Irrigation system for drum-type agriculture

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of irrigation systems, and particularly discloses an irrigation system for drum-type agriculture. A motor is fixed on a planting bracket, a power output shaft of the motor is detachably connected with a central rotating shaft, a planting turntable sleeves the central rotating shaft and is detachably connected with the central rotating shaft, and a water tank integrally formed with the planting bracket is arranged below the planting turntable; the controller is arranged in the planting support, and the soil humidity sensor is inserted into soil for planting plants; the Internet of Things control system is in wireless signal connection with the controller, receives monitoring data of the soil humidity sensor and controls the motor to rotate. The machine is simple in mechanical structure and can be applied to wide application scenes, and the area of available agricultural land in backward agricultural areas is greatly increased; the system can reasonably control the soil humidity sensor to collect data and control the motor to rotate, so that reasonable irrigation is realized, and waste of water resources and soil nutrients is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of irrigation system technology, specifically to an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture. Background Technology

[0002] In water-scarce regions, drip irrigation and water supply technologies are widely used. By controlling parameters such as water pressure in the pipes, water waste caused by water vaporization can be reduced. Furthermore, atomized irrigation technology is playing an increasingly important role.

[0003] Atomized cultivation technology is often combined with hydroponics. The plant roots are exposed to the air in a greenhouse, and liquid water is atomized to saturate the air, allowing the plants to absorb sufficient moisture. While this technology reduces water waste and labor costs, it is only suitable for smaller, potted plants and not for larger plants.

[0004] In a roller farming system, plants are cultivated and nurtured in pots fixed to planting rollers, which are mounted on a support frame with a water tank underneath. As the rollers rotate, the plants on them absorb water row by row from the water tank below. This form of agriculture has many advantages, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

[0005] (1) Strong adaptability to the environment: Since roller agriculture is based on a frame, it is not only applicable to flat land, but also to relatively steep terrain such as mountains. Compared with traditional mountain agriculture forms such as terraces, the planting soil of roller agriculture can be artificially selected, making it suitable for use in areas with thin soil layers and insufficient soil fertility.

[0006] (2) High degree of human controllability: In roller agriculture, the control end can control whether the planting roller needs to rotate, thereby adjusting the soil moisture to achieve the most favorable soil moisture environment for plant growth. People can also adjust the duration of light exposure to the plants by adjusting the rotation of the roller, and can also intervene in the growth status of the plants to a certain extent, thereby improving the growth quality of the plants.

[0007] Therefore, an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture, which rationally controls the data acquisition of soil moisture sensors and the rotation of motors to ensure normal system operation, thereby achieving rational irrigation and reducing the waste of water resources and soil nutrients.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: an irrigation system for roller agriculture, including an irrigation device and an Internet of Things control system, wherein the irrigation device includes a planting support, a motor, a central rotating shaft, a planting turntable, a soil moisture sensor and a controller;

[0010] The motor is fixed on the planting support, the power output shaft of the motor is detachably connected to the central rotating shaft, the planting turntable is sleeved on the central rotating shaft and detachably connected to it, a water pool integrally formed with the planting support is provided below the planting turntable, the controller is set inside the planting support, and the soil moisture sensor is inserted into the soil where the plant is planted.

[0011] The IoT control system is wirelessly connected to the controller to receive monitoring data from the soil moisture sensor and control the motor rotation.

[0012] Furthermore, the planting support includes a control box, a motor fixing platform, and an auxiliary support plate; the controller is located inside the control box, and the control box also has a power supply electrically connected to the controller; the motor fixing platform is located on one side of the control box, the motor is fixed on the motor fixing platform, the auxiliary support plate is fixed on the side of the water tank away from the motor, and the end of the central rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the first bearing on the auxiliary support plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the motor fixing platform is provided with symmetrically arranged baffles on both sides, and the two baffles are fixed with second bearings by screws. The second bearings are sleeved on the outside of the central rotating shaft and rotatably connected to it.

[0014] Furthermore, the end of the central rotating shaft is provided with a shaft hole, and the power output shaft of the motor is inserted into the shaft hole and fixed by a nut screw.

[0015] Furthermore, the central rotating shaft has a recessed groove in the middle, and a metal key is embedded inside the groove. The shaft hole in the center of the planting turntable has a notch that cooperates with and is fixed to the metal key.

[0016] Furthermore, the planting turntable is provided with bushings on both sides that fit around the central rotating shaft.

[0017] Furthermore, the planting turntable has an inverted trapezoidal groove in the middle that surrounds the entire turntable, and several planting hanging beams are arranged around its axial direction in the inverted trapezoidal groove.

[0018] Furthermore, the control box includes a box body and a box cover, and the box cover is connected to the top of the box body by bolts.

[0019] Furthermore, the IoT control system adopts the Things Cloud platform.

[0020] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are:

[0021] The mechanical structure of this invention is simple, and the planting turntable can be replaced according to different plant species, thus making it applicable to a wide range of scenarios and greatly increasing the area of ​​usable agricultural land in agriculturally underdeveloped areas. This invention can reasonably control the soil moisture sensor to collect data and the rotation of the motor, ensuring the normal operation of the system and thus achieving reasonable irrigation, reducing the waste of water resources and soil nutrients. This invention is also equipped with the Internet of Things, allowing users to remotely monitor equipment information and real-time conditions and status of crop growth through mobile devices such as smartphones, and make timely adjustments to the system to ensure crop yield and quality.

[0022] This invention is applicable to a wide range of scenarios and can be installed in various locations such as rocks, steep slopes, and thin soil layers, which can greatly increase the area of ​​agricultural land. With the installation of an Internet of Things system, users can observe and control the equipment remotely and understand real-time information. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a front view of an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the central rotating shaft.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the metal key is installed on the central rotating shaft.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the planting turntable.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an irrigation system for roller agriculture according to the present invention. The aquaponics system in the system is a possibility for further enrichment in the pool and can be used as a follow-up research and development expansion. The present invention proposes this idea, but it has not been verified or adopted.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of an electronic control and Internet of Things system for an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the process of adding a directly connected device after creating a new project on the Things Cloud platform.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating how to set device properties on the Things Cloud platform.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating how to control the motor to shut off using the ThingsX mobile app.

[0033] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating how to control the motor to start using the ThingsX mobile app.

[0034] As shown in the figure: 1. Planting bracket, 2. Motor, 3. Central shaft, 4. Planting turntable, 5. Water tank, 6. Control box, 7. Motor fixing platform, 8. Auxiliary support plate, 9. First bearing, 10. Baffle, 11. Second bearing, 12. Shaft hole, 13. Slot, 14. Metal key, 15. Bushing, 16. Inverted trapezoidal groove, 17. Planting hanging beam, 18. Box body, 19. Box cover. Detailed Implementation

[0035] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "vertical", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0036] In the description of this invention, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the indicated features. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the indicated features.

[0037] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0038] The following is a detailed description of an irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Combined with appendix Figure 1-11 This invention will be described in detail below.

[0040] An irrigation system for roller agriculture includes an irrigation device and an Internet of Things (IoT) control system.

[0041] I. Irrigation Equipment

[0042] Planting support frame 1 includes a control box 6, a motor mounting platform 7, and an auxiliary support plate 8. The control box 6 comprises a body 18 and a cover 19, with the cover 19 bolted to the top of the body 18 for easy maintenance and repair of the internal equipment. The control box 6 houses a controller and a power supply electrically connected to the controller, providing power to the entire system. The motor mounting platform 7 is located on one side of the control box 6 and is used to mount the motor. The auxiliary support plate 8 is fixed to the side of the water tank 5 away from the motor, providing stable support for the central rotating shaft 3.

[0043] The control box 6 houses the controller (an ESP32 microcontroller is used in this invention due to its relatively lower price, effectively reducing costs while meeting system requirements; other types of microcontrollers can also be selected as controllers depending on application needs), the DC drive module, and DuPont wires for connection. An opening is provided on the side of the control box 6 to allow the ESP32 microcontroller to be connected to the data cable. An opening at the top of the control box 6 allows the DuPont wires connecting the DC drive module and the N20 motor to pass through. The soil moisture sensor wiring also passes through this opening.

[0044] Motor 2: Fixed on the motor mounting platform 7, its power output shaft is detachably connected to the central rotating shaft 3. Symmetrically arranged baffles 10 are provided on both sides of the motor mounting platform 7. Second bearings 11 are fixed to the two baffles 10 by screws. The second bearings 11 are sleeved on the outside of the central rotating shaft 3 and rotatably connected to it, ensuring the stability of the rotation of the central rotating shaft 3. A shaft hole 12 is provided at the end of the central rotating shaft 3. The motor's power output shaft is inserted into the shaft hole 12 and fixed by mortise screws. This detachable connection method facilitates the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the equipment.

[0045] The controller is based on the ESP32 microcontroller. The ESP32 connects to the soil moisture sensor via pin 3U3, and pin D33 is used to transmit analog signals. The DC drive module connects to the UIN pin of the ESP32, and IN1 and IN2 are connected to pins D26 and D27 of the ESP32, respectively. Simultaneously, at the output of the DC drive module, OUT1 and OUT2 are used as output pins, connected to the two interfaces of the N20 motor.

[0046] Central rotating shaft 3: It has a recessed groove 13 in the middle, and a metal key 14 is embedded in the groove 13. The end of the central rotating shaft 3 is rotatably connected to the first bearing 9 on the auxiliary support plate 8 to ensure that the central rotating shaft 3 can rotate smoothly.

[0047] Planting turntable 4: Sleeves onto and detachably connected to the central rotating shaft 3. The central shaft hole 12 of the planting turntable 4 has a notch for fixing with a metal key 14. The synchronous rotation of the central rotating shaft 3 and the planting turntable 4 is achieved through the engagement of the metal key 14 and the notch. Bushings 15 are provided on both sides of the planting turntable 4, fitted onto the outside of the central rotating shaft 3, to reduce friction during rotation. An inverted trapezoidal groove 16 surrounds the center of the planting turntable 4. Several planting hanging beams 17 are provided within the inverted trapezoidal groove 16, circling its axis, for suspending flowerpots for planting, allowing the plants to rotate with the planting turntable 4 and achieve uniform light exposure. A water tank 5, integrally formed with the planting support 1, is located below the planting turntable 4 to collect excess water during irrigation, achieving water resource recycling.

[0048] Soil moisture sensor: Inserted into the soil where plants are grown, it is used to monitor soil moisture in real time and transmit the monitoring data to the controller.

[0049] Controller: Located inside the control box 6 of the planting bracket 1, it receives data from the soil moisture sensor and controls the motor to rotate according to the preset humidity threshold, thereby controlling the irrigation process.

[0050] II. Internet of Things Control System

[0051] The IoT control system connects wirelessly to the controller, receiving monitoring data from the soil moisture sensor and uploading it to the cloud for analysis and processing. Simultaneously, the IoT control system can remotely control the motor's rotation based on the analysis results, enabling remote monitoring and operation of the irrigation system. The IoT control system utilizes the Things Cloud platform, which boasts high stability, powerful functionality, and easy scalability, meeting the system's intelligent management needs.

[0052] The ESP32 microcontroller connects to the Things Cloud platform via Wi-Fi, enabling real-time uploading of data from the soil moisture sensor and N20 motor 2. The ESP32 microcontroller also connects to a mobile phone's Wi-Fi hotspot, uploading data to the Things Cloud platform via Wi-Fi.

[0053] After creating a new project on the Things Cloud platform, add a directly connected device and name it "Soil Moisture Sensor". (See attached image) Figure 8 As shown.

[0054] This device transmits two pieces of information: the soil moisture sensor reading (denoted as "soil moisture") and the motor status. Soil moisture is the calculated value, while the motor status indicates whether motor 2 is operating; this signal is determined by judging the range of the soil moisture sensor reading. (See attached image.) Figure 9 As shown.

[0055] There is a 12-second delay when the ESP32 uploads data to the Things Cloud platform. After this 12-second delay, the soil moisture and motor status of the system can be monitored from anywhere via the Internet of Things.

[0056] Create a user application named "Soil Moisture" on the Things Cloud IoT platform to monitor soil moisture sensor readings and the operating status of N20 motor 2. Download the ThingsX mobile app on your phone.

[0057] After adding device information and completing the connection between the mobile app and the corresponding device on the Things Cloud physical network platform, you can view real-time data on the mobile app. Additionally, you can control the N20 motor 2's rotation from your phone, as shown in the attached image. Figure 10 , Figure 11 As shown.

[0058] Based on the above process, device information can be accessed and controlled both on the ThingsCloud IoT cloud platform and on the ThingsX mobile app.

[0059] The specific implementation process of the irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to the present invention is as follows:

[0060] First, the programmed electronic control program is burned into the computer, and then the software is run. After the burning is complete, the soil moisture sensor starts working and simultaneously begins uploading data to the Things Cloud IoT platform. The soil moisture sensor is then placed in the air; at this point, the soil moisture sensor reading is 0.00, indicating a correct reading, and the N20 motor 2 begins to rotate.

[0061] Under these conditions, the soil moisture sensor reads data every 100 milliseconds, so the delay statement in the code works correctly. At this time, the Things Cloud IoT platform displays soil moisture as 0.00, and N20 motor 2 is in the True state. This indicates that the system is working normally.

[0062] Next, place the soil moisture sensor in pure water. At this point, the soil moisture sensor reading is 1.00, and N20 motor 2 stops rotating. The ThingsCloud platform displays the soil moisture sensor reading as 1.00, and N20 motor 2's rotation status as False, indicating the IoT platform is working normally. Remove the soil moisture sensor from the pure water; the reading returns to 0.00, and N20 motor resumes rotation after completing this cycle. The ThingsCloud platform display changes accordingly, showing the soil moisture level back to 0.00, and motor 2's status changes to True, indicating the system is still operating normally.

[0063] This invention recorded 20 sets of experimental data to test whether the ESP32 microcontroller could accurately control the rotation of the N20 motor 2 and the precise readings of the soil moisture sensor, as well as the timeliness of data upload. In the experiment, the soil moisture sensor was inserted into soils with different moisture levels.

[0064] The experimental data are shown in Table 1 below.

[0065] Table 1: Summary of Experimental Data

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] In the above experiments, 19 systems were able to work normally, while only one experimental system failed to work normally, and the accuracy rate of this system reached 95%.

[0069] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture, characterized in that: The system includes an irrigation device and an Internet of Things (IoT) control system. The irrigation device includes a planting support (1), a motor (2), a central rotating shaft (3), a planting turntable (4), a soil moisture sensor, and a controller. The motor (2) is fixed on the planting support (1). The power output shaft of the motor (2) is detachably connected to the central rotating shaft (3). The planting turntable (4) is fitted on the central rotating shaft (3) and detachably connected to it. A water pool (5) integrally formed with the planting support (1) is provided below the planting turntable (4). The controller is set inside the planting support (1). The soil moisture sensor is inserted into the soil where the plant is planted. The IoT control system is wirelessly connected to the controller to receive monitoring data from the soil moisture sensor and control the rotation of the motor (2).

2. The irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The planting support (1) includes a control box (6), a motor fixing platform (7), and an auxiliary support plate (8); the controller is located inside the control box (6), and the control box (6) is also equipped with a power supply electrically connected to the controller. The motor fixing platform (7) is located on one side of the control box (6), and the motor is fixed on the motor fixing platform (7). The auxiliary support plate (8) is fixed on the side of the water tank (5) away from the motor. The end of the central rotating shaft (3) is rotatably connected to the first bearing (9) on the auxiliary support plate (8).

3. The irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motor fixing platform (7) is provided with symmetrical baffles (10) on both sides. The two baffles (10) are fixed with second bearings (11) by screws. The second bearings (11) are sleeved on the outside of the central rotating shaft (3) and rotated therewith.

4. The irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 3, characterized in that: The central rotating shaft (3) has a shaft hole (12) at its end. The power output shaft of the motor (2) is inserted into the shaft hole (12) and fixed by a nut screw.

5. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 4, characterized in that: The central rotating shaft (3) has a recessed groove (13) in the middle, and a metal key (14) is embedded inside the groove (13). The shaft hole (12) in the center of the planting turntable (4) has a notch that cooperates with and is fixed to the metal key (14).

6. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 5, characterized in that: The planting turntable (4) has bushings (15) on both sides that are fitted outside the central rotating shaft (3).

7. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 6, characterized in that: The planting turntable (4) has an inverted trapezoidal groove (16) that surrounds the center, and several planting hanging beams (17) that surround its axis are provided in the inverted trapezoidal groove (16).

8. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control box (6) includes a box body (18) and a box cover (19), and the box cover (19) is connected to the top of the box body (18) by bolts.

9. An irrigation system for roller-type agriculture according to claim 8, characterized in that: The IoT control system uses the Things Cloud platform.

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