PROBLEM
It’s no secret that maintaining an optimal microclimate can improve the quality and yield of greenhouse products, so many farmers try to best control changes in temperature conditions in greenhouses during the day. For this purpose it is enough to automate data collection on indicators of temperature and humidity of soil, level of illumination and level of concentration of CO2 in air. For a more efficient result, farmers are trying to fully automate the management of watering, lighting, ventilation and heating in greenhouses.
Attention should be paid to LoRaWAN technology if full robotization of production is not affordable for the farm, and the issue of greenhouse automation is constantly postponed until better times. In such cases, indicators of air parameters and soil condition are collected manually, data are often received irregularly and have a lot of contradictory information due to the influence of human factors. Thus, all processes of watering, ventilation and heating are based on inaccurate information, which leads to significant crop losses.
SOLUTION
Iotji experts may suggest installing a LoRaWAN gateway for installation inside a greenhouse. Due to the significant data transmission distance, one base station can cover the entire territory of the farm. Additionally, it is possible to build a system of sensors to collect information about:
- temperature and humidity
- soil moisture
- opening / closing of doors and ventilation windows
- concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)
- lighting level
- volumes of consumed water and electricity (pulse sensors).
In addition, using the existing LoRaWAN wireless network, it is possible to provide automatic switching on of watering and lighting for plants by means of wireless actuators.
All information from sensors on a radio channel arrives on the LoRaWAN gateway and is transferred to the application server from our partner. All this data is available to the operator or on duty through a web-application from a computer or smartphone. In case of critical situations, the application sends e-mails or messengers.
RESULT
The system allows for continuous analysis of microclimatic conditions in the greenhouse, soil moisture to turn on automatic watering at the right time in the right place without human intervention and monitor the operation of equipment to maintain the microclimate.
The ability to receive notifications of critical situations using various communication channels prevents large-scale equipment breakdowns and excessive consumption of material resources. The implementation of the system optimizes the use of water and electricity in the greenhouse, allowing more accurate planning of working hours and budgeting.
