Solution For Water Management Using A Smart Irrigation System

Abstract

In this paper is proposed a solution for water management using a cost-effective smart irrigation system based on microcontroller. The system consists of a microcontroller, humidity sensors, a relays block and water pump. Depending on the needs of a specific location (soil condition – wet, dry, etc.) the system can be adjusted by modifying different parameters. There were considered 2 zones, thus being used 2 humidity sensors. When the humidity drops below a threshold value on zone 1, the humidity sensor 1 transmits the information to the microcontroller, opens the solenoid valve 1 and starts the water pump until the humidity reaches the preset value. If humidity decreases in the mean time on zone 2 the information received from the humidity sensor 2 leads the solenoid valve 2 to open and the pump starts until the desired humidity is attained while the entire system is operating. When the humidity is over the threshold humidity, the system is in “stand-by” until the sensors send new information to the microcontroller and thus the system resumes its operating cycle. Therefore, various crops can be watered. In order to implement the solution, a laboratory model was constructed. Experimental results were performed to test the performance of the irrigation system.