|| Volume 6 || Special Issue- AIMTMREF|| ||June 2021|| ISSN (Online) 2456-3293

AUTOMATED HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

Adesh D. Bharane1, Swapnil S. Sakhare2, Aditya S. Devre3 , Krishna H. Ansarwade4
U.G. Student, Department of Electrical Engineering, SKN Sinhgad Institute of Technology & Science, Lonavala, India1234
Swapnilsakhare35@gmail.com 1, adityadevre05@gmail.com 2
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Abstract: HYDROPONICS derives its name from the Greek HYDRO-PONOS meaning water/labor. Literally,
"Hydroponics" means "Water Work." Due to increase in urbanization and industrialization, Agriculture land is
decreasing rapidly. Due to rising problem of draught, shortage of water has greatly affected Agriculture. Hydroponic
method is instrumental in growing a plant with minimum and recyclable water. Hydroponics is a technique of growing a
plant in water with nutrient solution mixed with it in soil less technique with continuous supply of oxygen at room
temperature with indirect light. System uses less water and fertilizer as compared to soil system. Hydroponics has no
part in the human work. The growth rate and quality of plant are enhance as roots gets nutrients and oxygen directly
from water medium. The measured and monitored parameters are pH, humidity, electrical conductivity of water and
concentration of nutrients in water and these are useful for maintain the optimum plant growth with the help of
automated hydroponic plant.
Keywords: Water Work, Agriculture Land, Water Nutrient, PLC.

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I INTRODUCTION controller will take care of most of the aspects involved. For
example, making sure the pH/EC level or water/air
This master’s thesis focuses on making an open source temperature is correct.
hydroponics controller. The significance of hydroponics is II IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGIES
in providing a way for the average person to grow their Essentially hydroponics can be summarized as “gardening
own food without the need of soil, for example, for people without soil”. Instead plants get the extra nutrients they need
living in flats and inner city areas. Correct pH, EC and from a water based solution, which ispassed over their roots.
temperature levels of the water are critically important in Passing the water over the roots is possible by hand. However it
hydroponics. Therefore, the help of a controller that is generally impractical when you have more than a couple of
monitors these factors is invaluable and will ensure higher plants. An automated system gives the advantage of working
success and efficiency rates of the grower. the pumps and timers for you, ensuring that the plants will
At the moment, however, such controllers are expensive always get the required nutrients and raising the success rate of
and none of them are open source. Occasionally people the plants. The controller offers the advantage that the plants
will say they have made a controller themselves, but they can be watered, even if the user is away from the house.
never give the code or plans away. The end goal of the III COMPONENT AND SPECIFICATION
project is to design and build a hydroponics controller in
which the hardware and software are open source. A. Nutrient Solution
The controller itself controls lights, a water pump and a fan These nutrients are divided into two categories:
to aid in the growing of food. The use of appropriate macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are those
lighting would make it possible for people living in that plants need in large amounts, including carbon,
conditions of little light. By providing an open source phosphorous, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, potassium,
controller it will allow more people to access hydroponic
magnesium, and calcium. Micronutrients are needed in tiny
growing. This will be achieved as the controller will be
cheaper and will allow busy people to grow the food as the amounts but are essential. These include zinc, nickel, boron,

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copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron, and chlorine. controller can be used to turn on a grow light. As the system
Without these essential elements, plants are unable to build will control external remote plugs, it means that the user has
molecules, undergo enzymatic reactions, and complete the flexibility in the devices they choose.
life cycle. For hydroponic gardeners, this means that without IV BLOCK DIAGRAM
proper nutrients they cannot produce fruit or vegetables that
what they do produce would be sub-part.
B. PH
PH is also an essential element to consider. The pH
value of a nutrient solution has a huge impact on the amount
of nutrition a plant can absorb. It is essential to check pH
levels on a regular basis, preferably daily, even if you are
careful about measuring and mixing your nutrient solution
correctly. Different plants have slightly different
requirements for pH value and nutrient concentration. If you
are going to be growing a large variety of plants in your
system, make sure to research the requirements for each so
that you can group them in terms of their needs.
C. Electrical Conductivity
After pH level, the second most important element to
measure in the water solution is the EC level. EC is a
measure of the concentration of nutrients in the solution.
However as each nutrient has a different salt content, you
could have a high concentration of one nutrient and a lack of
another.
D. Water Temperature
In order for the nutrients to be properly absorbed by the A. Description
plants the temperature of the water should be in the range of The overall hydroponic consists of six different water
18-26°C. If the water temperature is too low, then a water tanks. Three of them contain nutrients (N1, N2, N3).From the
heater can be used to warm it back up again. The controller remaining three tanks one is used for raw water storage second
reports the water temperature in real time back to the user on one used for storage of recycled water and the rest one is used
the main screen. for mixing the nutrients into the water.
The user has the ability to set the lower and upper limits The mixing tank contains different sensors in it e.g.
of the water temperature. The user, if they are using a water Temperature sensor, pH sensor, Electrical conductivity sensor
heater, can set it so that if the temperature falls too low, then (EC level) etc. Instead of these sensors water heater is also
the water heater will switch on. It switches off if the water connected in the mixing tank. The feedback water is then goes
becomes too warm, ensuring that the temperature remains through filter and then stored in recycled water tank. This
constant. This feature is more useful if the user is using the system contains three different water motors to feed the water.
controller outside, like in a greenhouse. Drip system is used for watering of plants.PLC (programmable
E. Air Temperature logic controller) is used as a control system.
The controller reports the air temperature in real time B. Automated Hydroponic System
back to the user on the main screen. Like the other main In Automated hydroponic system plants are placed in a
screen reports, if the value falls outside of a user specified growing medium and nutrients are delivered directly to the
range, a red light will show on the screen. If the temperature roots on the basis of time. PLC is the main part of automated
is within the range it will be green. The controller has hydroponic system. Programmable logic controller is used for
currently no way of controlling the air temperature. A the parameter control. The Real-time Clock component in PLC
possible extension of the project would be that a fan could be is use to set timer for nutrient pump. Timers are set daily.
controlled if the air temperature is too high. When timer is activated, Relay will be activated and nutrient
F. Light Level pump will deliver Nutrient solution for time to time.
Not just a hydroponics problem, but light level is a When timer is deactivated the relay will be off and nutrient pump
general problem of growers. If light levels are too low, the will stop to supply more nutrients in to water

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|| Volume 6 || Special Issue- AIMTMREF|| ||June 2021|| ISSN (Online) 2456-3293

C.Ladder Diagram Of PLC Based Automated Hydroponic

system

The above figure shows the PLC ladder diagram programming

for automated hydroponic system. In the above ladder diagram
programming timers are used to ON/OFF the relay on the time
to time basis for supply of water. In above figure 3 tanks are use,
1 is for raw water, and remaining for nutrient. Another tank is
provided for feedback water. There is 2 motor pump are use 1 is
in mixture tank and another in feedback tank. Mixer tank
provided by strirrer to mix raw water and nutrient to make
nutrient solution to provide plants in hydroponic ponds. To
control the temperature in automated hydroponic system, PT100
sensor is used. As the temperature increases or decreases then
the controlling action is provided by PLC.
D.Basic Component
Plant needs five things Nutrients, water, Light, air and support.
We can provide all these five things in automated hydroponic
system. We saw that hydroponic plants grow well with less use
of water and fertilizer. Growth rate of hydroponic plant is 40-
50% faster than soil system. It

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|| Volume 6 || Special Issue- AIMTMREF|| ||June 2021|| ISSN (Online) 2456-3293

V.ADVANTAGES & DIS-ADVANTAGES [4]Hydroponics. Date of retrieval 22.02.2014

Advantages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics

• You can grow anywhere. [5]IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology &
Engineering | Volume 2 | Issue 10 | April 2016 ISSN (online):
• Uses 20 times less water than soil based farming.
2349-784X.
• You’ll use 20% less space for growing.
[6]Ellis, N.K., Jensen, M., Larsen, J. and Oebker,
• Save water and fertilizer. N.,―Nutriculture Systems—Growing Plants Without Soil‖.
• Effective use of nutrients. Station Bulletin No. 44. Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana.(
1974)
• Better growth rate than soil.
************************************************
Disadvantages
e- National Conference
• Initial set up cost of hydroponic system is high.
On
• System failure threats.
Advances in Modern Technologies of Multidisciplinary
• Experiences and technical knowledge.
Research in Engineering Field (AIMTMREF)
VI.CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE
[20th -21st May, 2021]
Plant needs five things Nutrients, water, Light, air and support.
In association with ISTE , IETE and CSI
We can provide all these five things in automated hydroponic
system. We saw that hydroponic plants grow well with less use Address for Correspondence SKN Sinhgad Institute of
of water and fertilizer. Growth rate of hydroponic plant is 40- Technology and Science Lonavala, Pune. 410 401, MS, India.
50% faster than soil system. Website: www.sinhgad.edu
It is seen that automated hydroponic system requires less ************************************************
attention, care, on the other hand it also requires less space
FUTURE SCOPE
• With hydroponic farming method, More cultivars of staple
crops can be grown and consumption of soil and water will be
reduce or just not require.
• This is one of the fast growing farming sector and can govern
food production in the future. It provides the right amount
and right type of nutrients and saves space. Soil related
problems are also eliminated
• Hydroponic farms requires less of space and water, and
growth is alarmingly quick than the traditional farming, fruits
and vegetables will be grown quickly. With surplus food
available for everyone, there will not be fight for the hunger.
• In this innovative process water is also saved, which means
more water is available for various other purposes.
• In world India is biggest food and vegetable producer
therefore in future this smart farming method is more
beneficial.
REFERENCES
[1]Book: - programmable Logic Controller by Vijay R. Jadhav.
[2]IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology &
Engineering | Volume 2 | Issue 10 | April 2016 ISSN (online):
2349-784X.
[3]International Conference on Trends in Electronics and
Informatics ICEI 2017, Mr. Rahul Nalwade, Mr.Tushar Mote,
Assistant professor, JSPM’S JSCOE.

IMPACT FACTOR 5.856 WWW.OAIJSE.COM DOI 10.51397/OAIJSE06.2021.0054 92