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a bigger system can be developed for bigger farms and with more complex, cost-efficient and

achievable processes and methods.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In general, current soil profile moisture measurement requires large numbers of soil moisture
sensors at different soil layers, whereas data redundancy, a cumbersome process, and high cost
make existing equal-spacing soil profile moisture sensors incapable. Given the lack of detailed
information relating to soil profile moisture, intelligent irrigation is in great need of a low-cost
and high-efficiency soil profile moisture sensing system to reduce the cost of soil moisture
measurement and enhance irrigation efficiency (Zhao, Y and Wang, Y, 2005). Non-destructive
sensing systems for soil moisture include time domain reflectometry (TDR), frequency domain
reflectometry (FDR), and high-frequency capacitance (HFC). The sensing accuracy of TDR can
only be ensured when the rise time of the drive signal is shorter than 200 ps. Such technical
restriction in rise time makes it difficult to apply the TDR method to soil profile moisture
monitoring (Peterson, A.M, et al, 20016). Complex secondary calibration of FDR is required
before use since it is subject to the effects of various factors, such as soil type, conductivity, and
volumetric weight, when measuring frequency is low (Wilczek, A. et al 2012). With simpler
operation and higher efficiency than FDR, which requires frequency domain reflection, HFC is
considered the best substitute for TDR and is able to satisfy the demands for real-time online
measurement since it is not affected by soil texture in theHFC field (Scudiero, E. 2012).Previous
studies on soil profile moisture sensors have revealed various problems, such as highcost, high
data redundancy, and complex operation (Wang, D.and Shu, Y, 2017). In this study, a soil profile
moisture sensor was designed following the principle of HFC, based on the research

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achievements on an efficient soil profile moisture sensing method developed by the National
Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural
University. With this device, not only could volumetric moisture content of the 20, 30, and 50
cm soil layers be detected, but online inversion of moisture for0–100 cm soil depth could also be
conducted. This is an Electrical resistance Sensor. The sensor is made up of two electrodes. This
soil moisture sensor reads the moisture content around it. A current is passed across the
electrodes through the soil and the resistance to the current in the soil determines the soil
moisture. If the soil has more water resistance will be low and thus more current will pass
through. On the other hand when the soil moisture is low the sensor module outputs a high level
of resistance. This sensor has both digital and analogue outputs. Digital output is simple to use
but is not as accurate as the analogue output.
An automatic irrigation system does the work quite efficiently and with a positive impact on the
place where it is installed. Once it is installed in the agricultural field, the water distribution to
crops and nurseries becomes easy and doesn’t require any human support to perform the
operations permanently. Sometimes automatic irrigation can also be performed by using
mechanical appliances such as clay pots or bottle irrigation system. It’s very hard to implement
irrigation systems because they are very expensive and complex in their design. By taking some
basic points into considerations from experts’ support, we have implemented some projects on
automatic irrigation system by using different technologies. In this article, we are describing
about three types of irrigation systems that work automatically and each system is an
advancement of the previous one as we go from first system to the next, and so on. The
automatic irrigation system on sensing soil moisture project is intended for the development of
an irrigation system that switches submersible pumps on or off by using relays to perform this
action on sensing the moisture content of the soil.

2.2 Review of Materials

2.2.1 MICROCONTROLLER OVERVIEW

Over the years, the timing hardware on microcontroller has evolved to provide sophisticated

input and output capabilities. The hardware starts with a crystal time based. Each operation of a

microcontroller is then governed by the clock signals; an instruction is fetched, decoded, and

executed in synchronization with the clock. For a timer system, the clock is used to update the

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contents of a special register called a free-running counter. The job of a free-running counter is

to count up (increment) each time it sees a rising edge (or a falling edge) of a clock signals.

Thus, if a clock is running at the rate of 2MHz, the five-running counter will count up each

0.5µsec. All other timer related units reference the contents of the free-running counter to

perform input and output time related activities: measurement of time periods, capture of timing

events and generation of time related signals.

For input time related activities, all microcontrollers typically have timer hardware components
that detect signal logic changes on one or more input ports, such components rely on a free-
running counter to capture external event times, such can be used to measure the period of an
incoming signal, the width of a pulse, and the time of a signal logic change. The discovery of
microcontroller in 1972 marked the beginning of microprogramming control in electronics.
Microprocessors like 808, 8086, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium I, Pentium II, Pentium III, and
Pentium IV, where employed for microprogramming control of servo-mechanism in the 19th
century. The new millennium brought in new dimension of microcontrollers, like 8051 families
and programmable logic devices (CPLD, FPGA) etc. Microcontroller has been essentially
designed for a dedicated application and hence it is called dedicated microcontroller. Intel
introduced 8048 series of single chip microcomputer in 1976 as Mcs48. It contains an 8-bit
CPU, 1k/2k/4k ROM/EPROM, 64B/128B/26B RAM, timer/counter, parallel I/O ports, and 8-
bit ADC. The 8051 has 8-bit CPU, 4/8KB ROM/EPROM, 128/256B RAM, Timer/ counter,
parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports etc. it letter version introduced by Intel in 1983 contained 16-
bit CPU, 8KB ROM, 232B RAM, timer/counter, parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, 10-bit ADC,
high speed I/O, pulse width modulated output, watchdog timer etc. It is used in sophisticated
complex instrumentation system.

A microcontroller (abbreviated µC, MCU) is small computer on a single integrated circuit

containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. The program
memory which either in the form of NOR flashes or OTP ROM is also often included on-chip,
as well as a typical small amount of RAM. Microcontrollers are designed for embedded
applications in contrast to the microprocessors used in personal computers or other general

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purpose applications. Microcontrollers are used in automation and control of equipment
devices, such as automobile engine controls, systems, implementing medical devices, remote
controls, office machines, appliances, power tools, and toys, by reducing the size and cost
compared to a design that uses a separate microprocessor, memory, and input/output devices.

2.2.2 Transformer
A transformer is a device consisting of closely coupled coils called (primary and secondary
coil). An AC voltage applied to the primary appears across the secondary with a voltage
multiplication proportional to the turn ratio of transformer and a current multiplication inversely
proportional to the turn’s ratio, the power is conversed i.e. Turn ratio = VP/ns and Power out =
Power in or VS*IS-VP*IP.

Where:
VP = Primary Voltage
NP = Number of turns in primary coil
IP = Primary (Input) Current
VS = Secondary (Output) Current
NS = Number of turns on Secondary Coil.

Input: 220/240
Output: 12 volts
volts

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 Fig. 2.1 Transformer Representation

Therefore, a transformer is a device used to step up or down of electric current. In this design a
transformer is used to step-down the electric current from the main supply (220V) to
approximately 18V to 12V before being converted to direct current (DC).

2.2.3 Rectifier
These are Diodes connected in a bridge type that allow voltage to flow only in one direction.
Diode is a two-terminal electronic component that conducts electric current in only one
direction. The term usually refers to a semiconductor diode, the most common type today. This
is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material connected to two electrical terminals. A vacuum
tube diode (now little used in some high-power technologies) is a vacuum tube with two
electrodes: a plate and a cathode. The most common function of a diode is to allow an electric
current to pass in one direction (called the diodes forward bias direction). Thus, the diode can be
thought of as an electronic version of a check valve. This unidirectional behavior is called
rectification and is used to convert alternating current to direct current, and to extract
modulation from radio signals radio receivers.

However, diode can have more complicated behavior than this simple on-off action. This is due
to their complex non-linear electrical characteristics, which can be tailored by varying the
construction of their P-N junction. These are exploited in special purpose diodes that perform
many different functions. For example, specialized, diodes are used to regulate voltage (Zener
diodes) to electronically tune radio and TV receivers (tunnel diodes) and to produce light (light
emitting diodes). Tunnel diodes exhibit negative resistance which makes them useful in some
types of circuits.

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 Fig. 2.2 Bridge rectifier Symbols

2.2.4 Capacitors

A Capacitor (condenser) is a passive electronic component consisting of a pair of conductors

separated by a dielectric (insulator) when there is a potential difference (voltage) across the
conductors; a static electric field develops in the dielectric that stores energy and produces a
mechanical force between the conductors. An ideal capacitor is characterized by a single
constant value, capacitance, measured in Farads. This is the ratio of the electric charge on each
conductor to the potential difference between them.

 Operation of a Capacitor

A capacitor consists of two conductors separated by a non-conductive region called dielectric

medium, though it may be a vacuum or a semiconductor depletion region chemically identical to
the conductors. It is assumed to be self-contained and isolated, with no net electric charge and no
influence from any external electric field. The conductors thus hold equal and opposite charges
on tier facing surfaces and the dielectric develops an electric field. In SI Units, a capacitance of
one Farad means that one Coulomb of charge on each conductor causes a voltage of one volt
across the device.

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 Fig. 2.3 Capacitor

The capacitor is a reasonably general model for electric fields within electric circuits. An ideal
capacitor is wholly characterized by a constant capacitance C, defined as the ratio of charge IQ
on each conductor to voltage between them.

Thus, a capacitor, C can be expressed thus C = Q/V

 Capacitive Reactance XC

Capacitive Reactance (Symbol XC) is a measure of capacitor’s opposition to AC (Alternating

Current), like resistance it is measured in Ohms, but reactance is more complex than resistance
because its value depends on the frequency (P) of the electrical signal passing through the
capacitor as well as the capacitance C.

Capacitive Reactance XC = 1/2πfc

While XC = Reactance in Ohms(Ω)

F = Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

C = Capacitance in Farad (F).

The reactance XC is large at low frequencies and small at high frequencies. For steady DC
which is zero frequency. XC is infinite (total opposition), hence the rule that capacitors pass AC
but block DC. For example a 1µf capacitor has a reactance of 3.2KΩ for a 50Hz signal, but
when the frequency is higher at 10 KHz its reactance is only 16Ω.

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Capacitors are widely used in electronic circuits for blocking direct current while allowing
alternating current to pass, in fitter networks, for smoothing the output of power supplies, in the
resonant circuits that tune radios to particular frequencies and for many other purposes.

2.2.5 Power Regulators

A typical power regulator used in this design is LM7805 regulator. It is a linear voltage regulator
integrated circuits, the 78xx family is a very popular choice for many electronic circuits which
require a regulated power supply, due to their ease of use and relatively cheap.
This device typically support an input voltage which can be anywhere from a couple of volts
over the intended output voltage up to a maximum of 35 or 40 volts, and can typically provide
around 1 to 1.5Amps of current, though smaller or larger packages may have a lower or higher
current rating.

Fig 2.4 Power Regulators

2.2.6 Capacitive Moisture Sensor

 Capacitive Moisture Sensor (Corrosion Resistant) is a soil moisture sensor based on capacitance
changes. Compared with resistive sensors, capacitive sensors do not require direct exposure of
the metal electrodes, which can significantly reduce the erosion of the electrodes. Hence, we call
it Corrosion Resistant.

It is important to note that this sensor can only qualitatively test the humidity of the soil and
cannot measure quantitatively. Which means when the humidity of the soil rises, the value of the
output decreases; conversely, when the humidity decreases, the output value becomes higher. A
capacitive moisture sensor works by measuring capacitance changes caused by the changes in
the dielectric. It does not measure soil moisture directly (as pure water does not conduct
electricity well), instead it measures the ions that are dissolved in the moisture.

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The soil moisture sensor consists of two probes which are used to measure the volumetric
content of water. The two probes allow the current to pass through the soil and then it gets the
resistance value to measure the moisture value.

When there is more water, the soil will conduct more electricity which means that there will be
less resistance. Therefore, the moisture level will be higher. Dry soil conducts electricity poorly,
so when there will be less water, then the soil will conduct less electricity which means that there
will be more resistance. Therefore, the moisture level will be lower.

Fig 2.5, Soil moisture sensor

2.2.7 DC Water Pump

The water pump is used to artificially supply water for a particular task. It can be electronically

controlled by interfacing it to a microcontroller. It can be triggered ON/OFF by sending signals

as required. The process of artificially supplying water is known as pumping. There are many

varieties of water pumps used. This project employs the use of a small water pump which is

connected to a H-Bridge.

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 Figure 2.6 Water Pump

The pumping of water is a basic and practical technique, far more practical than scooping it up

with one's hands or lifting it in a hand-held bucket. This is true whether the water is drawn from

a fresh source, moved to a needed location, purified, or used for irrigation, washing, or sewage

treatment, or for evacuating water from an undesirable location. Regardless of the outcome, the

energy required to pump water is an extremely demanding component of water consumption. All

other processes depend or benefit either from water descending from a higher elevation or some

pressurized plumbing system.

2.2.8 Relay

A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to mechanically

operate a switch, but other operating principles are also used, such as solidstate relays. Relays are

used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a separate lowpower signal, or where several

circuits must be controlled by one signal. The first relays were used in long distance telegraph

circuits as amplifiers: they repeated the signal coming in from one circuit and re-transmitted it on

another circuit. Relays were used extensively in telephone exchanges and early computers to

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perform logical operations. Electromagnetic relays are those relays which are operated by

electromagnetic action. Modern electrical protection relays are mainly micro-processor based,

but still electromagnetic relay holds its place. It will take much longer time to be replaced the all

electromagnetic relays by micro-processor based static relays.

2.3 Review of Methods

Different methods have been used in the advancements of agricultural technology which in turn
increases food production. The automatic plant irrigation system using capacitive moisture is one
of them; this review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of various methods and
techniques employed in automatic plant irrigation systems utilizing capacitive moisture sensors.
The review explores the different approaches used to measure soil moisture, control irrigation,
and optimize water usage in agricultural settings. By analyzing the strengths and limitations of
each method, this review offers valuable insights to researchers, engineers, and practitioners
interested in implementing efficient and sustainable automatic plant irrigation systems. The
methods are summarized as follows;

 Capacitive Moisture Sensor Technology: This section provides a brief overview of

capacitive moisture sensor technology, explaining its working principle and advantages in
measuring soil moisture content. It delves into sensor design considerations, material
selection, and calibration techniques, as well as the impact of environmental factors on
sensor performance.
 Methodologies for Soil Moisture Measurement: This part of the review explores various
methodologies used to measure soil moisture using capacitive sensors. It includes
discussions on direct and indirect methods, time-domain and frequency-domain techniques,
and the integration of additional environmental parameters for more accurate moisture
readings.
 Control Strategies for Irrigation: Here, the review focuses on the control strategies
employed in automatic plant irrigation systems. It analyzes traditional irrigation scheduling
approaches and highlights the emergence of smart and adaptive control algorithms. This
section also examines the use of data-driven methods, such as machine learning and
artificial intelligence, in optimizing irrigation decisions based on capacitive moisture sensor
data.
 Communication and Data Management: The review examines different communication
protocols and data management strategies utilized in automatic plant irrigation systems. It

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 discusses the use of wireless sensor networks, cloud-based solutions, and Internet of Things
(IoT) platforms to enable seamless data transmission and remote monitoring.
 Power Management and Energy Efficiency: This section addresses the challenges of power
management in capacitive moisture sensor-based irrigation systems. It evaluates various
methods to optimize energy consumption, including low-power sensor design, energy
harvesting techniques, and power-efficient control algorithms.
 Integration with Precision Agriculture: The review explores the integration of capacitive
moisture sensors with other precision agriculture technologies. This includes combining
sensor data with weather forecasts, satellite imagery, and crop growth models to achieve
precise irrigation management and maximize crop yield.
 Field Trials and Case Studies: The review discusses real-world field trials and case studies
conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of automatic plant irrigation systems using
capacitive moisture sensors. It examines the outcomes of these trials, including water
savings, crop productivity, and overall resource efficiency.
 Challenges and Future Directions: This section highlights the challenges faced by existing
methods and proposes potential areas for improvement. It also discusses future research
directions and technological advancements that can further enhance the performance and
adoption of capacitive moisture sensor-based irrigation systems.

After key findings from this review, the appropriate methods in designing automatic plant
irrigation systems using capacitive moisture sensors was deployed as encouraged by previous
researchers and practitioners who share vision to collaborate in developing innovative and
sustainable solutions for efficient water management in agriculture.

2.4 Review of Related Works

The development of models and strategies to control the environment of plants started with the

shoot environment that is with the climate. The efficient management of water resources for

agricultural purposes has become a crucial concern in the face of increasing global water

scarcity. Automatic plant irrigation systems using capacitive moisture sensors offer a promising

solution to optimize water usage in agricultural fields. This literature review aims to provide an

overview of the state-of-the-art technologies, methods, advancements, and challenges related to

such systems, focusing on their implementation, performance, and potential impact on

agriculture and the environment.

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Water scarcity is a pressing issue in modern agriculture, demanding the adoption of smart and

sustainable irrigation systems. Automatic plant irrigation systems based on capacitive moisture

sensors are designed to detect soil moisture levels accurately, enabling precise and timely

watering of crops. One important reason was that influencing variables such as temperature,

humidity, and radiation or CO2 concentration are easier to measure and to control.” (HansP.K,

2000). From this research, we can see that there are a few factors that need to be control in the

environment. The factor that is to be considered is soil moisture. Khriji et al,(2014) present a

complete irrigation solution for the farmers based on WSN. The automated irrigation system

using low-cost sensor nodes having reduced power consumption can reduce the water waste and

is cost effective. Anode is deployed using Telos B mote and adequate sensors/actuators. Field

nodes are used to detect the level of moisture and temperature in the soil. Weather nodes monitor

the climatic changes, and the nodes connected to actuators are used to control the opening of the

irrigation valve when needed. Mahir et al,(2014) proposed an efficient water usage system by

pump power reduction using solar-powered drip irrigation system in an orchard. Soil moisture

content is analyzed by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to provide even distribution of water

for the required location. This will prevent the unnecessary irrigation and reduce the water

demand. This system reduces the orchard’s daily water usage and energy consumption by 38

percentages. Faridetal (2013), presented a practical solution based on intelligent and effective

system for a field of hyper aridity. The system consists of a feedback FLC that logs key field

parameters through specific sensors and aZigbee-GPRS remote monitoring and database

platform. The system is deployed in existing drip irrigation systems without any physical

modification. FLC acquires data from these sensors and fuzzy rules are applied to produce

appropriate time and duration for irrigation. Singh et al (2012), presented a solution for an

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irrigation controller for cultivation of vegetable plants based on the fuzzy logic methodology. In

this system the amount of water given to the plants depends on its size, moisture control of soil,

which is affected by temperature of environment, evaporation due to wind velocity and water

budget. The system feed water to plants in a controlled and optimal way. Solar energy

conversion technology is used to feed power to the pump controller. Xin et al,(2013). Described

an autonomous precision irrigation system through the integration of a center pivot irrigation

system with wireless underground sensor networks. The wireless underground sensor aided

center pivot system will provide autonomous irrigation management capabilities by monitoring

the soil conditions in real time using wireless underground sensors. Experiments were conducted

with a hydraulic drive and continuous-move center pivot irrigation system.

Robert (2013) promoted commercial wireless sensing and control networks using valve control

hardware and software. The valve actuation system included development of custom node

firmware, actuator hardware and firmware, an internet gate way with control, and

communication and web interface software. The system uses single hop radio range using a mesh

network with 34 valve actuators for controlling the valves and water meters. J.S. Awati and V.S.

Patil, “Automatic Irrigation Control by Using Wireless Sensor Networks”. The system was

integrated with sensors into a wireless monitoring network to determine and evaluate calibration

functions for the integrated sensors. The system compares the measuring range and there action

time of both sensor types in a soil layer during drying. Data were transmitted over several

kilometers and made available via Internet access, Nolz et al,(2007) integrated the sensors into a

wireless monitoring network to determine and evaluate calibration functions for the integrated

sensors, and compare the measuring range and the reaction time of both sensor types in a soil

layer during drying. The integration of the sensors in to the telemetry network worked well. Data

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were transmitted over several kilometers and made available via Internet access. Christos et

al(2014) described the design of an adaptable decision support system and its integration with a

wireless sensor/actuator network to implement autonomous closed-loop zone-specific irrigation.

Using ontology for defining the application logic emphasizes system flexibility and adaptability

and supports the application of automatic inferential and validation mechanisms. A machine

learning process is applied for inducing new rules by analyzing logged data sets for extracting

new knowledge and extending the system ontology in order to cope.

Automatic irrigation systems are convenient, especially for those who travel. If installed and

programmed properly, automatic irrigation systems can even save you money and help in water

conservation. Dead lawn grass and plants need to be replaced, and that can be expensive. Neither

method targets plant roots with any significant degree of precision. Automatic irrigation systems

can be programmed to discharge more precise amounts of water in a targeted area, which

promotes water conservation.

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 CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Materials

The materials that will be used for this project are is described, their role in different
circuits and connectivity is summarized as follows;

 Microcontroller (89s52)

The 89S52 is an 8-bit microcontroller originally developed by Intel in the late 1970‘s. It included
an instruction set of 255 operation codes (opcodes), 32 input output line (i.e. port 1, port 2, port
3, and port 4), three user-controllable timers, an integrated and automatic serial port, and 256
bytes of chip RAM The 89S52 was designed such that control of the microcontroller and all
input/output between the microcontroller and external device is accomplished via special
function Registers (SFR). The 89S52 microcontroller structure is below

Fig 3.1, 8051 family of microcontroller

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PORT 1: This is an input/output port. Each bit of this SFR corresponds to one of the pins on the
microcontroller. For example, bit 0 of port 1 is P1.0, bit 7 is pin P1.7. Writing a value of 1 to a
bit of this SFR will send a high level on the corresponding 1/0 pin whereas a value of 0 will
bring it to a low level.

PORT 2: This is an input/output port. Each bit of this SFR responds to one of the pins on the
microcontroller. For example, bit 0 of port 2 is P2.0 bit 7 of port 1 is also P1.7. Writing a value
of 1 to a bit of this SFR will send a high level on the corresponding 1/0 pin whereas a value of 0
will bring it to a low level.
PORT 3: This is an input/output port. Each bit of this SFR corresponds to one of the pins on the
microcontroller. For example, bit 0 of port 3 is P3.0, bit 7 is pin P3.7. Writing a value of 1 to a
bit of this SFR will send a high level on the corresponding 1/0 pin whereas a value of 0 will
bring it to a low level.

PORT 0: This is an input/output port. Each bit of this SFR corresponds to one of the pins on the
microcontroller. For example bit 0 of port 0 is P0.0, bit 7 is pin P0.7. Writing a value of 1 to a bit
of this SFR will send a high level on the corresponding 1/0 pin whereas a value of 0 will bring it
to low level.

 Capacitor

This component is connected to the circuits to store current charges and relatively help in
filtering ripples in power conversion circuits.

 DC Water Pump
A DC motor is any of a class of rotary electrical machines that converts direct current electrical
power into mechanical power. A DC motor's speed can be controlled over a 15 wide range, using
either a variable supply voltage or by changing the strength of current in its field windings. A DC
motor pump is essentially a DC Motor that is used to circulate water in the system. The internal
structure is the same. The DC motor is encased in a waterproof plastic casing and the shaft is
used to drive an external arm that pumps water. The Pump requires a 5V supply, which can be
easily provided by batteries or AC supply.

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  Resistors

This component will be used or needed where there is need for current and voltage reduction or
resistance in the circuit.

 Relays

This component will be responsible for automatic switching the circuits when a signal energizes
it. It will be used to interface switching between the moisture sensor, microcontroller and the
pump.

3.2 Methods

Implementation of the project will require the design of the system developed in the design phase
of the project to be carefully implemented. The extensive implementation of automated systems
in agriculture has proven to successfully reduce cost. The operation of automated agricultural
system could potentially revolutionize the irrigation process and the way it has impacted the
commercial & industrial sectors. Thus, this project has been an expert or non-expert-system-
based method of field monitoring for detecting dryness & treatment of the field.

The prototype system food and beverage industry will have the potential to be useful for the
industry, seeking ways to make agriculture cost effective. Furthermore, the ultimate beneficiaries
of the project are the farmers who are the backbone of an agricultural economy. The project is
planned so as to provide a framework that enables an owner to make reasonable estimate of the
resources, cost and schedule

3.2.1 System Design Characteristics

This project consists of two units;

 External sensor unit

 Inbuilt processing unit

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In the external sensor unit, the basic requirement of sensing the moistness of the sand or soil
through capacitive reactance is performed, the arms of the sensor are able to detect resistance and
provide input to the IC. When the soil becomes dry, it produces large voltage drop due to high
resistance, and this is sensed by the soil moisture sensor, and this resistance causes the
operational amplifier to produce an output that is above the threshold value required. This causes
the relay to change from normally open to closed condition – The relay becomes on. When the
relay is turned on, the valve opens and water through the pipes rushes to the crops. When the
water content in the soil increases, the soil resistance gets decreases and the transmission of the
probes gets starts to make the operational amplifier stop the triggering of the relay. Finally the
valve which is connected to the relay is stopped. Op-amp is configured here as a comparator. The
comparator monitors the sensors and when sensors sense the dry condition then the project will
switch on the motor and it will switch off the motor when the sensors are in wet. The comparator
does the above job it receives the signals from the sensors. A transistor is used to drive the relay
during the soil wet condition. 5V double pole – double through relay is used to control the water
pump. LED indication is provided for visual identification of the relay / load status. A switching
diode is connected across the relay to neutralize the reverse EMF. This project works with 5V
regulated power supply for the internal blocks and uses regulated 12V power supply for the relay
board. Power on LED is connected for visual identification of power status. First, the sensor
probes are inserted in the soil at specific locations in the field, at a depth of 5cm from the soil
surface at regular intervals in the field. The wiring is made with 23 protective covering so that it
is not harmed by any unexpected factors like rocks in the field. Since wet soil is more conductive
than dry soil, the soil moisture sensor module has a comparator in it. The voltage from the
prongs and the predefined voltage are compared and the output of the comparator is high only
when the soil condition is dry. When the moisture in the soil is above the threshold, the relay will
be turned on. The relay coil gets energized and turns on the motor. The LED is also turned on as
an indicator. The soil begins to get supplied with water, and the water content of the soil
increases. When the moisture content of the soil increases and reaches the threshold value, the
output of the soil moisture sensor is low and the motor is turned off. This prevents a case of over-
watering.

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3.2.2 Power Supply Unit Design

The power supply section is constructed to serve as a source of electromotive force (EMF),
which provides the electrical energy to drive the current in the circuit. The supply used was a
direct current. The transformer used was a step down transformer (220VAc to 12VAC). The
output of the transformer is 12V; using a 1000uf capacitor to remove the AC ripples impurities.
Since the AC at the primary coil of the transformer is not steady hence affects the secondary coil
and other voltage. The regulator used was 7805, which supplies only 5V dc current.

Transformer Rectifier Filter Regulator

Fig. 3.2, Block Diagram for Power Supply

This project work system interconnection is summarized with the diagram below;

Capacitive
Soil moisture
sensor
WATER
PUMP
Microcontroller

Temperature
Sensor

Power supply

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Figure 3.3, Block Diagram for Automatic Irrigation System.

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