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. But, with recent

advancements in engineering and technology, there also have been changes in

agricultural technology and practices. Though there are advancements people still follow

old practices due to the lack of money and high cost of technically advanced agricultural

equipment’s.

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. 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. The more developed a

country the smaller is share of agriculture in national input. India, having not yet reached

the stage of advanced economy, has an agricultural sector which is skill the dominant one

in the country.

According to a study made by ISAE, it is found that hoes, pangas, axes and shovels are

the main farm tools used by the farmers in India for agricultural operation. These tools

are conventional, time immemorial and no improvement in agricultural practice is

adopted. Hence, it is necessary to develop a system which results in drudgery reduction

and is user friendly to agricultural community in India.

The productivity of farms depends greatly on the availability and judicious use of farm

power by the farmers. Agricultural implements and machines enable the farmers to

employ the power judiciously for production purposes. Agricultural machines increase

productivity of land and labour by meeting timeliness of farm operations and increase

work out-put per unit time. Besides its paramount contribution to the multiple cropping

and diversification of agriculture, mechanization also enables efficient utilisation of

inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and irrigation water.

Farm Mechanization

Farm Mechanization in Indian agriculture started with the establishment of the Central

Tractor Organisation (CTO) mainly for land reclamation and development, mechanical

cultivation and reduction of sanccharum spontanium.

Figure 2 Tractor working in a farm

Farm mechanization saves time and labour, cuts down crop production costs in the long

run, reduces post-harvest losses and boosts crop output and farm income. Steady growth

is observed in manually operated tools, animal operated implements, and equipment

operated by mechanical and electrical power sources in India. In manually operated

equipment, the number of sprayers has almost doubled. After liberalization and with

development of prototypes of machines, manufacturing got a big boost particularly in

Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states of India.

The Indian agricultural equipment market is experiencing a rapid growth with expected

strong potential for future growth as well. The demand for agricultural machinery in

Asia-Pacific region was more than twice than in any other region. In Asia-Pacific, India

has remained one of the primary nations which fuelled the growth of the agricultural

equipment market. The tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters, rotavators, threshers

and rice transplanters are some of the equipment for which a surge in demand has been

witnessed over the past few years.

Mechanization is viewed as package of technology to

(i) Ensure timely field operations to increase productivity, reduce crop losses and

improve quality of agroproduce.

(ii) Increase land utilization and input use efficiency

(iii) Increase labour productivity using labour saving and drudgery reducing

devices besides, being cost effective and eco-friendly.

Appropriate machinery have been adapted by farmers for ensuring timely field operations

and effective application of various crop production inputs utilizing human, animal and

mechanical power sources. Diverse farm mechanization scenario prevails in the country

due to size of farm holdings and socio-economic disparities. Indian agriculture continues

to be dependent upon human. Hand tools and animal drawn implements are extensively

used which involve a great amount of drudgery.

Over the last few years, there has been considerable progress in agriculture

mechanization. It is generally believed that the benefits of modern technology have been

restricted to farmers with large land-holdings. Yet the fact remains that even small

farmers are adopting and utilising selected farm equipments for efficient farm

management through custom hiring. Mechanical equipments for various farm operations

like tillage, sowing, irrigation, plant protection and threshing etc are generally being used

by the farming community.

Status of Farm Mechanization in India

Even though farm mechanization shows an increasing trend, there are wide ranging

disparities in the levels of mechanization across some states.

Northern States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (particularly Western and

Tarai belt) have achieved a faster growth in mechanization over various Plans

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, socio-economic conditions, high cost of

transport, lack of institutional financing and lack of farm machinery

manufacturing industries.

Mechanization in Western and Southern states of the country viz., Gujarat,

Maharashtra, Rajasthan and certain areas of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc., 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.

Most of these machines are available commercially and have been well adopted.

The spraying operation:

The crops need to be sprayed with pesticides and insecticides to keep them safe and

better output . Before spraying following operations need to be performed.

Before spraying:

Identify the pest and

ascertain the damage done

Use pesticide only if it has exceeded the Economical Injury Level.

Use only the recommended pesticide which is the least toxic.

Read instructions manual of the pesticide and equipment.

Check the spraying equipment and accessories which are to be used.

Ascertain that all components are clean, especially filling and suction

strainer, sprayer tank, cut off device and nozzle.

Replace worn out parts such as 'O' ring, seal, gasket, worn out nozzle

tip, hose clamps and valves.

Test the sprayer and ascertain whether it pumps the required output at

rated pressure. Check the nozzle spray pattern and discharge rate.

Calibrate the sprayer. Set spraying speed and nozzle swath by

adjusting spray height and nozzle spacing.

Make sure that appropriate protective clothing is available and is

used.

Train all concerned with the application and also understand the

recommendations. Ensure that soap, towel and plenty of water is

available

During spraying

Take only sufficient pesticide for the day's application from the store

to the site.

DO NOT transfer pesticides from original container and packing into

the containers.

Recheck the use instructions of pesticide and equipment.

Make sure pesticides are mixed in the correct quantities

Wear appropriate clothing.

Avoid contamination of the skin especially eyes and mouth.

Liquid formulation should be poured carefully to avoid splashing.

Do not spray in high wind, high temperature and rain.

Avoid drift by selecting proper direction of spraying and also holding

nozzle and boom at a proper height.

Start spraying near the down wind edge of the field and proceed

upwind so that operator moves into unsprayed area.

Never eat, drink or smoke when mixing or applying pesticides.

NEVER blow out clogged nozzles or hoses with your mouth.

Follow correct spray technique. Spray plant crop thoroughly by

operating sprayer at correct speed and correct pressure.

Never allow children or other unauthorized persons to be nearby

during mixing. NEVER leave pesticides unattended in the field.

Never spray if the wind is blowing towards grazing livestock or

pastures regularly used.

After spraying

Remaining pesticides left in the tank after spraying should be

emptied and disposed off in pits dug on wasteland.

Never empty the tank into irrigation canals or ponds.

Never leave unused pesticides in sprayers. Always clean equipment

properly. After use, oil it and then keep away in store room.

Do not use empty pesticide containers for any purpose.

Crush and bury the containers preferably in a land filled dump.

Clean buckets, sticks, measuring jars, etc. used in preparing the spray

solution.

Remove and wash protective clothing and footwear. Wash yourself

well and put on clean clothing.

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.

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. A deep study was made on

different sprayers available in the market and accordingly the project objective was laid

out.

The different types of spray equipment’s available in market are as described below.

Based up on the volume of liquid handled ,sprayers may be  classified in to

1. High volume sprayer (more than 400 litres /ha)

2. Low volume sprayer (5 to 400 litres/ hectare)

3. Ultra low volume sprayer (ULV) spray (less than 5 litres /ha).

            The selection technique depends up on type of vegetation, kind of pests and

approach to the field.

ULTRA LOW VOLUME SPRAYER

            ULV Sprayer is used to spray chemicals on row crops like cotton, cowpea,

groundnuts ,  tobacco and vegetables. It is ideally suited for home gardens.  It is a hand-

held sprayer with a spinning / rotating disc designed for ultra-low volume (ULV) and

controlled droplet application of insecticides, fungicides, pesticides, herbicides and all

liquids. Rotating disc technology ensures efficient liquid atomization to give appropriate

droplet size. ULV formulations are applied at only 2.5-7.5 litres / ha. One hectare of crop

can be treated in around 2.5 hour

HAND ATOMIZER

This sprayer is also ideally suited for home gardens and small fields. It consists of a

container of 0.5 to 3.51it capacity a built in air pump, pressure gauge , nozzle and flow

cut off  lever. The tank is to be filled with ¾ th volume. The pump is operated to build

pressure in the tank of 0.15-0.3 kg/cm2 . When the   flow cut off lever is pressed , the

fluid passes through the nozzle and spraying is done. The application rate ranges from 45

to 100 litres /ha.

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 , a

vertical air pump , pressure gauge, filling port, spray lance , nozzle and a flow control

lever. The chemical tank is filled 75-80 % volume .The pump is operated to pump air in

to the tank to build pressure up to 2.0 – 3.5 kg/cm2. When the   flow cut off lever is

pressed, the fluid passes through the nozzle and spraying is done. The sprayer is carried

on the shoulder of the operator. The application rate ranges from 45 to 100 litres /ha.

KNAPSACK SPRAYER (HAND OPERATED)

This sprayer is suitable for applying chemicals to several field crops. The operator carries

the sprayer on his back and hence the name knapsack sprayer. It has a flat or bean-shaped

tank of 10-15 litres capacity., a hydraulic pump fitted inside the tank, a handle to operate

the pump, agitator, filter, delivery hose, and spray gun with nozzle and flow control lever.

The tank is made of either brass or PVC material. The tank is filled with chemical

solution. When the pump is operated, it draws the fluid through the suction hole and

delivers it to the spray gun, When the cut off lever is pressed spraying is done through the

nozzle as fine droplets. 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. The coverage is 0.5-1.0

ha/day.

Salient features of knapsack sprayers.

1. Useful to develop high pressure with less effort.

2. Light in weight and easy to carry on the back of the operator..

3. High work rate and economical.

4. Robust and simple to maintain.

5. Both left and right hand operation

6.10-15 lit. capacity

7. Easy to spray chemicals.

ROCKER SPRAYER

            Rocker sprayer is mainly used for spraying fruit trees in orchards, coconut and

areca nut trees, flower gardens, and cotton and tapioca fields. It consists of a piston type

pump, a platform with fork, a lever to operate the pump, pressure chamber, suction hose

with strainer, delivery hose, and a spray gun with flow control knob and nozzle. The

pump builds up a pressure up to 14-18 kg/cm2 which facilitates the use of the sprayer for

tree spraying. The Pressure chamber helps for continuous spraying. The chemical is taken

in a separate container and the suction hose is kept in the chemical container. When the

pump is operated, it draws the fluid through the suction hose and delivers it to the

delivery hose through the pressure chamber. When the flow control knob is turned, the

fluid is sprayed through the nozzle. The output of the sprayer is 70-90 lit/hr with one

nozzle. Coverage is about 1.5 ha/day.

FOOT OR PEDAL OPERATED SPRAYER 

The foot or pedal sprayers, as they are commonly called, consist of a plunger assembly,

stand, suction hose, delivery hose, spray gun  with a nozzle etc.  One end of the suction

hose is fitted with a strainer and the other end is connected to the pump inlet opening.  

Similarly, the delivery hose is fitted at one end to the delivery opening of the pump and

the other end to the spray gun.  Constant pedaling is required for continuous spray.  It

develops a pressure of 17-21 kg/cm2. The chemical is taken in a separate container and

the suction hose is kept in the chemical container. When the pump is operated by the foot,

it draws the fluid through the suction hose and delivers it to the delivery hose.  When the

flow control lever is pressed, the fluid is sprayed through the nozzle. Agitation of

chemical solution is done by supplying a portion of air from the blower, The discharge

rate with one nozzle is 110-135 l/hr and coverage is 1.0 ha/day

KNAPSACK MOTORIZED MIST BLOWER CUM DUSTER

It is the simplest engine driven sprayer used in agriculture. It is carried on the back of the

operator. It is used for spraying to all types of field crops most popularly to paddy,

groundnut, cotton and vegetable crops. It consists of a 1.2- 3.0 hp high speed petrol

engine, a blower, a 12 lit chemical tank, delivery hose, fleeted air hose, flow regulator

knob and a plastic atomizer grate. The tank is filled with the required chemical solution.

When the engine is started, the blower generates a high velocity air to which the chemical

solution is fed. The chemical mixed air stream is broken in to fine droplets at the

atomizer grate and sprayed. . By changing few parts the sprayer can be converted in to a

duster.

POWER SPRAYER

It is a heavy duty and efficient sprayer. It consists of a triplex pump with stainless steel

piston with oil bath lubrication. It can Develops 250 to 350 pounds pressure and can

deliver the solution up to  15 m.. It can be powered by a  3 HP engine or electric motor .It

is convenient to spray with 4 to 6 spray lances at a time using the sprayer. There are

sprayers can be operated by tractor PTO as well as  by a power tiller.

Summary of literature review and project motivation:

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, 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.

This motivates us to fabricate a platform mounted solar powered agricultural spraying

machine.

MATERIAL SURVEY AND SELECTION:

A wide range of materials were available in market to fabricate this machine. 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.

The project began with selection of appropriate materials for chassis. The chassis or

frame is the integral component which houses all other components of the project.

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, care has to be taken while choosing th material for the

frame of the project.

The ideal requirements while the fabrcation of the frame are

a) Should hace enough space for mounting all the components

b) Should be strong enough to sustain all the forces

c) Should be economical in construction.

d) 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. Electric Resistance Welding (ERW) pipe is

manufactured by rolling metal and then welding it longitudinally across its length. These

pipes not only provie sufficient strength in extreme conditions of the machine but also are

economical. 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. The

solar panel selected should meet the following requirements

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. 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.

Keeping following things in mind, and considering the load current of < 5 A the 6 A

charge controller was choosen.

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 3.5 A pump.

Selection of power system:

Though the system is powered using solar energy, it requires battery to store the charge.

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 7.2 AH 12 V

battery.

STANDARD COMPONENTS USED IN THIS PROJECT:

1) Solar Panel:

This project uses 10 watt soalr panel. the following are the specifications of 10

Watt soalr panel. Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's rays as

a source of energy for generating electricity or heating. The primary component

of a solar panel is the solar cells, or photovoltaic cell. This is the key component

that converts sunlight into electricity.

At the present time about 80% of all solar panels are made from crystalline silicon

(i.e.,monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous silicon, or hybrids) solar cells.

Typically the solar cells are laid out in a grid pattern – with perhaps as many as 72

different solar cells. The other 20% consist primarily of solar cells made mostly

from Cadmium Telluride and a small but growing amount from CIGS. The appeal

of these types of cells is their low cost resulting from the fact they can be made in

large single sheets.

Lots of small solar cells spread over a large area can work together to provide

enough power to be useful. The more light that hits a cell, the more electricity it

produces, 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.

Specifications:

Max Rated Power (Pmax) 10 Watts

Voltage at Max Power (Vmp) 17.3 Volts

Current at Max Power (Imp) 0.59 Amps

Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 21.8 Volts

Short Circuit Current (Isc) 0.64 Amps

Length x Width x Depth (inches) 13.8 x 11.8 x 0.98

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.

In our project as the net load will never exceed 5 amp, 5 to 1- amp solar charge

controller should sufficient.

A charge controller is an essential part of nearly all power systems that charge

batteries, whether the power source is PV, wind, hydro, fuel, or utility grid. Its purpose is

to keep your batteries properly fed and safe for the long term.

The basic functions of a controller are quite simple. Charge controllers block reverse

current and prevent battery overcharge. Some controllers also prevent battery over

discharge, protect from electrical overload, and/or display battery status and the flow of

power. Let's examine each function individually.

Blocking Reverse Current

Photovoltaic panels work by pumping current through your battery in one direction. At

night, the panels may pass a bit of current in the reverse direction, causing a slight

discharge from the battery. (Our term "battery" represents either a single battery or bank

of batteries.) The potential loss is minor, but it is easy to prevent. Some types of wind and

hydro generators also draw reverse current when they stop (most do not except under

fault conditions).

In most controllers, charge current passes through a semiconductor (a transistor) which

acts like a valve to control the current. It is called a "semiconductor" because it passes

current only in one direction. It prevents reverse current without any extra effort or cost.

In some controllers, an electromagnetic coil opens and closes a mechanical switch. This

is called a relay. (You can hear it click on and off.) The relay switches off at night, 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), then you may not need a charge controller. This is a rare

application. An example is a tiny maintenance module that prevents battery discharge in a

parked vehicle but will not support significant loads. You can install a simple diode in

that case, to block reverse current. A diode used for this purpose is called a "blocking

diode."

Preventing Overcharge

When a battery reaches full charge, it can no longer store incoming energy. If energy

continues to be applied at the full rate, the battery voltage gets too high. Water separates

into hydrogen and oxygen and bubbles out rapidly. (It looks like it's boiling so we

sometimes call it that, although it's not actually hot.) There is excessive loss of water, and

a chance that the gasses can ignite and cause a small explosion. The battery will also

degrade rapidly and may possibly overheat. Excessive voltage can also stress your loads

(lights, appliances, etc.) or cause your inverter to shut off.

Preventing overcharge is simply a matter of reducing the flow of energy to the battery

when the battery reaches a specific voltage. When the voltage drops due to lower sun

intensity or an increase in electrical usage, the controller again allows the maximum

possible charge. This is called "voltage regulating." It is the most essential function of all

charge controllers. The controller "looks at" the voltage, and regulates the battery

charging in response.

Some controllers regulate the flow of energy to the battery by switching the current fully

on or fully off. This is called "on/off control." Others reduce the current gradually. This is

called "pulse width modulation" (PWM). Both methods work well when set properly for

your type of battery.

A PWM controller holds the voltage more constant. If it has two-stage regulation, it will

first hold the voltage to a safe maximum for the battery to reach full charge. Then, it will

drop the voltage lower, to sustain a "finish" or "trickle" charge. Two-stage regulating is

important for a system that may experience many days or weeks of excess energy (or

little use of energy). It maintains a full charge but minimizes water loss and stress.

The voltages at which the controller changes the charge rate are called set points. When

determining the ideal set points, there is some compromise between charging quickly

before the sun goes down, and mildly overcharging the battery. The determination of set

points depends on the anticipated patterns of usage, the type of battery, and to some

extent, the experience and philosophy of the system designer or operator. Some

controllers have adjustable set points, while others do not.

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.

The specifications of the pump are:

• Operating Voltage= 12 V

• Current = 3.5 Amp

• Discharge = 4 to 6 Litres per minute

4) Battery :

The battery used in this project is 12 V 7.2 AH sealed lead acid battery

The specifications of the battery are as follows:

Sl. No Parameter Value

1 Voltage 12 V

2 Current 7.2 Amp

3 Power 86.4 Watt

CALCULATIONS:

• Time required for battery charging

The power of the battery = 12 x 7.2 = 86.4 W

The solar panel power input= 10 W

The time required for charging full battery

= 86.4/10

=8.64 hours

Assuming day long cycle of 8 9- hours the battery can be charged completely in

one day

• The power consumed by motor is given by

P = 12 x 3.5

= 42 W

We know the power rating of the battery is 86.4 watt

Therefore the battery backup is given by 86.4 / 42

= 2.05 hours

MECHANICAL FABRICATION:

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES:

Advantages:

1) Solar powered hence doesn’t required electricity in villages for charging

2) Can be used in remote locations.

3) Doesn’t require farmers to carry heavy tanks on their back

4) Can be upgraded to higher tank capacity with ease

Disadvatages:

1) Requires some initial investment

2) Battery maintenance is required after some time