Abstract: India is the land of villages. This being said the major occupation of people in India is agriculture. The project deals with development of solar agricultural sprayer. The problems faced by Indian farmers today are solved by developing a solar powered agriculture sprayer machine. This machine is platform mounted with pesticide tank on the platform. The machine is operated electrically using solar energy from the PV panel mounted on the machine. Keywords: Platform, Farmers, Solar, Sprayer etc INTRODUCTION India is the land of villages. This being said the major occupation of majority of villages in India is agriculture. Near about 70% people are dependent upon agriculture. Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy and it will continue to remain so for a long time. It has to support almost 17 per cent of world population from 2.3 per cent of world geographical area and 4.2 per cent of world’s water resources. The economic reforms, initiated in the country during the early 1990s, have put the economy on a higher growth trajectory. Annual growth rate in GDP has accelerated from below 6 percent during the initial years of reforms to more than 8 percent in recent years. This happened mainly due to rapid growth in non-agriculture sector. The workforce engaged in agriculture between 1980-81 and 2006-07 witnessed a very small decline; from 60.5 percent to 52 percent. Indian agriculture is characterized by agro-ecological diversities in soil, rainfall, temperature, and cropping system. Besides favorable solar energy, the country receives about 3 trillion m3 of rainwater, 14 major, 44 medium and 55 minor rivers share about 83 per cent of the drainage basin. About 210 billion m3 water is estimated to be available as ground water. Irrigation water is becoming a scarce commodity. Thus proper harvesting and efficient utilization of water is of great importance. The nation is striving to find ways and means to keep its burgeoning population adequately fed. On the one hand it is facing the problem of declining productivity and on the other, challenges posed by liberalization. In such a scenario, leveraging the available natural resources and existing infrastructure is the only way to make the ends meet. Management of the already built infrastructure in harmony with natural systems is the clarion call of the day. Knowledge of the extent of existing infrastructure and natural resources is one of the most basic pre-requisites to utilize them effectively and in a sustainable manner. The discipline of agricultural engineering endeavors to develop technologies for enhancing productivity and .Figure 1 District Wise Average Rainfall in India As compared to other fields globalization in agriculture system is less. Comparison can made between the positions of agricultural in India with that in other country as regards shares of agriculture in India with that in other country as regards shares of agriculture in national income. with recent advancements in engineering and technology. Figure supplied by national income committee and central statistical show clearly that agricultural contributed 57% of the national income means agriculture field takes lions shares in national income. The more developed a country the smaller is share of agriculture in national input. Though there are advancements people still follow old practices due to the lack of money and high cost of technically advanced agricultural equipment’s. But. having not yet reached the stage of advanced economy. has an agricultural sector which is skill the dominant one in the country. there also have been changes in agricultural technology and practices. India. it is found that hoes. pangas. Agricultural machines increase productivity of land and labour by meeting timeliness of farm operations and increase work out-put per unit time. Farm Mechanization Farm Mechanization in Indian agriculture started with the establishment of the Central Tractor Organisation (CTO) mainly for land reclamation and development. fertilisers and irrigation water. Besides its paramount contribution to the multiple cropping and diversification of agriculture. Hence. . These tools are conventional. axes and shovels are the main farm tools used by the farmers in India for agricultural operation. Agricultural implements and machines enable the farmers to employ the power judiciously for production purposes. mechanical cultivation and reduction of sanccharum spontanium. mechanization also enables efficient utilisation of inputs such as seeds. time immemorial and no improvement in agricultural practice is adopted. The productivity of farms depends greatly on the availability and judicious use of farm power by the farmers.According to a study made by ISAE. it is necessary to develop a system which results in drudgery reduction and is user friendly to agricultural community in India. Rajasthan. cuts down crop production costs in the long run. threshers and rice transplanters are some of the equipment for which a surge in demand has been witnessed over the past few years. reduces post-harvest losses and boosts crop output and farm income. In manually operated equipment. India has remained one of the primary nations which fuelled the growth of the agricultural equipment market. combine harvesters. In Asia-Pacific. rotavators. power tillers. After liberalization and with development of prototypes of machines. The demand for agricultural machinery in Asia-Pacific region was more than twice than in any other region. the number of sprayers has almost doubled.Figure 2 Tractor working in a farm Farm mechanization saves time and labour. The Indian agricultural equipment market is experiencing a rapid growth with expected strong potential for future growth as well. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states of India. Steady growth is observed in manually operated tools. Punjab. Mechanization is viewed as package of technology to . manufacturing got a big boost particularly in Haryana. animal operated implements. and equipment operated by mechanical and electrical power sources in India. The tractors. Indian agriculture continues to be dependent upon human. Yet the fact remains that even small farmers are adopting and utilising selected farm equipments for efficient farm management through custom hiring. irrigation. Status of Farm Mechanization in India Even though farm mechanization shows an increasing trend.(i) Ensure timely field operations to increase productivity. Hand tools and animal drawn implements are extensively used which involve a great amount of drudgery. Mechanical equipments for various farm operations like tillage. (ii) Increase land utilization and input use efficiency (iii) Increase labour productivity using labour saving and drudgery reducing devices besides. plant protection and threshing etc are generally being used by the farming community. being cost effective and eco-friendly. there are wide ranging disparities in the levels of mechanization across some states. animal and mechanical power sources. Diverse farm mechanization scenario prevails in the country due to size of farm holdings and socio-economic disparities. sowing. It is generally believed that the benefits of modern technology have been restricted to farmers with large land-holdings. Uttar Pradesh (particularly Western and Tarai belt) have achieved a faster growth in mechanization over various Plans . Haryana. Northern States such as Punjab. reduce crop losses and improve quality of agroproduce. there has been considerable progress in agriculture mechanization. Over the last few years. Appropriate machinery have been adapted by farmers for ensuring timely field operations and effective application of various crop production inputs utilizing human. The spraying operation: The crops need to be sprayed with pesticides and insecticides to keep them safe and better output . Rajasthan and certain areas of Tamil Nadu.. The sale of other implements and machines like combine harvesters.. threshers and other power-operated equipment have been increasing almost throughout the country The pace of mechanization in North-Eastern States has not been satisfactory due to constraints such as hilly topography. Most of these machines are available commercially and have been well adopted. has increased with the increase in area under irrigation and also with the growing awareness among farmer A number of machines and equipment suitable for different farm operations suited to different agro-climatic regions and categories of farm have been developed and tested. lack of institutional financing and lack of farm machinery manufacturing industries. high cost of transport. socio-economic conditions. Before spraying following operations need to be performed. Maharashtra. Gujarat. Andhra Pradesh etc. Before spraying: Identify the ascertain the damage done pest and . Mechanization in Western and Southern states of the country viz. Ascertain that all components are clean. hose clamps and valves. especially filling and suction strainer. Test the sprayer and ascertain whether it pumps the required output at rated pressure. Read instructions manual of the pesticide and equipment. Calibrate the sprayer. sprayer tank. Use only the recommended pesticide which is the least toxic. Check the spraying equipment and accessories which are to be used. towel and plenty of water is available . worn out nozzle tip. gasket. Ensure that soap. Use pesticide only if it has exceeded the Economical Injury Level. Set spraying speed and nozzle swath by adjusting spray height and nozzle spacing. seal. Train all concerned with the application and also understand the recommendations. cut off device and nozzle. Check the nozzle spray pattern and discharge rate. Make sure that appropriate protective clothing is available and is used. Replace worn out parts such as 'O' ring. During spraying Take only sufficient pesticide for the day's application from the store to the site. Avoid contamination of the skin especially eyes and mouth. DO NOT transfer pesticides from original container and packing into the containers. Avoid drift by selecting proper direction of spraying and also holding nozzle and boom at a proper height. Make sure pesticides are mixed in the correct quantities Wear appropriate clothing. . Start spraying near the down wind edge of the field and proceed upwind so that operator moves into unsprayed area. Recheck the use instructions of pesticide and equipment. high temperature and rain. Do not spray in high wind. Liquid formulation should be poured carefully to avoid splashing. Follow correct spray technique. drink or smoke when mixing or applying pesticides. Never allow children or other unauthorized persons to be nearby during mixing. Never leave unused pesticides in sprayers. Do not use empty pesticide containers for any purpose. Always clean equipment properly. . Crush and bury the containers preferably in a land filled dump. After spraying Remaining pesticides left in the tank after spraying should be emptied and disposed off in pits dug on wasteland. After use. Never empty the tank into irrigation canals or ponds. NEVER leave pesticides unattended in the field. Never spray if the wind is blowing towards grazing livestock or pastures regularly used. oil it and then keep away in store room. Never eat. Spray plant crop thoroughly by operating sprayer at correct speed and correct pressure. NEVER blow out clogged nozzles or hoses with your mouth. Wash yourself well and put on clean clothing. used in preparing the spray solution. Remove and wash protective clothing and footwear. Clean buckets. sticks. etc. measuring jars. Keep an accurate record of pesticide usuage. . Prevent persons from entering treated areas until it is safe to do so. Mark the sprayed plots with a flag. In this project we will be fabricating solar powered spraying machine which can be used by Farmers to spray pesticides on their crops. sprayers may be classified in to 1. Low volume sprayer (5 to 400 litres/ hectare) 3. . The selection technique depends up on type of vegetation. kind of pests and approach to the field. Ultra low volume sprayer (ULV) spray (less than 5 litres /ha). High volume sprayer (more than 400 litres /ha) 2. The different types of spray equipment’s available in market are as described below. A deep study was made on different sprayers available in the market and accordingly the project objective was laid out. Based up on the volume of liquid handled .LITERATURE REVIEW: Before the start of project it was necessary to study the current systems available in market for farmers and study the limitations of the system. 5-7. Rotating disc technology ensures efficient liquid atomization to give appropriate droplet size. It is a handheld sprayer with a spinning / rotating disc designed for ultra-low volume (ULV) and controlled droplet application of insecticides. pressure gauge. pressure gauge . The chemical tank is filled 75-80 % volume . a vertical air pump . the fluid passes through the nozzle and spraying is done.51it capacity a built in air pump. When the flow cut off lever is pressed. The tank is to be filled with ¾ th volume. The application rate ranges from 45 to 100 litres /ha.ULTRA LOW VOLUME SPRAYER ULV Sprayer is used to spray chemicals on row crops like cotton. tobacco and vegetables. a handle to operate . the fluid passes through the nozzle and spraying is done.5 hour HAND ATOMIZER This sprayer is also ideally suited for home gardens and small fields. The sprayer is carried on the shoulder of the operator. It is ideally suited for home gardens.0 – 3. herbicides and all liquids. cowpea. pesticides. KNAPSACK SPRAYER (HAND OPERATED) This sprayer is suitable for applying chemicals to several field crops. HAND COMPRESSION SPRAYER It is suitable for applying chemicals for field crops and lawns. Similar to hand atomizer this sprayer also consists of a tank of 10-12 lit capacity for holding spray material . groundnuts .5 kg/cm2. ULV formulations are applied at only 2. The pump is operated to build pressure in the tank of 0.5 to 3. fungicides.5 litres / ha. One hectare of crop can be treated in around 2. spray lance . It has a flat or bean-shaped tank of 10-15 litres capacity. It consists of a container of 0.3 kg/cm2 .15-0. nozzle and a flow control lever.. a hydraulic pump fitted inside the tank.The pump is operated to pump air in to the tank to build pressure up to 2. When the flow cut off lever is pressed . nozzle and flow cut off lever. The application rate ranges from 45 to 100 litres /ha. filling port. The operator carries the sprayer on his back and hence the name knapsack sprayer. The Pressure chamber helps for continuous spraying. The pressure developed in these sprayers depends on the pump and varies from 3 to 12 kg/cm2 The application rate is 500 lit/ha. coconut and areca nut trees. pressure chamber. a platform with fork. When the cut off lever is pressed spraying is done through the nozzle as fine droplets. flower gardens. filter. It consists of a piston type pump. consist of a plunger assembly. capacity 7. to maintain. economical. delivery hose. it draws the fluid through the suction hose and delivers it to the delivery hose through the pressure chamber.. and spray gun with nozzle and flow control lever. The output of the sprayer is 70-90 lit/hr with one nozzle. The tank is filled with chemical solution. The tank is made of either brass or PVC material. hand operation lit. Robust 5. and a spray gun with flow control knob and nozzle.10-15 of and right less effort. agitator. ROCKER SPRAYER Rocker sprayer is mainly used for spraying fruit trees in orchards. simple and sprayers. suction hose with strainer.the pump. features Useful Light in to weight 3. as they are commonly called. When the pump is operated. the fluid is sprayed through the nozzle. delivery hose. The coverage is 0. High 4. Easy to spray chemicals. The chemical is taken in a separate container and the suction hose is kept in the chemical container. When the pump is operated. Both of develop and easy knapsack high to carry work on rate and left pressure the with back 6. Coverage is about 1. The pump builds up a pressure up to 14-18 kg/cm2 which facilitates the use of the sprayer for tree spraying. Salient 1. and cotton and tapioca fields. When the flow control knob is turned. FOOT OR PEDAL OPERATED SPRAYER The foot or pedal sprayers. . 2.5-1.5 ha/day.0 ha/day. it draws the fluid through the suction hole and delivers it to the spray gun. a lever to operate the pump. the operator. The discharge rate with KNAPSACK one nozzle is MOTORIZED 110-135 MIST l/hr and coverage BLOWER is CUM 1. It is used for spraying to all types of field crops most popularly to paddy. it draws the fluid through the suction hose and delivers it to the delivery hose. The chemical mixed air stream is broken in to fine droplets at the atomizer grate and sprayed. Similarly. It can Develops 250 to 350 pounds pressure and can deliver the solution up to 15 m. the fluid is sprayed through the nozzle. fleeted air hose. When the pump is operated by the foot. delivery hose. . cotton and vegetable crops. It consists of a triplex pump with stainless steel piston with oil bath lubrication.. When the engine is started. flow regulator knob and a plastic atomizer grate.It is convenient to spray with 4 to 6 spray lances at a time using the sprayer.0 hp high speed petrol engine. suction hose. When the flow control lever is pressed. spray gun with a nozzle etc.3. POWER SPRAYER It is a heavy duty and efficient sprayer.0 ha/day DUSTER It is the simplest engine driven sprayer used in agriculture. It consists of a 1. The tank is filled with the required chemical solution. It develops a pressure of 17-21 kg/cm2. It is carried on the back of the operator. It can be powered by a 3 HP engine or electric motor . Constant pedaling is required for continuous spray.2. the blower generates a high velocity air to which the chemical solution is fed. a blower. Summary of literature review and project motivation: .stand. Agitation of chemical solution is done by supplying a portion of air from the blower. By changing few parts the sprayer can be converted in to a duster. a 12 lit chemical tank. There are sprayers can be operated by tractor PTO as well as by a power tiller. delivery hose. groundnut. One end of the suction hose is fitted with a strainer and the other end is connected to the pump inlet opening. The chemical is taken in a separate container and the suction hose is kept in the chemical container. the delivery hose is fitted at one end to the delivery opening of the pump and the other end to the spray gun. After studying these different sprayers available in the market it was concluded that though a wide range of spraying equipment’s are available in the market. The ideal requirements while the fabrcation of the frame are a) b) c) d) Should hace enough space for mounting all the components Should be strong enough to sustain all the forces Should be economical in construction. none of them focuses on the problems faced by farmers to carry heavy equipment’s on their back and the electricity scarcity problems in Indian villages. The project began with selection of appropriate materials for chassis. MATERIAL SURVEY AND SELECTION: A wide range of materials were available in market to fabricate this machine. This motivates us to fabricate a platform mounted solar powered agricultural spraying machine. Selection of frame material: Since the frame or chassis forms the integral part of the project on which all the other components can be mounted. However choosing optimum materials was necessary as the cost of the fabrication of the machine should be low so as to be easily affordable by Indian farmers. care has to be taken while choosing th material for the frame of the project. The chassis or frame is the integral component which houses all other components of the project. . Should be light weight. Considering the followin things in mind two materials were found to be ideal for chassis fabrication. 1 inch square ERW pipes: These are Electric resistace welded pipes. The solar panel selected should meet the following requirements . Electric Resistance Welding (ERW) pipe is manufactured by rolling metal and then welding it longitudinally across its length. Thus to fabricate the frame ERW steel pipes with 0.75 inch square cross section were chosen. Figure: Square ERW pipes Selection of Solar panel: The selection of solar panel was very imporatnt as the machine is solar powered. These pipes not only provie sufficient strength in extreme conditions of the machine but also are economical. 1) Should be affordable 2) Should be able to mount in least space 3) Should charge the Batteyr in day long cycle Considering these thisng sin mind the solar panel of 10 W was choosen Selection of solar charge controller: The solar charge controller plays a major role without which it is not possible to charge the battery. Keeping following things in mind. Selection of spray pump: Since the entire system is designed to handle the load of < 5 amp the pump which consumes less than 5 A of current was chosen. The pump chosen is 12 V 3. and considering the load current of < 5 A the 6 A charge controller was choosen. it requires battery to store the charge.2 AH 12 V battery. As the charge controller regulates the charge coming out of the solar panel and supplies it to the load the charge controller selected should meet the following requirements 1) Should be economical 2) Should deliver the current required by the load 3) Should regulate the solar panel voltage to battery 4) Should have battery low cutoff function. STANDARD COMPONENTS USED IN THIS PROJECT: 1) Solar Panel: . Selection of power system: Though the system is powered using solar energy. The battery selected need to meet the ofllowing requirements 1) To give sufficinet backup for spray pump 2) Should charge easily 3) Long battery life 4) Compact and economical Based on the following requirements the batteyr choosen was 7.5 A pump. the following are the specifications of 10 Watt soalr panel.monocrystalline. Lots of small solar cells spread over a large area can work together to provide enough power to be useful. . This is the key component that converts sunlight into electricity. polycrystalline. amorphous silicon. The other 20% consist primarily of solar cells made mostly from Cadmium Telluride and a small but growing amount from CIGS.. so the machine is usually designed with solar panels that can always be pointed at the Sun even as the rest of the body of the machine moves around. Figure 3 Solar Panel This project uses a 10 Watt 12 V solar panel as it is sufficient to charge the battery. The technical specifications of the solar panel are as shown below. or hybrids) solar cells. Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating.e. or photovoltaic cell. Typically the solar cells are laid out in a grid pattern – with perhaps as many as 72 different solar cells. The appeal of these types of cells is their low cost resulting from the fact they can be made in large single sheets. At the present time about 80% of all solar panels are made from crystalline silicon (i. the more electricity it produces. The primary component of a solar panel is the solar cells.This project uses 10 watt soalr panel. The more light that hits a cell. amp solar charge controller should sufficient.98 2) Charge controller: The charge controller is the device which is used to charge the battery and take the load using the electricity generated by solar panel.8 x 0.59 Amps 21.64 Amps 13. .3 Volts 0. 5 to 1. In our project as the net load will never exceed 5 amp.8 x 11.Specifications: Max Rated Power (Pmax) Voltage at Max Power (Vmp) Current at Max Power (Imp) Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) Short Circuit Current (Isc) Length x Width x Depth (inches) 10 Watts 17.8 Volts 0. hydro. Charge controllers block reverse current and prevent battery overcharge. whether the power source is PV. Some controllers also prevent battery over . or utility grid. Its purpose is to keep your batteries properly fed and safe for the long term.A charge controller is an essential part of nearly all power systems that charge batteries. wind. The basic functions of a controller are quite simple. fuel. the battery voltage gets too high. to block reverse current." Preventing Overcharge When a battery reaches full charge. protect from electrical overload. (Our term "battery" represents either a single battery or bank of batteries. then you may not need a charge controller. You can install a simple diode in that case. Blocking Let's examine each Reverse function individually. and/or display battery status and the flow of power. causing a slight discharge from the battery. It prevents reverse current without any extra effort or cost. it can no longer store incoming energy. In some controllers. Water separates into hydrogen and oxygen and bubbles out rapidly. An example is a tiny maintenance module that prevents battery discharge in a parked vehicle but will not support significant loads. Some types of wind and hydro generators also draw reverse current when they stop (most do not except under fault conditions). In most controllers. the panels may pass a bit of current in the reverse direction.) The potential loss is minor. charge current passes through a semiconductor (a transistor) which acts like a valve to control the current. (You can hear it click on and off.discharge. A diode used for this purpose is called a "blocking diode. It is called a "semiconductor" because it passes current only in one direction. an electromagnetic coil opens and closes a mechanical switch. This is a rare application. If energy continues to be applied at the full rate. (It looks like it's boiling so we . to block reverse current. If you are using a PV array only to trickle-charge a battery (a very small array relative to the size of the battery). but it is easy to prevent. Current Photovoltaic panels work by pumping current through your battery in one direction.) The relay switches off at night. At night. This is called a relay. and to some extent. This is called "voltage regulating. It maintains a full charge but minimizes water loss and stress. Excessive voltage can also stress your loads (lights. and a chance that the gasses can ignite and cause a small explosion. the type of battery. although it's not actually hot. Preventing overcharge is simply a matter of reducing the flow of energy to the battery when the battery reaches a specific voltage. it will drop the voltage lower. Then. If it has two-stage regulation.) There is excessive loss of water. etc. The voltages at which the controller changes the charge rate are called set points.sometimes call it that. . while others do not.) or cause your inverter to shut off. Both methods work well when set properly for your type of battery. and mildly overcharging the battery. A PWM controller holds the voltage more constant. The determination of set points depends on the anticipated patterns of usage. Some controllers have adjustable set points. This is called "on/off control. The controller "looks at" the voltage. appliances. When the voltage drops due to lower sun intensity or an increase in electrical usage. and regulates the battery charging in response. Two-stage regulating is important for a system that may experience many days or weeks of excess energy (or little use of energy). to sustain a "finish" or "trickle" charge. there is some compromise between charging quickly before the sun goes down. The battery will also degrade rapidly and may possibly overheat. the experience and philosophy of the system designer or operator. This is called "pulse width modulation" (PWM)." Others reduce the current gradually." It is the most essential function of all charge controllers. Some controllers regulate the flow of energy to the battery by switching the current fully on or fully off. the controller again allows the maximum possible charge. When determining the ideal set points. it will first hold the voltage to a safe maximum for the battery to reach full charge. 5 Amp Discharge = 4 to 6 Litres per minute 4) Battery : The battery used in this project is 12 V 7. • • • The specifications of the pump are: Operating Voltage= 12 V Current = 3.2 AH sealed lead acid battery .3) Pump: The pump is used to pump the liquid form the tank and push it with high pressure to the nozzle of the sprayer. 2 = 86.4 Watt .2 Amp 86.The specifications of the battery are as follows: Sl.4 W Value 12 V 7. No 1 2 3 Parameter Voltage Current Power CALCULATIONS: • Time required for battery charging The power of the battery = 12 x 7. 05 hours MECHANICAL FABRICATION: .4 watt Therefore the battery backup is given by 86.64 hours Assuming day long cycle of 8 9.4 / 42 = 2.hours the battery can be charged completely in one day • The power consumed by motor is given by P = 12 x 3.The solar panel power input= 10 W The time required for charging full battery = 86.5 = 42 W We know the power rating of the battery is 86.4/10 =8. Doesn’t require farmers to carry heavy tanks on their back Can be upgraded to higher tank capacity with ease Disadvatages: 1) Requires some initial investment 2) Battery maintenance is required after some time .ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES: 1) 2) 3) 4) Advantages: Solar powered hence doesn’t required electricity in villages for charging Can be used in remote locations.