International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology

Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

Design and Implementation of Solar Powered Hydroponics

Systems for Agriculture Plant Cultivation
D.Sarathkumar1, Dr.K.Venkateswaran2, Vijayalaxmi.A3
1
Assistant Professor, Department of EEE, Kongu Engineering College, Erode,
Tamilnadu
2
Associate professor, Department of ECE, CMR Institute of Technology,
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
3
Assistant professor, Department of ECE, CMR Institute of Technology,
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
E-mail id: dsarathkumareee@gmail.com,2venkateswaran.k@cmrit.ac.in,
1
3
vijayalaxmi.a@cmrit.ac.in
(Corresponding author: D.Sarathkumar, E-mail id:
dsarathkumareee@gmail.com, whatsapp no: 9688427208)

Abstract
This article presents a design and development of solar energy based hydroponics
cultivation system. The main objective of the system is to grow a plant without a soil by
using solar supply. It uses the 90% of water efficiently. The production rate of the
proposed system increases by 3 to 10 times as compared to soil cultivation system.
Hydroponics is the method of cultivating plants with absence of soil by utilizing in water
solvents as a mineral nutrients solution normally an inorganic substrate with rock wool to
be the most common worldwide. Agriculture in the developing countries faces lot of
serious challenges in nowadays that include: competition for water sources, lagging of
energy resources, increases the costs of labours, tremendous growth of world population,
competition for international markets, climate changes, environmental pollution and
uncertainties in the effectiveness of the current international policies and regulations as
regards adaptation strategies. Controlling of environments becomes an important tool in
agriculture cultivation and study chains. Hydroponics is an assuring technology and
becomes very attractive in the area of agriculture, especially in urban and city side
farming. Hydroponic cultivation systems have found a suitable solution for fast
development and widespread use in current years. In hydroponics cultivation method, the
monitoring and recording of various parameters helps cultivators to develop optimal
solutions for the growth of plants. In this proposed system, we are designed a less-cost,
high-reliability hardware model for solar powered hydroponics cultivation in real-time
measurements.
Keywords: Agriculture, Humidity Sensor, Hydroponics, Plant Cultivation, Pumping
Systems, Smart Monitoring, Solar Power.

1. Introduction
With the developments of science and technology, increasing the growth of world
population and the betterment of people's living standards, hydroponic agriculture plants
cultivation systems become an integral part of everyday life. Hydroponic plant cultivation
not only renovates the environment, but also can entertain us. However, conventional
plant cultivation has been mainly functioned in the soil. It is known that a series of
limitations can be found in the traditional method. For example, balanced watering,
manure and fertilizing have to require at periodic intervals and shortage of labor etc. With
the advancement of various technologies, the soilless cultivation system has become a

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Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

more popular. The home agriculture and family farming have fewer requirements for such
a technique, which can not only increase the attractive value, but also attain an eco-
friendly environment system. It is a low-cost synergetic cycle of plant. So the system can
save the water level more effectively. Nowadays peoples are always engaged in office
work and they not having the extra time to oversee the hydroponic plants because, plants
regularly need watering systems and fertilization. The entire process is so difficult and
more time-consuming. Based on the above limitations, the automatic control system is
proposed in this project. Consequently, it is very mandatory to design a smart tracking
and control system, specifically for people those who are all travelling frequently and
there is no need of regular monitoring of water level.

Figure 1. Basic model for hydroponic plant system

Existing System
 Continuous monitoring of hydroponics plant is by human.
 Regular supply of water is needed so time taken will be more.
 It is not eco-friendly environment because supply to the motor is from conventional
power sources.
 Human power is needed to supply nutrients to the plant and filtering of excess water.
Limitations of Existing System
 Regular monitoring is required in the existing method.
 More manual work is needed.
 High Cost.
 Plants need regular watering level and need more human effort to control the water
flow.

2. Literature Survey
The following literature papers reviewed during the implementation of this proposed
project.
 Nguyen, N. T et al., 2016 [1] was proposed a paper entitled “Hydroponics: A
Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient
Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements”. In this paper proposes the employing a
hydroponic cultivation system is more profitable in situations where the nutrient
media essential to be properly controlled and when entire roots need to be harvested
for downstream purpose.
 Soniya Joshi et al., 2018 [2] was proposed “Automation in Hydroponic system using
Control Circuit”. In this system presents the Hydroponic automation system using
following components: Microcontroller Arduino Nano, Motor pump set, Solenoid
valve, Solar panel, Sensors (Proximity, Moisture), Battery, Charge controller,
Conveyor belt assembly, Sprinkler etc.
 Gerard Rudolph Mendez et al., 2011 [3] was proposed a paper entitled “Wi-Fi Based
Smart Wireless Sensor Network for an Agricultural Environment”. In this project, the
medium provide in an irregular rate to the growing of the plants, which can be
possessed by substances of different sources and features (i.e. inert, organic, and
inorganic substances).

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Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

3. Block Diagram of Proposed Hydroponics System

The block diagram of solar powered hydroponics system is given in figure.2. It
includes of four main blocks: Solar Panel, Pump, Relay, and Arduino Uno. The whole
process is controlled through arduino programming. The supply to the proposed system is
done through solar panel and normal supply. Then the solar power is taken in the battery
and it is converted. The motor is controlled through switch on or off through the relay
circuits. The electric circuit may be automatic and manual mode control. The timer
circuits and humidity sensor are connected to the arduino board. Then up to the reach of
signal level the pump will gets switch on or off.

Figure 2. Block diagram of solar powered hydroponics system

In our proposed system we are implemented solar energy based supply and automatic
control of water flow to the crops. So, the cultivation of the plant can be increased rapidly
compared than soil-based cultivation system.
By utilization of solar energy we can able to reduce the electricity tariff and the land
space for the cultivation of pants.

4. Hardware Components and Experimental Setup of the Proposed System

The main purpose of this methodology is to cultivate the plant without a soil by using
solar power. It uses the 90% of water contents more effectively. As compared to soil
based cultivation method, the production rate increases around 3 to 10 times. This method
of growing and cultivating plants without soil by utilizing mineral nutrients solution in
water solvents.
The Hardware unit of the proposed system consists of the following main units.
4.1. Hydroponics Tray
A grow tray is a container construct to hold more than one crops in a hydroponic
growing system. Depending on the method of hydroponic system in use, these trays may
have drain valves to release the water to drain out of the growing atmosphere when
necessary. A grow tray is also called as a hydroponic tray.

Figure 3. Hydroponics Tray

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Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

4.2. Humidity Sensor

A humidity sensor senses, acts and accounts the moisture contents present in the
air. Humidity measured as the overall water contents present in the surrounding air.
Humidity sensor measures both moisture rate and air temperature of the hydroponic
system.

Figure 4. Humidity sensor

4.3. Solar panel arrays with charge controller

Photovoltaic based solar panel arrays take in sunlight as a source of energy to
produce power required to run the water pump for the proposed hydroponic system.
Excess energy is stored in the DC Battery for run the remaining devices. We are used
6x10 photovoltaic solar cells in the proposed system. Figure.5 is shown that Solar
powered Hydroponic pumping systems with charge controller. Here is a design for a solar
powered pumping system to circulate a nutrient solution through an entire hydroponic
plant.
The selection of Solar Panel to be used will depends on power required to run the pump,
plus some margin to cover for cloudy sky and power loss. A 10 watt solar panel should be
sufficient to run 4.8 watt pump.

Figure 5. Solar Panel Arrays with charge controller

4.4. Pumping Systems

It plays an important role for the hydroponic setup by moving water and
supplying nutrients to the plants. The function of the Pumping Systems is to pump water
when the air pump inflates the water. The water pump circulates water and nutrients when
an air pump inculcates oxygen into the water system.

Figure 6. Pumping Systems

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Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

4.5. Experimental setup

This set up can be implemented as an open space or greenhouse together with solar
and photovoltaic systems. Pumps, UV filters and lighting can be flexible and
environmentally friendly through the use of modern solar technology, and can be
supported and functioned independently.
This Proposed solar hydroponic system allows the continuous production of vegetables,
fish and other crops. Less heating energy requirements and H-LED technology can
guarantee production of high quality vegetables, crops and foods throughout the year.
There is a positive utilization of energy produced by the sun. This promotes to a very low
or even negative CO2 footprint (CO2 sink) for the vegetables, food produced.

Figure 7. Experimental Setup for the Hydroponics System

5. Conclusion
The proposed solar based hydroponic system utilizes maximum energy resources
like solar energy and water can able to grow various hydroponics plants, crops and food
items etc., by controlling the process parameters using control panel. It promotes to
making more energy efficient and eco-friendly system. The uses automation in various
control processes to monitor moisture and temperature automatically and properly supply
water for regular time interval .This System consumes limited water and fertilizers in
comparison to the traditional soil based system. Therefore the overall automated
hydroponic setup gives more flexibility and more effective operation than manually
controlled hydroponic system. Finally it concluded that hydroponic system will be
economical and beneficial to the society to make better and greener environment.
6. Future Scope
In Future, it is very necessary to design and implement an IOT based solar
powered smart hydroponic system. In this system real-time data will be sent to the server
and via the server, it will be shared to authorized people for monitoring purpose. It is
very helpful for the people who are all travel frequently and there is no need of regular
monitoring of water requirements.
Additionally, by the use of solar tracking by which can able to maximum
utilization the solar energy and it is used for collecting, cutting, storing, packaging and
distributing the crops and vegetables through robotics technology.

References
[1]. Nguyen, N. T., McInturf, S. A., & Mendoza-Cózatl, D. G. (2016). Hydroponics: A Versatile
System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and
Exposure to Toxic Elements. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (113). doi:10.3791/54317,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5091364/

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Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 5, (2020), pp. 3266 - 3271

[2]. Soniya Joshi, Vrushali Gujar “Automation in Hydroponic system using Control Circuit”, The
International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology
(IJIRSET), Volume 7, Issue 10, October 2018
[3]. Gerard Rudolph Mendez, Mohd Amri Md Yunus, and Dr. Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay, “A
Wi-Fi Based Smart Wireless Sensor Network for an Agricultural Environment”, 2011 IEEE
Fifth International Conference on Sensing Technology.
[4]. Wang D, Zhao J, Huang L and Xu D (2015) "Design of A Smart Monitoring and Control
System for Aquaponics" Proc. of the 5th Int. Conf. on Information Engineering for
Mechanics and Materials (ICIMM 2015), pp 937-942.
[5]. Mishra R L and Jain P, "Design and Implementation of Automatic Hydroponics System Using
ARM Processor" International Journal of Advanced Research in Electrical, Electronics and
Instrumentation Engineering, Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2015.

Authors
D.Sarathkumar currently working as an Assistant Professor,
Department of EEE, Kongu Engineering College, Perundurai 638 060,
Erode district, Tamilnadu, India. He completed B.E, Electrical &
Electronics Engineering with first class from Sri Ramakrishna Institute
of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. in the year April 2012 and
completed M.E, Power System Engineering (6 th Rank holder in Anna
university) from Velammal Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
His Areas of interest are Smart Grid, Power Systems, Electrical
Machines and drives, Electronics Devices and Circuits etc. Currently
he acts as a Co-Principal Investigator for Project titled “Design And
Development of Smart Grid Architecture with Self-Healing Capability
Using Intelligent Control Algorithm - A Smart City Perspective”,
Sponsored by ASEAN-India Science & Technology Development Fund
(AISTDF) ASEAN-India collaborative R&D program. Amount:
Rs.9.56 Lakhs.

Dr.K.Venkateswaran currently working as an Associate professor,

Department of ECE, CMR Institute of Technology, Bengaluru,
Karnataka. He completed B.E, Electronics and Communications
Engineering in Sethu Institute of Technology, Madurai and M.E,
Communication Systems from Thiagarajar College of Engineering
(TCE), Madurai, Tamil Nadu and obtained PhD degree from Anna
University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His Areas of interest are
Communication Systems, Image Processing, Remote sensing etc.

Mrs. Vijayalaxmi. A currently working as an Assistant professor,

Department of ECE, CMR Institute of Technology, Bengaluru,
Karnataka. She completed B.E, Electronics and Communications
Engineering and M.Tech, Digital Communication & Networking in first
class with Distinction from Guru Nanak Dev College of Engineering
(GND), Bidar, Karnataka. Her Areas of interest are Artificial
Intelligence, Image Processing, Remote sensing etc.

ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 3271

Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC