A Passive Drip Irrigation Controller for Efficient Water Use

用于高效用水的被动滴灌控制器

基本信息

批准号：
571265-2022
负责人：
Bilton, Amy
金额：
$ 1.46万
依托单位：
University of Toronto
依托单位国家：
加拿大
项目类别：
Idea to Innovation
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
加拿大
起止时间：
2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=729118
关键词：
Passive Drip Irrigation Controller Efficient

项目摘要

Globally, irrigation control for agriculture is typically done using rough estimations of a crop's water needs, a farmer's intuition, or on a schedule using a timer-based controller. This often leads to over- or underwatering, resulting in decreased plant growth and a loss of personal income, particularly for small farmers in regions experiencing water scarcity. Soil moisture sensors exist, but they are not widely adopted, and they still require the farmer to physically visit each crop to control the irrigation. Also, the general lack of electrical infrastructure in rural areas makes the use of electrically powered irrigation equipment (timers, actuation valves, pumping equipment) difficult to implement. The passive irrigation controller (PIC) being developed here automatically regulates the flow of water to an irrigation network without the need of electricity or an external control signal. It senses the crop's need for water by mechanically measuring the soil water potential, a measure of how dry a soil is, and directly uses this mechanical measurement to open or close the water control valve. The development of the PIC is in late-stage prototyping. Previously, we have validated in a laboratory setting that the PIC can open reliably, and consistently, at pre-determined soil water potential setpoints. We have made several iterations on the design and are currently comparing the irrigation performance of the PIC against a timer-based controller for growing tomatoes in a greenhouse. There is strong interest in implementation from technology developers at both ICARDA and the University of Guelph. This Lab2Market program will enable us to position the technology for maximum impact.

在全球范围内，通常使用对农作物的水需求，农民的直觉或使用基于计时器的控制器的时间表进行粗略估计来进行农业的灌溉控制。这通常会导致过度或淹没底层，从而导致植物的生长减少和个人收入损失，尤其是对于经历水稀缺的地区的小农民而言。存在土壤水分传感器，但并未被广泛采用，它们仍然要求农民物理参观每种农作物以控制灌溉。同样，农村地区普遍缺乏电气基础设施，因此难以实施电力灌溉设备（计时器，驱动阀，抽水设备）。这里开发的被动灌溉控制器（PIC）自动调节水流向灌溉网络，而无需电力或外部控制信号。它通过机械测量土壤水的电势（衡量土壤的干燥程度）来感知作物对水的需求，并直接使用这种机械测量来打开或关闭水控制阀。图片的开发是在后期原型制作中。以前，我们已经在实验室环境中验证了PIC可以在预定的土壤潜能设定点上可靠地打开。我们已经在设计上进行了几次迭代，目前正在将图片的灌溉性能与基于计时器的控制器的灌溉性能进行比较，以在温室中种植西红柿。伊卡达（Icarda）和圭尔夫大学（University of Guelph）的技术开发商对实施的实施感兴趣。该LAB2Market计划将使我们能够将技术定位为最大程度的影响。