Solar powered autoirrigation system
Pakistan has a remarkable solar energy potential and unlike some countries, it?s there for almost all the year, nearly all the seasons. If correctly harnessed this solar energy can do wonders to our agriculture sector which in turn can contribute significantly to the economy. An automatic irrigation
2025-06-28 16:29:36 - Adil Khan
Solar powered autoirrigation system
Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject SummaryPakistan has a remarkable solar energy potential and unlike some countries, it’s there for almost all the year, nearly all the seasons. If correctly harnessed this solar energy can do wonders to our agriculture sector which in turn can contribute significantly to the economy. An automatic irrigation system can not only reduce manual intervention but also deliver optimal care to the plants especially in less favorable weather conditions. Moreover, if we power this system using renewable energy sources such as solar energy, it can be used in areas with unreliable electricity supply and this happens to be the case in most parts of the country.
Our project is about an automatic irrigation system that uses sensors to detect soil conditions and deliver this information to the controller unit. The controller judges the situation and commands the submersible water pump through a relay to function appropriately. The pump is powered by rechargeable batteries which in turn are charged by a solar panel through a battery management system.
The controller we are using is a Programmable Logic Controller or PLC which is a computer with a microprocessor but has no keyboard, mouse, or monitor. It has a programmable memory that stores instructions and performs sequencing, timing, logic, arithmetic, and counting among other functions. The role of PLCs in industrial and building automation is a significant one. They increase reliability, system stability, and performance, minimizing the need for human operators and the chances of human error. PLCs are being used to automate the chemical, biomedical, beverages, and food industries. Continuous bottle filling systems, stage air conditioning systems, and traffic control are a few of the many control systems PLCs monitor.
Although the installation cost of such a system is high and the efficiency of the solar-powered system is affected by cloudy weather conditions, the benefits to the plants, simple maintenance, and elimination of manual labor outweigh the cons. The project can be supplemented with Maximum Power Point Tracking or MPPT technique for maximum power production under all conditions.
The project aims at the following goals:
1. To study previous work done on solar powered auto irrigation system using Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) 2. To understand and implement PLC programming and interfacing with hardware
3. To understand how irrigation systems can be automated using cheaper and efficient hardware
4. To build up a prototype that would serve to test this concept of automation through renewable energy sources
5. To Obtain results to support the theory and to submit the thesis.
Project Implementation MethodThe closed-loop system is implemented in our project as shown in figure 1.2. The closed-loop system involves feedback from sensors and hence takes into account environmental and soil conditions for optimum performance.
PLC, Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 is used which is appropriate for automation tasks efficiently in the lower to medium performance range. It features a comprehensive range of technological functions and integrated communication as well as compact and space-saving design. The schematic diagram for the implementation of the project is given below. In order to interact with the PLC in real-time, Human Machine Interface (HMI) is used which can be a display or touch screen which enables users to review and input information to the PLC in real-time.
- In the agricultural sector, the use of optimal methods of irrigation is important because lack of rain and land water reservoirs affect irrigation. Also, continuous extraction of land water is reducing the level of a land-water reservoir which in turn is increasing the zone of unirrigated land. To cope up with this issue, efforts have been made to shift to the automatic irrigation system.
- More optimum, efficient, and low-cost auto irrigation systems are being worked on to provide a better farming experience.
- the variable rate automatic controlling approach improves the overall irrigation system which resultantly reduces the total cost and increases the production of crop yield.
- By using solar energy as a power source not only the operating cost is decreased, our model is somehow more portable and environment friendly.
- PLCs find applications in many industries especially those looking forward to automation. Therefore, using PLC to make a solar-powered auto-irrigation system will benefit industries because on large scale using PLC is more efficient than Arduino.
- Auto irrigation system optimizes the utilization of water by reducing wastage.
- The automatic irrigation system reduces labor.
- Solar power is a renewable source of energy so it is cost-efficient and prevents global warming.
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The system can be operated at night.
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This system makes it possible to change the frequency of irrigation.
The final deliverable will be a prototype of a solar-powered auto-irrigation system. The block diagram of the system is as follows:
The prototype will include the following components shown in the figure below:
Moreover, the prototype will include a programmed plc that will control the entire process. Also, a human-machine interface will be introduced in the PLC so that the user is able to communicate with the machine effectively and control the process.
Final Deliverable of the Project Hardware SystemCore Industry AgricultureOther Industries Food , Energy , Manufacturing Core Technology Artificial Intelligence(AI)Other TechnologiesSustainable Development Goals Zero Hunger, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and ProductionRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 80000 | |||
| Programmable logic controller | Equipment | 1 | 30000 | 30000 |
| power supplies | Equipment | 6 | 1000 | 6000 |
| Interfacing equipment | Equipment | 6 | 1000 | 6000 |
| Testing equipment | Equipment | 3 | 1000 | 3000 |
| Relays | Equipment | 5 | 1000 | 5000 |
| Pump | Equipment | 5 | 1000 | 5000 |
| Sensors | Equipment | 5 | 1000 | 5000 |
| Transport for industrial tour and purchases | Miscellaneous | 10 | 1000 | 10000 |
| Solar panel | Equipment | 2 | 5000 | 10000 |