PLC based SMART hydroponic system

In recent years, sensing, smart and sustainable (S3) technologies for Agri-Food 4.0 have successfully responded to current challenges of agri-food industries. Since, agricultural land is depleting due to urbanization and industrialization, and water shortage and climatic changes are affecting a

Project Title

PLC based SMART hydroponic system

Project Area of Specialization

Internet of Things

Project Summary

In recent years, sensing, smart and sustainable (S3) technologies for Agri-Food 4.0 have successfully responded to current challenges of agri-food industries. Since, agricultural land is depleting due to urbanization and industrialization, and water shortage and climatic changes are affecting agriculture produce, we propose indigenous development of a fully automated, scalable and modular S3 hydroponic system, working under the umbrella of two sustainable development goals (SDGs); SDG2 (No hunger: Food security) and SDG9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), that will not only provide 25% more plant growth than conventional soil production, but will also be disruptive by being adaptable, affordable and readily diffusible.

Project Objectives

Project objectives are as follows:

1. To develop a fully automated and scalable hydroponic system that can work under the umbrella of SDG9 to address issues pertaining to SDG2.

2. To use the available vertical form of hydroponic system and make an easy to assemble and disassemble low cost solution (modular).

3. To monitor growth of plants to obtain a global set of parameters via constant monitoring systems to optimize the main output, i.e., plant growth. 

4. To reduce carbon footprint, employ recycled content, and enhance water or energy efficiency.

5. To provide low cost systems to people living in lands affected by infertility, waterlogging, salinity, etc. 

Project Implementation Method

The project will follow a 4 step procedure: Initiation, planning, execution, and documentation & wrap-up.

The initiation phase will include activities like the definition of problem statement and conduct of literature review. The planning stage will incorporate the laying down of work breakdown structure, identifying design specifications and designing logics and mechanisms for the proposed system. The execution phase will include the assembly of the system and sub-systems along with the validation of user requirements and testing / rectifification of the developed hydroponic system. The last stage will house the documentation of the project along with its wrap up.

Benefits of the Project

The benefits are as follows:

1. Easy to assemble and disassemble low cost solution.

2. The solution can be implemented in rural as well as urban settings for the production of leafy vegetables.

3. Getting optimized plant growth by employing constant monitoring systems.

4. Not only the solution provided will enable sustainable food choices, but will also support good nutrition for all, and assist in fighting food waste.

5. The project will attract the local industry (farmers, enthusiasts, etc.) to purchase our solutions and help in contributing positively to our economies, health, education, equality and social development. 

6. The idea of the project is centered around the sensing, smart and sustainable (S3) technologies of Agri-Food 4.0. Therefore, it will have the capability to maintain itself along with surviving and growing in the market place (element of sustainability).

7. The product will lead to reduced carbon footprint, employ recycled content, and enhance water or energy efficiency.  

8. The idea has the capability to be scaled up because of its modular nature.

9. Our design has the capacity to be patented.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The final deliverable is a fully automated, scalable and modular S3 hydroponic system. The heart of the system will be a Program Logic Controller (PLC) having multiple inputs and outputs to cater for changing requirements generated by the system while being under operation. The elements being controlled would include the water flow (via pump), temperature (via cooling fan), artificial photosynthesis (via grow light), and nutrients' flow. The final output is the maximization of plant growth with respect to the elements mentioned above.

Final Deliverable of the Project

HW/SW integrated system

Type of Industry

Manufacturing

Technologies

Internet of Things (IoT), 3D/4D Printing, Others, Clean Tech

Sustainable Development Goals

Zero Hunger, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Required Resources

If you need this project, please contact me on contact@adikhanofficial.com