| Work Detail |
A group of students from the Mechatronics Engineering degree at the National University of Colombia (UNAL) in La Paz have created a self-sustaining and intelligent irrigation system that activates automatically and uses a solar panel as an energy source.
The waste of water in agricultural processes, areas far from power lines and water wells, areas with a climate in which long periods of exposure to the sun can be detrimental to workers, for example in the Colombian department of César, where The La Paz Headquarters of the UNAL are located, have been among the points identified to be solved by the research group.
As referred to in the university communication body, the irrigation system "requires little maintenance for its operation, since it produces its own energy and is activated under certain conditions without the need for an operator."
Presented as a cheaper alternative to the devices that already exist on the market, according to one of the students that make up the research group, "by action of an electrovalve, the system uses water from the La Paz Headquarters , and pumps it towards the areas that need irrigation, through hoses and PVC pipes”.
"In addition, through sensors, for example, humidity, it allows help to dose the precious liquid," he adds. The sensor can be activated both by previous programming, and if it detects the need for humidity in the soil, and what amount of water it requires.
The photovoltaic component, plus the addition of a battery, allows autonomy of energization for the irrigation system. |
