Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
BY
SAMUEL BAFFOUR-AWUAH
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, coals or natural gas-fired plants isn’t enough to provide our sufficient needs
for the increasing demand of electrical power. This is why renewable resources like solar,
wind, hydro, thermal and other sources are a necessary to our growing economy.
Renewables play a vital role in generating the needed electricity which maybe used in
many ways. The demand of the usage of the electricity increases in parallel with the
the system facilities as well as the grid operators are tasked with integrating distributed
energy into the mix without affecting the steady flow of the electric power demands of
the customer.
On the other hand, renewables have not always been efficient, reliable, and secure. For
example, usually there are three most important things used for renewable energy
namely: sun, wind and rain. All of these elements provide energy but they also create
challenges for the utilities and system operators. This is because of the basic weather
However, methods and technical solutions have been established to help integrate higher
penetrations of the renewable sources. The researchers found potential place of interest to
further study for more variety of operational and strategic ways of handling the
additional supply-side variability and uncertainties the renewable sources are causing and
to find ways on how to mitigate the significant up and down ramps in power generation.
Therefore, the study will be conducted to evaluate on how the renewable sources cause
the uncertainties into the grid and how to resolve the significant variabilities of the
Philippines is home to abundant solar, wind, thermal and other renewable energy
(RE) sources that contribute to ensure a sustainaible, sufficient, accessible, secure and
affordable energy. As of now, there are numbers of utilities which adopts the concept of
production with the use of renewables. At some point, the electricity generation of
renewable sources will keep increasing due to the increasing population as well as the
demand for a growing and progressing economy. And for that reason, energy caused by
the solar, wind, and other renewables increase variability and uncertainties in the power
Energy Zones in the Country,” which formalizes the process of identifying renewable
energy zones (REZs) that help the country’s power transmission development connect to
areas with excellent renewable energy resources. The process also served as a valuable
guide for the for the planned approach in integrating the generated renewable energy into
Philippine Department of Energy (PDOE) and the U.S. Agency for International
PDOE, the Grid Management Committee and the National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP) lead in producing a study entitled “Greening the Grid: Solar and
Wind integration Study for the Luzon-Visayas System of the Philippines”. In order to
explore a variety of questions about the operational impacts and effects of reaching high
levels of solar and wind energy in the power system, the system used advanced weather
and power system modeling. The study also examining the implication of achieving 30%
and 50% renewable energy targets in the Luzon-Visayas power system, which is the
inspection in Batas Silang Cavite and further gathered datum that can cater the problems
of the farmers. The researchers have found out that there is a stream and river near the
1. Design and install the solar panel as a source of power for motor.
Operational Framework
The block diagram below will show the inputs, processes and outputs of the Solar
Powered Irrigation. The Inputs show what will be needed to start the main process.
Process, shows the system operations after putting the inputs, and finally, the Output for
The Solar Powered Irrigation system was designed not just to create an irrigation
system but to help farmers who are most in need. At the same time, it will promote the
Enviroment.
This study will promote a renewable technology and will lessen the pollution.
Farmers.
a modernized irrigation system and water supply. This will also give them knowledge
Local Government.
This study will be an eye-opener to the local government to invest to low budget
Future Researchers.
This study may be a reference to other researchers who are conducting and
planning to conduct a study that is related and connected with development of irrigation
system using solar energy. This will serve a guide for future innovations.
The scope of this study only resolves around the Development of a Solar
Powered Irrigation System. The project incorporates solar panels as the main source of
power for the motor with the aid of a charge controller and also as a charger for the
batteries. River and stream water will be the source of water to irrigate the 0.5 hectare
farm. It will be the source to water the crops by using a submersible pump. Water will be
directed into the crops that can finally be the source of irrigation when there is no rain.
(rice, corn and peanuts) but using the rice for the computation of flow rate. According to
farmers use 120Kg seeds per hectare. And so we calculated the 5000L per 1Kg of rice
seed and there having ½ hecare will be only being up to around 300000 Liters per 60kg
of rice seeds. Water input is only designed for irrigating the ½ hectare farm. Commercial
use of water should be avoided to an efficient output and also, for the machine long term
efficiency. The irrigation system will be manually operated and it will be available
anytime if there is sunlight and the battery can serve as a system back up.
Definition of Terms
The following are the definition of terms to be use in the present study:
Irrigation System. It is defined as the action of applying water to land to supply crops
Solar Power. A renewable and sustainable energy source and can be used around the
the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Solar Power will be used to charge the
battery for later use and for the whole system to work.
Pump. A machine used to add energy to a liquid in order to transfer the liquid from one
Rice Paddy. An irrigated or flooded field where the rice is grown. (Collins Dictionary,
2017)
CHAPTER II
Conceptual Literature
Solar Energy
The amount of solar energy reaching the earth is more than 10,000 times the
current consumption by man. This resource is larger than all the alternative power
sources currently available. With the rapidly growing population of mankind, the
anticipated depletion of fossil fuels, the dangers associated with pollution such as acid
rain and global warming and the hazards associated with using nuclear power generation,
characteristics inherent of the resource. This means that it takes large installations to
generate meaningful amounts of electricity. With three designs are in use: photovoltaics,
parabolic troughs, and central receivers with each one creates its own unique energy
Solar energy comes from an abundant source, and is available in direct form as
solar radiation and in indirect form as wind, biomass, etc. The sun deposits 120,000 TW
of radiation on the surface of the earth. So, there is clearly enough solar power available
if an efficient means of harnessing solar energy is developed. The total energy needed by
the humans in 2020 is projected to be 20 TW. The current biggest drawback of wider
usage of PV (photovoltaic) is the higher price of the electricity produced about 4 – 8€/
Wp (Sinke et al. 2007) which is not competitive with the commercial grid – electricity.
attained in 2020. The current high price of electricity from solar cells is, however,
compensated by the positive effects achieved by this ecologically friendly as well as the
Irrigation
Water is essential to plant growth & for millenniums. Successful farmers have
used different methods to apply water to their crops. This artificial addition of water is
was recognized for its protective role of insurance against the vagaries of rainfall &
The choice of irrigation can be based on two ways: a.) historical preference; and
aspects of the venture from crop initiation to harvesting, processing and marketing. An
irrigation system can have a significant economic effect on all phases of production. The
best selection should result in an overall optimization of returns from the farming
Soil type. The type of soil in an area can affect not only the type irrigation method used
but also the irrigation run times. Sandy soils typically require frequent applications of
water at a high rate to keep moisture in the root zone. Tighter clay soils can hold moisture
longer that sandy soils, but may require frequent applications at a lower rate to prevent
runoff.
Land topography. Hilly or sloping land can be a challenge. Drip irrigation works well if
the laterals can be run along topographic lines. System run times may need to be adjusted
to prevent runoff. Travelers and center pivot systems are usually out of the question on
winds are common and in arid areas with a low humidity since water losses due to
evaporation can be extremely high. Drip irrigation works well in both of these situations.
Type of crops grown. Sprinkler and drip systems can require high levels of investment.
For this reason, it’s better to reserve their use for high-value crops like vegetables, small
fruits and orchard crops rather than applying them to commodity crops like wheat and
soybeans.
Water quality. All drip irrigation systems require some type of filtration. Overhead
systems such as sprinklers seldom require filtration. Irrigation water should be tested for
water borne pathogens. Depending on the crop grown and irrigation method used
chlorine injection may be required. Other water quality issues that may be of a concern
gravity flow distribution; and drainage flow distribution. The pressurized systems contain
sprinkler, trickle, and the array of similar systems in which water is conveyed to and
distributed over the farmland through pressurized pipe networks. Gravity flow systems
convey and distribute water at the field level by a free surface, overland flow regime.
These surface irrigation methods are also subdivided according to configuration and
flow. By controlling the flow at critical points, it is possible to raise the level of the
groundwater to within reach of the crop roots. These individual irrigation systems have a
variety of advantages and applications which are beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice
it to say that one should be familiar with each to satisfy best the needs of irrigation
Irrigation systems are often designed to maximize efficiencies and minimize labor
and capital requirements. The most effective management practices are dependent on the
type of irrigation system and its design. For example, management can be influenced
using automation, the control of or the capture and reuse of runoff, field soil and
topographical variations and the existence and location of flow measurement and water
control structures. Questions that are common to all irrigation systems are when to
irrigate, how much to apply, and can the efficiency be improved. Many considerations
must be considered in the selection of an irrigation system. These will vary from location
to location, crop to crop, year to year, and farmer to farmer. In general, these
considerations will include the compatibility of the system with other farm operations,
economic feasibility, topographic and soil properties, crop characteristics, and social
small area of the soil surface and sometimes only part of the root zone. Water us applied
near the base of the plant is that the application is concentrated in the root zone. Water is
devices may be small tubes, orifice, nozzles, or perforated pipes. The water maybe either
be applied above or below the soil surface. The main components of a localized irrigation
system are the water supply, the infiltration system, main lines, sub-main lines, laterals,
and distributors.
Surface Irrigation
Surface Irrigation stands for a large group of irrigation methods in which water is
distributed by gravity over the surface of the field. Water is typically introduced at the
highest point or along the edge of a field, which allows covering the field by overland
flow. Historically, surface irrigation has been the most common method of irrigating
agricultural land. The defining feature of surface irrigation methods is that the soil is used
Surface irrigation methods contain two basic categories: ponding (surface water
pooled in a puddle) and moving water. The moving water methods require some runoff or
ponding to guarantee adequate infiltration at the lower end of the field. The soil type
controls the length of run and the depth of infiltrated over time. The better quality of the
soil is the less is the necessary runoff and the better infiltration into the soil and therefore
the use of the crops. Due to ponding however, it is important not to irrigate the crops
during the day but in the early morning or at night to avoid water loss due to evaporation.
Sprinkler Irrigation
Water is distributed through a system of pipes usually by pumping. Spray heads at the
outlets distribute the water over the entire soil surface. Sprinklers provide efficient
coverage for small to large areas and are suitable for all types of crops. Furthermore, they
can easily clog with the presence of sediment or debris and large systems incur high
capital costs.
Drip Irrigation
Sometimes called Trickle irrigation, water took under pressure through a pipe
system to the fields, where it drips slowly onto the soil through drippers which are
positioned close to the plants. This can be efficient method of irrigation because only
the immediate root zone of each plant is wetted. Drip irrigation can be a very
technical irrigation system for food or plant production fields. But compared to other
Drip irrigation requires little water compared to other irrigation methods. About
40-80 liters per day are needed per 100-200 plants. The small amount of water
reduces weed growth and limits the leaching of plant nutrients down in the soil. In
organic fertilizer or urine tea can be applied efficiently to the plants through the drip
system.
Solar Panels
The heart of a solar electric system is the solar panel itself. Solar panels or
photovoltaic solar panels generate electricity from the sun. the more powerful the sun’s
energy, the more power you get, although solar panel continue to generate small amounts
of electricity in the shade. Solar panels can be linked together to create a solar array.
Connecting multiple panels together allows you to produce a higher current or to run at a
higher voltage:
Connecting the panels in series allows a solar array to run at a higher voltage.
grid-tie system. Connecting the panels in parallel allows a solar array to produce more
power while maintaining the same voltage as the individual panels. When you connect
multiple panels together, the power of the overall system increases, irrespective of
Battery
Solar energy is stored in ‘deep cycle’ lead acid batteries. These look like car
batteries but have a different internal design. This design allows them to be heavily
or 12-volt batteries and, like solar panels, these can be connected to form a larger battery
bank. Like solar panels, multiple batteries used in series increase the capacity and the
voltage of a battery bank. Multiple batteries connected in parallel increase the capacity
Controller
Charge controllers block reverse current and prevent battery overcharge. Some
controllers also prevent battery over discharge, protect from electrical overload, and/or
Water pump
A renewable pump is like a standard pump. But, the motor on a renewable pump
must be able to handle the power from solar panels or a windmill rather than from the
usual power grid. A solar panel produces DC power. The more energy from the sun, the
more power the panels will produce. An inverter, or converter, converts DC to AC. This
power is also dependent on sunlight radiation: the more radiation, the higher the voltage.
The converter also links a frequency to the AC voltage, ensuring that the proportion of
voltage and frequency remains constant. The output is identical to the output from a
standard VFD, except for the lower voltage. A special function of the inverter is to
monitor its own power generation and make sure it runs at maximum always. This is
called ‘maximum power point tracking’, and is done several times per second (Grundfos).
Displacement pump
diaphragm pumps, roller-tubes, and rotary pumps. Piston Displacement Pumps are pumps
you operate by moving a long lever up and down. Usage for a displacement pump would
be when you need to move very thick liquids, create very precise flow volumes, or create
Submersible Pump
Pumps that are completely installed under water. These are a single unit with a
pump and electric motor. The main purpose is to be installed in a well, but they can be
installed on the bottom of a lake or stream if placed on their side or mounted to a pier. No
need to prime these pumps due to them already being under water. If they aren't installed
in a well they need to be placed into a special pump and this may be necessary when
placed into a well. The sleeve helps to keep the motor cool by moving the water flow
over the motor. The pump would burn up without the sleeve. Since the power cord runs
down to the pump it is extremely important to take safety precautions to prevent damage.
Boats, alligators, and debris are common examples of possible hazards to your power
cord.
Centrifugal Pump
The centrifugal pump has a stationary part and a rotating part. The rotating part is
called the impeller. The impeller has a number of vanes which force the water to rotate
and creates flow. The stationary part is called the pump housing, or pump bowl. The bowl
also has a number of vanes called guide vanes. Their function is to stop the water’s
rotation and to convert the energy in the rotation to pressure (Grundfos). This particular
pump uses an impeller (rotating part that transmits motion in a device) which spins the
centrifugal force. This force is responsible for moving the water through the pump. These
pumps may have several stages which the water passes through the different stages
increasing pressure. These pumps must have water in the intake pipe and the casing
before starting the pump. It is imperative that you prime these pumps before the first use.
This is done by filling the case with water, then quickly turning the pump on. This pump
sucks water not air so you must have water in the pump to enable the water to move into
the pump. You don't have to prime the pump before every usage because it has a small
Steel Pipe
circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow — liquid and
gases (fluids), slurries, powders, masses of small solids. It can also be used for structural
applications; hollow pipe is far stiffer per unit weight than solid members
(powersteel.com).
Volume flow rate is the volume of the liquid that passes through a given surface
per unit time. It is the product of the area and the velocity of the liquid.
Q = AV
Where:
A = area of flow
Pw = γQH
Where:
Nursery 15,000 5
25 - -
28 - -
29-50 6 60,000
51-70 12 120,000
Total 43 300,000
Related Studies
A plan to use solar powered irrigation system in the Cordillera has been initiated
by the Department of Agriculture (DA). The solar power system is being planned for
areas that don’t have irrigation system with a capacity to pump from 400 to 1,000 gallons
of water a day for up to 150 hectares of rice farm. DA-OIC Regional Director Lorenzo
Caranguian said based on Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) data, Abra had the
highest rice area in the region but only 44 percent is fully serviced by an irrigation
system. With this, Caranguian wants to introduce the solar powered irrigation system to
the province adding he was searching for an area to serve as a pilot beneficiary for this
system. Caranguian challenged farmers to increase the rice area in Abra and can serve as
their counterpart in the DA’s quest of achieving sufficient rice supply for the country
adding there is some 2500 hectares that can be tapped for production purposes in the
necessity for many Filipinos who has regarded agriculture as the foundation of their lives.
Data from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) show that the country has about
10.3mn ha of agricultural lands. Out of this, around 3.1 million ha are considered
irrigable, with up to three per cent slope and primarily devoted to rice and corn. But a
recent study by the World Bank revealed that about 6.1 million ha as irrigable, including
areas that are relatively more difficult to irrigate and up to eight per cent slope.
As of December 2009, NIA record shows that about 1.54 million ha of the 3.1
million ha have been developed for irrigation. In the last two years, NIA, in its website,
has not released any figures to confirm if these areas or more have indeed been irrigated.
growth was not sustained, a perceptible factor might be the lack of adequate irrigation
According to NIA, there are three types of irrigation systems in the country:
national irrigation systems (NIS), communal irrigation systems (CIS) and private
irrigation systems (PIS). The NIS are large and medium irrigation schemes basically
operated and maintained by NIA where beneficiaries are charged with irrigation service
fee for the services rendered in the delivery of water. In the 1980s, joint management of
CIS are small-scale schemes and constructed with the participation of farmer-
beneficiaries thru their IAs. The operation and maintenance of CIS is turned over to IAs
upon project completion subject to a cost recovery arrangement. Farmers amortize the
repayment scheme is pre-arranged and acceptable to both NIA and the IA.
NIA has also three categories of irrigation development schemes and these are: run-of-
diversion entails the drawing of water under controlled conditions directly from the flow
dams to impound water and released as needed to be drawn from a diversion dam
downstream. Reservoir projects are usually multi-purpose to include other functions like
power generation, flood control, fishery and recreation. In pump projects, water is lifted
from underground or from rivers and streams. Pump systems are also common in some
storage or diversion schemes to lift water to irrigate areas on higher elevation or pump
groundwater to supplement available supply from the river. Environmental protection and
While the government’s efforts through NIA to irrigate all farmlands are highly
lauded, their actions are seemingly not enough in providing water, particularly in remote
communities. In a study by Jayson Cainglet, lead facilitator of the regional work in the
Asia Pacific of the Agribusiness Action Initiatives, NIA’s irrigation development hardly
establishing irrigation facilities – cited some factors. First is the overoptimistic system
water resources. ADB says limited hydrological records do not allow data-based
lands, shortage of resources and value of existing crops have halted the development of
these lands. Second is the inadequate operation, maintenance (O&M) and limited farmer
participation. Limited O&M result in deteriorating canals and structures as well as silted
and defective diversion works. According to ADB, O&M costs are expected to be
covered by irrigation service fees, but collection efficiency is very low. The institution
also said most O&M funding is utilised for NIA personnel and little remains for O&M.
after NIA has been established in 1963, are aging and have accumulated damage through
natural calamities such as that they are not able to fulfill the expected functions. ADB
says most of these systems now require comprehensive and systematic upgrading to bring
Omoga and Angonte, the role of smallholder irrigation in poverty reduction has not been
have been guiding the farmers of Ingotse on farming using the small-scale irrigation
system. The farmers plant their staple food (mainly maize and beans) during the long
rainy season. If there is a shortage of rainfall in the area, the farmers use irrigation. The
water resource from the borehole; surplus produce was to be sold at the local market.
This was effective in increasing both household savings and the intake of certain
nutrients like vitamins A and C and decreased the incidence of emaciation among adults
and older children. More funds were acquired from selling surplus vegetables at the
market to buy alternative foods. More recently, extension workers have been encouraging
some farmers in the community to consider adopting drip irrigation systems – using low-
pressure drip irrigation kits that require only 1 m of pressure to irrigate plots of up to 4
ha. Research indicates that drip irrigation is highly recommended as a mode of irrigation
in sub-Saharan Africa, it delivers water and in some cases fertilizer directly to the roots of
plants, thereby improving soil moisture conditions. Some studies have shown that this has
This study shows that using a particular pump in a drip irrigation system can
between diesel water pumps and photovoltaic pumps in Namibia,. resource. It is possible
to change the irradiation levels between 5 and 7kWh/m2/day and to introduce a tracking
array for modelling specific locations as well as the use of a passive or active tracking
array. The cost model increases/decreases the array size proportionally for
decreased/increased irradiance levels. This is therefore a linear adjustment and the error
16%variation is allowed. The use of a tracker similarly reduces the required array size to
pump the daily water requirements since the tracker has extended operating hours at peak
sun conditions. Higher irradiance levels and tracking would increase the daily flowrate
however, the daily flowrate and the head form the basis of the comparison between PVP
and DP and can therefore not be changed. Moreover the study shows that Namibian water
supply needs stand to benefit from converting to solar pv water pumping in cases where:
• Water depth is less than 120m and the hydraulic load is less than 4,000m4/day.
• Water depth is less than 200m and the hydraulic load is less than 500m4/day.
• Less than 8 years for PVPs operating below 4,000m4/day and below 120m head.
homestead or
• where the diesel engine must be moved to other boreholes at various intervals or
• Theft is probably the single largest barrier to widespread use of PVPs. The bulk of the
capital cost of a PVP system rests in the photovoltaic modules which are often difficult to
protect. In a diesel water pumping system, the majority of the cost goes into infrastructure
• The second major barriers to use of PVPs are perceptions that the cost of solar PV water
• Dependence on specialized services which are possibly only available in Windhoek -or
discomfort with the technology (high tech). Support for the diesel engine is either locally
available or in the vicinity – that gives users a higher water supply security.
• Many users perceive the PVP option to be inflexible to fluctuating water demands and
seasonal variations and are therefore not aware of hybrid options for PVP (users are
• Technology developments have now provided products which can be described as the
Feasibility Assessment for the Replacement of Diesel Pumps with Solar Pumps
o Reliable operation,
o Simple installation,
installed DP up to the pumping limit of 250 m4/day. The higher capital cost of the
conditions.
• The future regarding diesel is full of possibilities in terms of bio-fuel developments, but
o The cost of diesel will most likely rise due to growing demand, peak oil (whether fear
or reality), war over oil and possible future carbon levies/penalties. Transporting diesel
fuel to a remote site and using diesel/petrol in the process will represents a double impact
o Diesel supply insecurities are likely to increase due to growing world demand, supply
chain bottlenecks and limited refinery capacity among others. The year2006 is a case in
The study of solar based irrigation system in Bangladesh by Haque and Hakim ,
stated they used a water pump of 35 W which can produce 0.01 m3 of water in 4 hrs,
concluding when the water pump ran 8 hrs it can supply ample amount of water for 2870
sq. meters of land. From their analysis it has been identified that solar irrigation system is
feasible for small pumps for surface water irrigation. It is also seen that after 6 years the
project seems to become a way of income to the poor as it generates cash flows. The
project would have been more profitable and feasible if the same system integral with a
SYNTHESIS
The idea of this irrigation system with solar photovoltaic technology is to make
use of free energy in helping the farmers. Over the study that were conducted by other,
the researchers see that there are factors considered in having an irrigation system. The
researchers also see the opportunity to use renewable energy to reduce the use of diesel
motor and the paid electricity. Also, the cost in the long run shall be good by the use of
solar panels over other. Different materials shall be considered to have this solar powered
Renewable energy in the Philippines is also growing. Many wind farms and solar
farms are now operating that are supplying large community. This study can be done by
selecting a well-suited area that will fit the technology to its needs, to generate an power
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This Chapter presents a reliable data about the project thesis’ research and
construction methods. Resulting from the initial compilation of project-related data and
studies of irrigation system, into its actual construction, application and testing; create the
solar powered irrigation system, and produce a irrigation in rice paddy from river and
Research Design
This research will use the experimental design because the researchers will study
the future on what will happen when variables are carefully controlled and manipulated.
The researchers will also conduct an experiment to determine if the converted energy
from the sunlight is sufficient enough to power the irrigation system load. This initial part
of this research was to study the principles of Solar Power Irrigation System. The design
of the project will be made by the researchers and it was constructed with the help of
expert people. The Solar Power Irrigation System in this research needs to consider the
different requirement like water requirements for what purpose the water will be used,
pumping system like where location for solar pumping system, location of the solar panel
and potential source of shading. The water sources like what is the type of water sources
(a bore, dam, or river), the recovery rate of the proposed water source, the depth of the
water source and the distance of the possible water source from the ground. And Water
delivery the location which the water will be pumped to such as a storage tank or directly
throughs, the vertical lift between the pump and the water delivery point and the length of
the route between the pump and the water delivery point.
This methodology relies on random assignment and laboratory controls to ensure the
most valid, reliable results. Although researchers recognize that correlation does not
mean causation, experimental designs produce the strongest, most valid results (Hall,
2017).
Incorporating Solar Power to the pump to producewater for the farmers in Batas Silang
Cavite, requires Experimental Methodology for its possible environmental impacts to the
beneficiaries. The Review research design is also used since this project is a
The Research Designs chosen for this study will help the researchers to attain the
stated objectives, and also, to provide reliability and validity. Furthermore, be able to
create an approach to lend a hand to other people in a small, but helpful way, through
project.
Site Assessment
Material Selection
Testing
No
Evaluation
Yes
0
Interpretation of Results
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, COMPUTER STUDIES AND ARCHITECTURE
34
LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY - CAVITE
The site of the irrigation system is at Batas Silang cavite, because it is highly
elevated and far from the irrigation system of the government. In that case installation of
water system is not applicable and ideal. Electricity supply is also not ideal because its
too expensive. Farmers are relying on the conventional way of cultivating plants which is
the rainwater system from June to early January. Their rice production will be stop
temporarily as well as their incomes. This happens every single year and is already a
cycle.
Site Assessment
Assessment of the location to determine the flow rate needed to irrigate the 1ha
rice farm and if the land or soil can be drilled down for the source of water and to check
Flowrate
Based on the theoretical computation for the farm in Batas Silang Cavite, the
Water usage. Determine the required water for the area to be irrigated.
Water should be kept standing in the field throughout the growth period.
Flow rate. Determining the required flow rate to irrigate the 0.5 hectare.
Water pump selection. The researchers use dc submersible pump rated 120W
,24 V. This pump will be connected to the battery and to the controller.
project. With this amount of solar panel, it can suffice a running motor rated
120W.
Battery. Lead acid is suitable for storing solar energy and it will be a necessity
when needed to use the motor when sunlight is not available. The researches
Testing Procedure
system are in good condition before its installation, maintenance, adjustment or repair of
the Solar powered irrigation system must be checked whether it is properly installed and
in good working condition while the batteries must be checked for leaks and bumps.
The following step will must be done in order to operate and test the Solar Power
Irrigation system:
2. If the voltage below is below the tolerance, then the batteries have no charge.
Charge the battery until maximum capacity to avoid the slower motor operation.
3. Turn on the devices that are connected from load to Irrigation system. First the
The Process basically start from obtaining sunlight as the main project input. The
input will initially be pump from the water, and go to the farmland.
Charge Controller
Radiant Energy Solar Panels
The figure above is a generalized block diagram set-up, summarizing all major
connections of the project’s systems. It is showed that all parts that requires electricity are
all connected to the Power House and Control System which comprises of the Battery,
Submersible pump, and the water source , to be able to input a water the wanted irrigating
output.
Several trials of testing will be made. The electrical output of the water pump
(motor) will be measured. If the electrical output doesn’t satisfy the required parameters
to power the system, actions will be made including checking the calculations and
parameters to achieve the Solar Powered Irrigation System in Batas B, Silang Cavite.
in a good condition,
3. Power, piping, motor and pump; the Project as a whole will be tested by loading
an input, to be processed.
The goal is to observe output of solar panel in outside conditions to confirm its
ability to function.
2. Set multimeter to DC voltage-a setting higher than what the panel is rated
multimeter to the negative terminal of the panel, and proceed to take the
reading
5. Place panel in shaded area (prior to switching tester to Ampere mode) and then
CHAPTER IV
This chapter presents the results of the data gathered in testing of Solar Powered
Irrigation System installed in Barangay Batas, Silang Cavite relative with the objectives
of the project. This chapter provides also the specification of the materials used.
The researchers use 1 – 250W solar panel as the main source of power for the
whole system. It is connected to a breaker to act as a switch and then to the controller
which regulates the voltage produced by the solar panel. This is then connected to a
figure above. Moreover, the researchers used a submersible pump considering the
following, (1) the movability of the project so the farmers can keep it if they will not use
it, (2) flexible hose is more suitable due to the terrain and (3) it can be easily transferred
Solar PV Panel
PMAX 250 W
VMP 37.6 V
IMP 6.65 A
VOC 46.20 V
ISC 7.18 A
V AH
12 24
Charge Controller
This charge controller is used for providing a 24V from the PV Panel to the
motor. The battery can also be added in this controller to serve as a reserve. This
controller also has indicator if the battery is on low battery mode. It is used to power the
Submersible Pump
Additionally, using this will allow the use of hose and the portability of the project is
achieved.
charging components), the researchers limited its use up to 8 hours of operation per day,
Table 4.3 Required Flow rate and power of the motor by calculation
As shown above in table 4.1, the scheduling of irrigation in rice is based on the
Agropedia, the researchers calculated the flowrate required to be produce by the water
pump in able to suffice the water need of the crops. Moreover, table shows the amount of
power needed to operate the water pump and how long will it take to be able to provide
the water the needed by the crops. Refer to the Appendix A for computation.
constructing and testing the project. This is the stage wherein the project shall be tested
for its effectivity. The project was tested separately, respective to the following systems.
Durability was tested by applying variable dead loads, and few impact loads to
each of its divisions. The maximum load that will be supported by the project was
approximated to be up to 30kgs (with safety factor). Including all parts and Solar Panel
hold the frame together. From a trial of removing a welded part approximately 3 inches in
length, grinding and forced loads was required to be able to detach the part that was
Project Frame:
This system was tested by coming up to a “trial and error” method of solutions.
The major problem encountered here was the pump functions, realizing that there’s a lot
of materials the block the water through the pump. Another initial problem was with the
unstable pipe connections creating huge leakages, drenching the working area (leakages
formed because it was just an initial testing, connections are not yet fixed with a proper
lock). The river and stream water also became a problem because of its slope terrain, in
attempt to solve all the encountered problems, as stated earlier, a series of “trial and
error” solution were performed by the researchers. Trying different arrangements and
protecting the submersible pump by using a net as a strainer for unwanted materials.
The batteries were connected in series and it was tested by using a multimeter
to check if the voltage requirement is correct for the system. The test was done three
Bank Voltage
Trial Voltage (V)
1 24.6
2 24.6
3 24.6
Flowrate Measurement.
The testing was finished by using the reservoir (drum) and a timer to record
how much time will it consume to be filled. Table below shows the different time and
2 400 21 19.04
voltage and current were also tested if it will fit the system. Three tables show the
gathered data.
The researchers measured the value of voltage and current produced by the solar
panel on the given dates. The first graph shows the constant amount of voltage with a
diminutive change in the current. The latter one shows small voltage and current reading
due to the weather condition, because it is cloudy, at the same time, researchers also
experienced a short amount of rain. While the reading on the voltage seems constant, the
value of current measured change from time to time. The researchers observed that the
1 40.1 V 24.5 V 2A
The graphs show how that it will take almost 2 hours to discharge the battery into
20% of its rated capacity. In addition, the charging time of the battery can be achieved in
also two hours. However, the purpose of the battery is not solely to be standalone power
supply but only for the back up only for the system and to aid the solar panel in
Discharging Battery
27 Voltage (Discharging)
26.5
26
25.5
25
24.5
24
23.5
23
22.5
22
21.5
21
10:00 AM 10:30 AM 11:00 PM 11:30 PM 1:00 PM
CHAPTER V
The final chapter includes a synopsis of evidence and data attained during the
study. The summary is a compilation of all acquired information during analysis and
evaluation. Its conclusion is derived from the objectives presented on the study while the
recommendations are built upon the likely further study of the solar powered motor
SUMMARY
In this study, we selected a farm to be part of the study. The researchers attain
data by calculating the solar panel needed, batteries, the motor and the required water
needed by the crops in the farm and how long it can be achieved.
The results indicate the average water needed for the farm, table showing the solar
panel output and the flow rate of produced by the water pump.
CONCLUSION
The results in this study show that the solar energy can provide an adequate power
to the water pump to supply adequate amount of water in the farm. By considering the
power needed to operate the motor, it shows how many solar panel should be installed.
By using solar energy, and by usage of solar panels, it offers sufficient amount of
wattage for the submersible pump. The researchers also used batteries for back up
purposes and to prevent the motor from shutting down when the sky is cloudy and the it
RECOMMENDATION
The researchers recommend the use of renewable energy technology. For the
farmers, it provides help with the irrigation system of their farm because it will benefit
them for the long-term as they use solar panels with the submersible pump as means of
irrigation and not relaying only on rainful. At the same time, it will help the local
government in promoting green technology to supply power for irrigation system in the
whole farm in Silang, Cavite reducing the use of nonrenewable resources. It will also
The researchers also recommend the farmers to consider the use of water tank in