ME316: University of Tabuk

Systems & Automatic Faculty of Engineering

Control
Department of Mechanical
Engineering

Automatic Irrigation System

(Mini Project)

Name ID
Ali Abdullah Al-Atowi 331001034
Walid Mahmoud Ahmad 331001156
Mahmoud Ahmed Alkaseer 341001911
Azzam Helal Abu-Askar 341013197
Abdul Rahman Anwar Ali 341001884
Mohammed Moawad Al-Ebiwany 351001946
Bareg Ayed Al-Balawi 341007778
Faisal Saeed A-lAhmri 351001782
Yasir Abdulrahim Al-Malki 351006023
Omar Abdualziz Al-Shammary 351006264

Section: 1070
Instructor: Dr. Adbullah Bazartow
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures: ................................................................................................................................................ 3
List of Tables: ................................................................................................................................................. 3
1 Abstract: ................................................................................................................................................. 4
2 Introduction:........................................................................................................................................... 4
3 Theory: ................................................................................................................................................... 6
4 The System: ............................................................................................................................................ 7
4.1 System Description: ........................................................................................................................ 7
4.2 Functional Block Diagram: .............................................................................................................. 7
4.3 Circuit Diagram:.............................................................................................................................. 8
4.3.1 Primary Components: ............................................................................................................. 8
4.3.2 Secondary Components: ........................................................................................................10
5 The Project: .......................................................................................................................................... 11
5.1 Problem Statement: ......................................................................................................................11
5.2 Objective and Scope: .....................................................................................................................11
5.3 Expected Results: ..........................................................................................................................11
5.4 Project Management: ....................................................................................................................12
5.4.1 Work Distribution: .................................................................................................................12
5.4.2 Time Management (Gantt Chart): ..........................................................................................12
5.4.3 Project Cost: ..........................................................................................................................13
6 The Prototype: ...................................................................................................................................... 14
6.1 Construction:.................................................................................................................................14
7 Conclusion: ........................................................................................................................................... 15
7.1 Advantages: ..................................................................................................................................15
7.2 Applications: .................................................................................................................................15
8 Future Developments: .......................................................................................................................... 16
9 References:........................................................................................................................................... 16
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LIST OF FIGURES:
Figure No. Description Page No.
1 Overview block diagram of the system. 5
2 Effective root zone and sensor position. 6
3 Functional block diagram. 7
4 System circuit diagram. 8
5 Rectifier circuit. 9
6 Voltage regulator. 9
7 Relay circuit. 9
8 Prototype construction 14

LIST OF TABLES:
Table No. Description Page No.
1 Microcontroller specifications 8
2 Work distribution. 12
3 Gantt chart. 12
4 Project cost. 13
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1 ABSTRACT:
The motivation of this project came from the fact that in the field of agriculture the use of
proper method of irrigation is important to sustain plants in a healthy and stress free conditions,.
Nutritious growth and greater amount of production require continuous care by farmers, in which
the process itself is considered as time and efforts consuming process. Moreover, it may results a
reasonable amount of unnecessary water waste.

The aim of this project is to implement the automatic controlling concept into the field of
agricultural irrigation in order to reduce human intervention, and still ensuring proper irrigation to
be provided for the plants.

The project is designed to develop an automatic irrigation system, which switches a water-
pump motor ON/OFF based on sensing the moisture content of the soil. The project uses an 8051
series microcontroller, which is programmed to receive the input signal of varying moisture
condition of the soil through the sensing arrangement. This is achieved by using comparator Op-
amp (LM324) which drives a relay to switch on a motor, and acts as interface between the sensing
arrangement and the microcontroller. Once the controller receives this signal, it generates an
output that drives a relay for operating the water pump. An LCD display is also interfaced to the
microcontroller to display status of the soil and water pump. The sensing arrangement is made by
using two metallic rods inserted into the field at a distance to the root zone, and connections from
the metallic rods are interfaced to the control unit. In addition, the system is provided by water
level dependent sensing connections, which switches off the pump when deficiency in water source
is detected, in order to preventing operation of the pump in a dry condition.

2 INTRODUCTION:
In the present era, one of the greatest problems faced by the world is water scarcity and
agriculture being a demanding occupation consumes plenty of water. Therefore a system is
required that uses water judiciously. Automated irrigation systems estimate and measure
diminution of existing plant moisture in order to operate an irrigation system, restoring water as
needed while minimizing excess water use.

In the meantime, farmers are using manual irrigation, in which the farmers irrigate the land at
regular intervals by turning the water-pump ON/OFF when required. This process sometimes
consumes more water and sometimes the water supply to the land is delayed due to which the
crops dry out. Water deficiency deteriorates plants growth before visible wilting occurs. In addition
to this slowed growth rate, lighter weight fruit follows water deficiency.

So in order to minimize this manual intervention by the farmer; Automated Irrigation

Systems will serve as a condition maintainer based on the actual plant’s needs, thus a lot of
farmers’ time and efforts are saved. In addition, the most significant advantage is that water is
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supplied only when the moisture in soil goes below a pre-set threshold value. This saves water in
and pumping power.

The basic concept in this circuit that soil has high resistance when it is dry and has very low
resistance when it is wet. When the water level goes below a certain level, water pump will start
watering the plant until water content in soil reaches a certain threshold value, after which water
pump will be switched off. All of this is achieved with the help of two probes in the soil located in
the root zone.

When the moisture in the soil is above the threshold, the microcontroller displays a
message mentioning the same and the pump motor is off. When the output from the soil moisture
sensor is high i.e. the moisture of the soil is less. This will trigger the microcontroller and displays an
appropriate message on the LCD and the output of the microcontroller, which is connected to the
base of the transistor is high. When the transistor is turned on, the relay coil gets energized and
turns on the motor. The LED is also turned on and acts as an indicator. When the moisture of the
soil reaches the threshold value, the output of the soil moisture sensor is low and the motor is
turned off.

Extra controlling parameter is added to the system in order to prevent the pump from bring
operate in a dry condition when deficiency in water inside a tank is detected. The detection can be
achieved by shortening though water the connection between two metal connector extended by
wires out of the main low voltage electricity source that powers the pump, once the water level
falls below the position of an upper connector, the connection will get lost, and then the pump will
no longer operate until the tank is refilled again..

The project is intended for small gardens and residential environment. By using an advanced
soil moisture sensor, the same circuit can be expanded to large agricultural fields.

Disturbances
Error
Desired
Actual
Irrigation
Irrigation
Controlling Water Storage Irrigation
Circuit Pump Tank Field

Moisture
Sensor

Fig.(1) Overview block diagram of the system.

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3 THEORY:
An analysis of soil moisture readings is a good way to determine when and how much to
irrigate no matter what the crop or irrigation method. Irrigation scheduling through soil moisture
analysis improves efficiency and can lead to improved quality, yield, and profits.
Soil moisture monitoring provides detailed information about the changing soil moisture
status, indicating when crops are at risk for stress, when to irrigate, and when to stop. Soil moisture
data reveals the wetting front as water moves down through the root zone. By irrigating according
to soil moisture readings, it’s possible to apply water when it’s needed and where it’s needed, in
the area where roots are established or desired.
Managing root zone moisture not only helps use water efficiently, it helps make the best use of
other agricultural inputs. When decisions are made based on information gathered through
monitoring, nutrients remain in the root zone until absorbed by the plants instead of being pushed
out through excessive irrigation. When over-irrigation occurs, nutrients can leach from the root
zone and migrate to the groundwater.
Distribution of the water into the crop root zone depends on the soil and its ability to transmit
water laterally, which can be problematic in lighter soils. The number and placement of emission
devices must match the ability of the soil to move water throughout the root system. Roots will not
grow into dry soil, so it’s important to monitor soil moisture in the root zone as well as the desired
root zone.
Soil moisture measurement makes it easier to manage many irrigation issues. To be effective,
sensors must be placed in active root zones in locations that will accurately represent how the field
or area is wetted by the system. In tree crops, sensors should be located at or near the drip line
where the active roots are found. In row and vine crops, sensors should be placed in the rows
between plants.
Thoughtful interpretation of soil moisture readings from representative locations of the field
will tell both when and how long to run the irrigation system, so that the maximum benefits can be
achieved, yielding the greatest profit from the crop.

Moisture
Used

Effective
Root Zone

Fig.(2) Effective root zone and sensor position.

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4 THE SYSTEM:
4.1 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION:
From AC power source, and by using converter circuit that gives power to the water-pump
which is submerged inside the tank. Then the water is pumped into the field. By a soil moisture
sensing circuit it converts the moisture content in the soil into equivalent voltage. This is given to a
sensing circuit which has a reference voltage that can be adjusted by the farmer for setting
different moisture levels for different crops. The amount of water needed for soil is proportional to
the difference of these two voltages. A control signal was given to a water-pump, which delivers
water to the field.

4.2 FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM:

Fig.(3) Functional block diagram.

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4.3 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

Fig.(4) System circuit diagram.

4.3.1 Primary Components:

 Microcontroller (8051 Series, AT89s51):
Low-power, high-performance CMOS 8-bit microcontroller with 8KB of ISP flash memory.
The device uses Microchip high-density, nonvolatile memory technology and is compatible
with the industry-standard 80C51 instruction set and pin-out. On-chip flash allows the
program memory to be reprogrammed in-system or by a conventional nonvolatile memory
programmer. This powerful microcontroller is suitable for many embedded control
applications.
Specifications:
Name Value
Program Memory Type Flash
Program Memory Size (KB) 4
CPU Speed (MIPS/DMIPS) 4
Digital Communication Peripherals 1-UART
Operating Voltage Range (V) 4 to 5.5
Pin Count 44
Table (1), Microcontroller specifications
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 Transformer:
Usually, DC voltages are required to operate various electronic equipment and
these voltages are 5V, 9V or 12V. But these voltages cannot be obtained directly.
Thus, the AC input available at the mains supply i.e. 220V is to be brought down
to the required voltage level. This is done by a transformer. Thus, a step down
transformer is employed to decrease the voltage to a required level.

 Rectifier:
The output from the transformer is fed to the
rectifier. It converts A.C. into pulsating D.C. The
rectifier may be a half wave or a full wave rectifier. In
this project, a bridge rectifier is used because of its
merits like good stability and full wave rectification.
Fig.(5) Rectifier circuit.
 Filter:
Capacitive filter is used in this project. It removes the ripples from the output of
rectifier and smoothens the D.C. Output received from this filter is constant until
the mains voltage and load is maintained constant. However, if either of the two is
varied, D.C. voltage received at this point changes. Therefore a regulator is
applied at the output stage.

 Voltage Regulator (UA7805a):

As the name itself implies, it regulates the input applied to it. A voltage regulator
is an electrical regulator designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage
level. In this project, power supply of 5V and 12V are required. In order to obtain
these voltage levels, 7805 and 7812 voltage regulators are to be used.
The first number 78 represents positive supply and the numbers 05, Fig.(6) Voltage regulator.
12 represent the required output voltage levels. These regulators can
provide local on-card regulation. Each type employs internal current
limiting, thermal shutdown and safe area protection, making it essentially indestructible.

 Relay:
“A relay is an electrically controllable switch widely used
in industrial controls, automobiles and appliances.” The
relay allows the isolation of two separate sections of a
system with two different voltage sources i.e. a small
amount of voltage/current on one side can handle a
large amount of voltage/current on the other side but
there is no chance that these two voltages mix up.
Fig.(7) Relay circuit.
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 Moisture Sensor:
The health of a plant is influenced by many factors, one of the most important being the
monitors the moisture content of the soil. It basically consists of two connecting probes,
which is laid down in the soil. It is used to sense the moisture of the soil and sends the
signals to the controller in which based on the error signal error, the decision of turning the
motor ON/OFF takes place. These sensors have no moving parts, they are precise, never
wear out, do not need calibration, work under many environmental conditions.

 Water Pump:
A submersible type is used with a head height of 1.85m. It is operated by 12V DC power
source, and the power consumption rated by 18W.

4.3.2 Secondary Components:

 LCD
 Transistor
 Diodes
 Capacitors
 Resistors
 LEDs
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5 THE PROJECT:
5.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Irrigation of plants is usually a very time-consuming activity; to be done in a reasonable
amount of time, it requires a large amount of human resources. Traditionally, all the steps were
executed by humans. in such systems, the control is very limited, and many resources are wasted.

5.2 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE:

The objective of this project was to design a small-scale automated irrigation system for
indoors that would use water in a more efficient way, in order to prevent water loss and minimize
monitoring time
The following aspects were considered in the choice of a solution:
 Installation costs.
 Water savings.
 Human intervention.
 Reliability.
 Power consumption.
 Maintenance.
 Expandability.
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. The system must operate with optimized consistency. The
power consumption must also be monitored. For maintenance, the replacement 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.

5.3 EXPECTED RESULTS:

 Low installation cost. A domestic user must be able to afford the system to irrigate his or her
home plants. The installation must be simple enough not to require a technician. The
assembly of the system must also be inexpensive.
 Reduced labor. Once the system is installed, the required labor will be limited to refilling the
water supply periodically. This is the first aspect implied by full automation.
 Reduced monitoring. The control will necessitate only minimal human surveillance (e.g.
once a day to verify the state of the system). This is the second aspect of full automation.
 Decrease in water input. If the water used depends only on the actual consumption of the
plants and no water is wasted, one should observe a decrease in the water input. In the
future, this can be translated into money savings.
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 Low maintenance. A good system requires very small maintenance. Maintenance can be
measured in terms of life cycle. Replacement parts should be cheap and easy.
 Low power consumption. The consumption of electrical energy can also be minimized to
reduce the total costs associated with the system. This is especially relevant if it is
implemented in a large scale. Each component can be optimized independently, but the
objective relates to the total power consumption.

5.4 PROJECT MANAGEMENT:

5.4.1 Work Distribution:
Member Duty
Ali Al-Atowi Parts purchase
Walid Mahmoud Water supply tank and tubing preparation.
Azzam Abu-Askar Project report writing
Abdul Rahman Anwar Circuit assembly
Mohammed Al-Ebiwany Construction of the prototype
Bareg Al-Balawi Water supply tank level control
Faisal Al-Ahmri Plants and pot preparation
Yasir Al-Malki Project presentation
Omar Al-Shammary Plants and pot preparation
Mahmoud Alkaseer Circuit assembly + Construction
Table (2), Work distribution

5.4.2 Time Management (Gantt Chart):

Week
Task
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Project
Assignment
Researching
Meeting
Purchase
Delivery
Circuit
Assembly
Prototype
Construction
Level Control
Testing
Reporting
Presentation

Table (3), Gantt chart.

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5.4.3 Project Cost:

Circuit Parts Qty. Price Supplier Total
(SAR) (SAR)
8051 Series, Microcontroller AT89s51-24PU 1 2.7 MOUSER Electronics 2.7
Different Values Resistors 9 1.8 Local 5
Momentary Push Button Switch 1 1.46 JAMECO Electronics 1.46
Different Values Capacitors 3 0.67 Local 2
Relay 1 2 Local 2
Voltage Regulator (UA7805a) 1 5 Local 5
OP-Amp Comparator (LM358N) 1 1.46 JAMECO Electronics 1.46
Diodes 5 0.6 Local 3
16x2 Character LCD Display (LCM162A) 1 48 JAMECO Electronics 48
220V – 12V Transformer 1 10 Local 10
12V Submersible Water Pump 18W, 1.85m 1 30 Local 30
Overhead (Shipping) 30

Other Prototype Components Cost (SAR)

Plastic Water Tank 5
Wooden Board 1m x 1m x 0.1m 10
Plant Pot 10
Plants 5
Hose Pipe 3
Miscellaneous Est. 20

Total (Est.) 200 SAR

Table (4), Project cost
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6 THE PROTOTYPE:
6.1 CONSTRUCTION:

3
7

1 6

5 4
2

Fig.(8), Prototype construction

1- Plastic water tank; acts as water source.

2- Submersible pump.
3- Delivery hose pipe.
4- Plants pot; acts as an irrigation filed.
5- Automatic Controlling Circuit.
6- Wires; acts as a moisture sensor.
7- Wooden Board; for support.
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7 CONCLUSION:
The system provides several benefits and can operates with less manpower. The system
supplies water only when the moisture in the soil goes below reference. Due to direct transfer of
water to the roots water conservation takes place and help to maintain moisture to soil ratio of
root zone constant to some extent. Thus, the system is efficient and compatible to changing
environment.
Living in big city people still can’t forget their root. Even though they are busy or they go to
vacations, and they want to plant trees in small pots or even making a garden in their roof. To make
their work easy this project can be automated real time application to watering plant if there is
need according to soil moisture condition. This system saves time and water which completely
reduced the manpower it main achievement of our project.

7.1 ADVANTAGES:
 Simplest Method.
 Works according to the soil condition.
 It can be Fit and Forget system.
 Low cost and reliable circuit.
 Complete elimination of manpower.
 Highly Sensitive.
 Saves water.
 Improves growth.
 Discourages weeds.
 Saves time.
 Adaptable.

7.2 APPLICATIONS:
 Watering automatically without any human interference.
 With little modification, it can also be used as a water level indicator.
 It can also be used in the cultivation of field crops.
 Agricultural Lands.
 In Parks
 In Roof Gardens.
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8 FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS:
Future scope of the system is that it can be integrated with other sensors such as temperature,
salinity and oxygen sensors. Operating the system based on various parameters enhance its
capability to deal with highly sensitive plants. Furthermore, scientific agricultural experiments could
be conducted. In addition, GSM architecture can be integrated into the system, which provide the
ability to control the pump ON/OFF by using mobile phone calls or text messages.

9 REFERENCES:
 Midhun.V. K, Midhun.V.S, Moideen Kutty.C.P, Faisal.P, K.C.Anandhan, Smart Irrigation System Using
Moisture Sensor and Solar, South Asian Journal of Engineering and Technology, ISSN No: 2454-9614,
March 2017, 1-3.
 Dr. P. Banumathi, D. Saravanan, M. Sathiyapriya, V. Saranya, An Android Based Automatic Irrigation
System Using Bayesian Network with SMS and Voice Alert, International Journal of Scientific Research in
Computer Science, Vol. No.2, ISSN 2456-3307, April-2017,p.2
 M.P.Wani, S.D.Joshi, Y.S.Bhandare, Automatic Water Supply to Plants Using Soil Moisture Sensor in
Homes, International Journal of Science Technology and Management, Vol. No.5, ISSN 2394-1537, Jan
2016.
 M.F. Leroux, Design of an Automated Irrigation System, Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill
University, May 2005,5-10.
 R. M. Carpena, M. D. Dukes, Automatic Irrigation Based on Soil Moisture for Vegetable Crops,
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Universty of Florida, Publication No.AE354,
Article at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae354
 S. Shanker, Automatic Plant Irrigator Report, Institute of Engineering and Techniology, Dr. R.M.L Avadh
University, 12-18
 T. Penning, Irrometer Co.,“a Manufacturer of soil moisture measurement equipment”, Article at:
http://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/soil-moisture-based-irrigation-scheduling/
 Circuit scheme from “Circuits Today Co.”, Moisture sensing automatic plant watering system using 8150,
Post at: http://www.circuitstoday.com/automatic-plant-watering-system-using-8051
 Microcontroller (AT89s50) specification from “Microchip Co.”, at:
http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/en/AT89s51
 Google Images Search Engine.