Water supply for a hydroponic culture

University of La Salle

Program of
Automation Engineering

Academic space
Fluid mechanics

Presented by:
William Aguirre
Mauricio Valencia
Rodrigo Jiménez
Daniel Ramírez

April 23, 2019

Bogotá D.C.Supply of water for a hydroponic culture
 University of La Salle

Program of
Automation Engineering

Presented to
Ing. José L. Rubiano

Academic space
Fluid mechanics

Presented by:
William Aguirre
Mauricio Valencia
Rodrigo Jiménez
Daniel Ramírez

April 23, 2019

Bogotá D.C.
Content

1. Introduction………………………………………………………. 1
2. Materials…………………………………………………………... 1
3. Devices used ……………………………………………………. 2
4. Prototype construction process………………………………. 3
5. Programming logic……………………………………………… 6
6. Essays………………………………………………………………. 8
7. Results………………………………………………………………. 11
8. Improvement strategies………………………………………… 14
9. Conclusions. ……………………………………………………… 14
10. References…………………………………………………………. 14
Images

1. Circuit used to control the project

2. PVC tube 1 in4
3. Elbow for PVC tube 1 in 4
4. T for PVC pipe 1 in 4
5. Transparent plastic 4
6. Transparent plastic hose 5
7. Prototype construction 5
8. Prototype without coating 6
9. Sensors day 7, cold day 11
10. Sensors day 9, sunny day 12
11. Sensors day 10, watering moment 13
Boards

1. Day to day monitoring………………………………………………….. 8

 1. Introduction

Hydroponic green forage (FVH) is a plant biomass production technique obtained

from the initial growth of legumes or cereals (corn, wheat, barley, grass, cotton, etc.).
The production of (FVH) is the best alternative within a new concept of agricultural
production, since it does not require large tracts of land or much water, nor does it
require long periods of production or methods or ways for its conservation and
storage. the growth is quite fast, the production period is approximately 14 to 17
days, when the growth is approximately 25 centimeters, presenting its highest
protein content and nutritional value.

The design of this cultivation system (FVH) is oriented towards the irrigation system,
which allows a greater optimization in the distribution of the nutrients necessary for
the germination, conservation and production of cereal grains, which results in a
product in optimal nutritional conditions and friendly to the environment by
minimizing the pollutants produced by the chemicals that are found in most fertilizers
and pesticides in the market.
2. Materials.

In order to carry out the project development, the following materials were used:
- Irrigation trays.
They were used to hold the grains of corn, and therefore so that the water could flow
through the grains and supply them with the necessary nutrients.

- One-inch diameter PBC tubes.

They served as support for the project, to which the trays were attached and also
gave the inclination of these so that the water could pass through all the seeds.
- Elbow shaped and "T" shaped joints.
These are the unions with which the project was finished, giving it greater rigidity
and stability.
- Submersible pump and plastic hose.
It is responsible for distributing the water from the collection part in the lower part of
the project, until the beginning of the irrigation of the system.
- Sprinkler.

1
Necessary to irrigate the system and therefore decrease the pressure with which the
water comes out mixed with the nutrients.
- Corn seeds.
Main element of the project, since it gives the pattern of good development of this
since it is registered with the growth of the corn plant, of the brand Maiz Porva 2 KG.
- Fertilizer.
It is a substrate with which water is mixed to provide the necessary nutrients for its
proper growth, from the brand Fertiblend12-30-20 Induc Flora Fertipremium 1 KG.

3. Devices used.

To be able to control the irrigation of the green forage of corn, an Arduino controller
card was used along with two humidity and temperature sensors and a relay to form
the next circuit.

Image 1. Circuit used to control the project.

It is a development board based on the ATmega2560 microcontroller. It has 54 digital
inputs / outputs (of which 15 can be used as PWM outputs), 16 analog inputs, 4
USRTs, a 16Mhz crystal, USB connection, DC power jack, ICSP connector and a
reset button.

2
- LM35.
It is a temperature being with a calibrated precision of 1 ˚C. Its measuring range
ranges from -55 ˚C (equal to a voltage reading of 1500 mV) to 150 ˚C (-550 mV),
where the output is linear and each degree Celsius equals 10 mV and operates at
4v to 30v. In addition, it does not require additional circuits to calibrate it externally
and due to its low supply current there is a very reduced self-heating effect.
- YL38 and YL69.
This sensor has the ability to measure soil moisture. Applying a small voltage
between the terminals of the YL-69 module passes a current that depends basically
on the resistance that is generated in the ground and this depends a lot on the
humidity. Therefore, when the humidity increases, the current increases and when
the current decreases it decreases. It consists of a YL-69 probe with two suitably
separated terminals and a YL-38 module that contains a very stable LM393 SMD
(surface soldering) comparator circuit, an ignition LED and a digital output activation
LED.
- Relay.
It is a switch or switch that works by effect of magnetic field, stimulated by a very
weak electrical current, that opens or closes a circuit in which a greater power
dissipates than in the stimulator circuit.

4. Prototype construction process.

For the construction of the prototype is made of PVC material because being a
material that will be in a fairly humid environment and for reasons of care for
hydroponics was required a material that did not generate any type of contamination
(fungi) dangerous for our health as for the culture.
- For the implementation of the prototype it is necessary 7 meters of PVC

tube 1 in.

3
 Image 2. PVC tube 1 in. - 8 PVC elbows were used for 1 in. Tubes.

Image 3. Elbow for PVC tube 1 in. - 8 T of PVC are used for 1 in. Tubes.

Image 4. T for PVC tube 1 in. - Transparent plastic is used to make the cover to the
greenhouse 2 m ^ 2 are used

Image 5. Transparent plastic. - 1 in plastic hose for liquid flow 3 m.

Image 6. Transparent plastic hose.

4
We started the construction of the prototype making cuts to the PVC pipes of
different lengths which would be responsible for supporting the structure of the
greenhouse, 4 tubes of 1.2 m length, 4 tubes of 0.6 m length, making the
corresponding connections with The elbows and T are able to build a solid and
resistant structure capable of supporting the weight of the crop when the corn seeds
germinate.

Image 7. Prototype construction.

Image 8. Prototype without coating.

5
 4. Programming logic.
The code that was implemented to perform the irrigation control will be explained
below step by step.

1. The necessary variables are created to be able to handle the data provided by
the sensors

float tempCentigrades;

int readingT;

For this case, the variable tempCentifrados is declared, so that temperature data
with decimals and humidity can be taken as integers.

2. Initialization of the pins to be used and what kind of behavior they will have, if
they are input or output pins.
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
pin Mode(A0, INPUT);
pin Mode(A1, INPUT);
pin Mode(13, OUTPUT);
}
The data rate is also declared in bits per second, in order to display the Arduino
communication panel and A0 is the data input generated by the LM35, while A1 of
the Yl38 and YL39 and pin 13 is used to make the relay switch.
The code is created, in order to store the value of the data supplied by the
temperature sensor in the variable readT, with which a calculation is then made so
that the data is in centigrade and more precise, while for the humidity sensor is a
direct reading of pin A1 so if the value is very close 1023 is dry and close 0 is
submerged in water.
void loop() {
lecturaT = (analogRead(A0));
tempCentigrados = (500.00 * lecturaT) / 1023;

6
 Serial.println("Valor Humedad");
Serial.println((analogRead(1)));
//0 - 300 seco
//300 - 700 humedo
//700 - 900 mojado
Serial.print("T[C]");
Serial.println(tempCentigrados);
delay (1000);
if (analogRead(A1)>=900)
{
digitalWrite(13,HIGH);
}
else
{
digitalWrite(13,LOW);
}
}
Se genera una condición, donde si la lectura del sensor de humedad es
mayor a 900 active el pin 13 del arduino que hace conmutar el relé y así
permitir la activación de la bomba para que empiece a hacer el sistema de
riego por el cultivo.
5. Ensayos.
Day. Actions. Images.

7
1
Start-up, watering 3
times a day for 5
minutes each
watering.

2.
More seeds are
added, 3 waterings
per day for 5
minutes.

3.
The first roots are
observed, 3
irrigations in the day
during 5 minutes.

8
4.
The roots grow little
by little, watering 3
times a day.

5.
The first shoots of
corn appear,
watering 3 times a
day for 5 minutes.

6. No imagen.
Maize stems
continue to grow,
little by little. The
risks are maintained.
7.
Considerable growth
is observed in the
corn, the risks are
maintained.

9
8. A fungus appears in
the crop due to
humidity, the plastic
covering the
greenhouse is
removed, and 2
waterings per day
are carried out for 5
minutes.

9. The fungus
decreases, 2
irrigations are
maintained in the
day. The plastic is
removed from the
greenhouse.

10.
The plants continue
to grow, the humidity
and temperature
sensors give a better
criterion for the risks.

11. No imagen.
The two risks are
kept up to date.
12. “”

10
Table 1. Day to day monitoring.
6. Resultados.

11
Image 9. Sensors day 7, cold day.

Image 10. Sensors day 9, sunny day.

12
Image 11. Sensors day 10, watering moment.

13
 7. Improvement strategies.

- Irrigation should be better distributed during the day, find the optimal times in which
they must be done to ensure that moisture is adequate for the growth of corn.

-It should also be discussed if the disposition of the seeds in the trays is adequate
and all are growing adequately.

8. Conclusions.
Sensors are a key factor in this project because it allows the control of variables such
as temperature and humidity that govern the growth and good development of corn,
in the images of the results it is noted that the temperature variable maintains an
average, while humidity increases at the time of irrigation.
Using a plastic to cover the greenhouse is not a good option for corn because it
raises too much moisture and generates fungi harmful to the crop. A good job has
been done, in terms of implementation and monitoring of the crop, since it has been
growing gradually in the 12 days of sowing.

9. References.
[1] Arduino.cl. (2019). Arduino Mega 2560. Recuperado de http://arduino.cl/arduino-
mega-2560/.
[2] Wikipedia. (2019). LM35. Recuperado de https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/LM35.
[3] Rafael Lozano. (2018 - 2019). Sensor de humedad del suelo yl38 y yl69.
Recuperado de https://www.taloselectronics.com/blogs/tutoriales/sensor-de-
humedad-del-suelo-yl38-y-yl69.

14