AUTOMATED GREENHOUSEJON RIGBY AND CHAD HAGER

ADVISOR: DR. MORENO

OVERVIEW

• The Automated Greenhouse is an microprocessor based self-

sustaining, low maintenance, plug and play, growing system

designed to fit on a shelf.

• This system is intended for people desiring to grow plants without

the hassle of maintaining a garden.

• It will feature internet connectivity, aeroponic watering, fertilizer

control, light scheduling, and climate control.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

• The Automated Greenhouse is a self-sustaining, low maintenance, growing system. This system is intended for people desiring to grow plants without the hassle of maintaining a garden. The Greenhouse will be designed to fit on a shelf and still be large enough to grow most culinary herbs and some fruits and vegetables. The system will have its own supply of water and light to be able to be placed anywhere in the home. The Automated Greenhouse will feature a small display and internet connectivity for human interaction. The user will be able to place their desired seed in the growing medium, tell the system what seed was selected, and the system will do the maintenance for the remainder of the grow. The Automated Greenhouse will have clear acrylic walls so the user can watch the grow for entertainment.

OVERALL SYSTEM

• The Automated Greenhouse

will have an Atmega328p-au

microprocessor.

• The microprocessor will

maintain the systems and

alert the user if needed.

OVERALL SYSTEM

OVERALL CODE

433 linesof code

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

• The Automated Greenhouse will notify the user if it needs water or fertilizer

• The system will measure the Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the solution

• The system will measure the pH of the solution

• The system will mix the fertilizer to the required specification

• The Automated Greenhouse will keep the internal temperature at a set temperature

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

• The system will turn the lights on and off at specific times

• The system will create a web interface

• The Automated Greenhouse will fit on a countertop

• The system will run off 120 VAC

• The Automated Greenhouse will be reliable

WILL NOTIFY THE USER FOR WATER AND FERTILIZER

• The system will be able to measure the

amount of liquid in the reservoirs for water

and fertilizer. The measurement will be

done with ultrasonic distance sensors which

send out a small pulse of noise and wait for

the response.

• The level of the liquid will be viewable on

the web interface and an LED will illuminate

on the device when the level is less than 20

percent.

WILL MEASURE WATER LEVEL

• pH, Fresh Water, and Fertilizer need to be measured individually.

• The three sensors needed to be hooked up to the least amount of pins since we have used all the pins on the AT Mega chip.

• All three triggers are shorted together and the echo's get their own pin

• Three sonic sensors use four pins of our chip

MEASURING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY

• Measuring the EC of the

solution will be done with an

electrical conductivity probe

and a circuit to convert it into

a 0-5 volt signal.

• The EC can determine the

amount of fertilizer present

MEASURING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY

CALIBRATING CONDUCTIVITY

• The EC meter will

need to read samples

from 0-3000 ppm.

• Most indoor plants

fall in this range

MEASURING PH

• Measuring the pH of the solution

will be done with a pH probe and a

circuit.

MEASURING PH

• 14 dollars delivered for circuit and probe

• Works well

MIX FERTILIZER

• The system will mix the

fertilizer based on the user

defined levels.

• The system will use the EC

and pH of the solution to

determine the amount of

each liquid to add.

• The solution will keep a

constant height of the

solution.

MIX FERTILIZER

• Peristaltic pumps are used

to dose the pH and

fertilizer.

• It doses 1 mL after 1.5s at

a 50 percent duty cycle.

CLIMATE CONTROLLED

We are going to use fans to

control the cooling.

If fans do not provide enough

cooling we have the Peltier

modules and code ready.

LIGHTING CONTROLLED

• The light system will be

built from 3 watt LED bulbs.

• The LED lights are efficient

and do not produce much

heat.

• Different lighting schedules

based on plant type.

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

• The sytem will connect to the internet over

an ESP 8266 2.4 Ghz wifi chip

• The Automated Greenhouse will broadcast a

WIFI signal

• Hardest part of the project

GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

• The system will publish its own web server for the user to

connect to.

• Have not figured this out yet…..

COUNTERTOP SIZE

• The Automated Greenhouse will be

24 inches long, 12 inches deep, and

18 inches tall.

• It will take up 3 cubic feet, roughly

the size of a large microwave.

• It will be visually appealing for

kitchens and visible areas.

FRAME

POWER

• The Automated Greenhouse will be able to be plugged into a 3 prong

U.S. standard wall outlet.

• It will internally convert all the power to DC for the microprocessor

and electronics.

• The system will use a computer power supply to provide the power.

• The system will use a Ground Current Leakage

detector on the input of the system for safety.

POWER

• Assuming max power use scenarios

• Will have power saving mode to turn off non essential items

COST

ACCOMPLISHED

• EC Circuit

• Code compiles

• Tested MOSFET’s with pumps

• RTC

• pH meter calibrated

• Peristaltic pumps calibrated

• Temperature, humidity, and

sonic sensors are accurate.

NEED TO ACCOMPLISH

• WIFI

• PCB Milling

• Put it all on a breadboard

• Put the frame together

WORK DIVISION

• Jon Rigby: Board Design, Code, Pumps, and Mosfet Circuits.

• Chad Hager: Frame, Documents, and Lighting.

• Both: WIFI, EC, Prototype Wiring.

TEST

• Component:

• pH Probe

• pH Control Routine

• EC Probe

• EC Control Routine

• Lighting Control System

• Reservoir Correction Routine

• Temperature Control System

• Water Level Control System

• Low Level Indicator LED’s

GUI:MenuDisplay ParametersUser InputsWeb Publishing/Viewing

System:Environmental Control SystemUser Interface

TEST

• Electrical Conductivity meter

• Calibrate the EC meter vs an accurate EC meter. Measure various levels

of fertilizer to see if they both give the same reading.

• pH meter

• Calibrate the pH meter vs an accurate pH meter. Measure various liquids

to see if they both give the same reading.

• Temperature meter

• Calibrate the Temperature meter vs an accurate Thermometer. Measure

various room temperatures.

TEST

• Reservoir Control Algorithm

• Set the reservoir pH, fertilizer, and height levels and see if the system

holds them constant. Adjust algorithm as necessary.

• Lighting Algorithm

• Make sure the lights turn on and off at defined intervals.

• Web Interface

• Access the web interface from various devices and operating systems to

make sure it properly displays on all.

TEST

• Overall System

• Set the system up to run an entire plant life cycle without intervention. Check to make sure it is running properly and the physical structure does not crack.