Development of a Solar-Powered Watercraft for Ridge Planting Irrigation

Abstract

Main objective of this research was developping a remote controlled solar-powered watercraft together with a cost of production’s analysis which interested farmers could use to craft a suitable model for them using local materials. The watercraft’s control unit was microcontroller Arduino Uno R3 with radio frequency remote control. The watercraft was drived by DC moters. A watering system was developed using six 180-degree sprinkler and a DC bilge pump. Electrical power for all devices was produced by photovoltaic cells integrated with two batteries and a solar charger unit. An average irrigation water level was significantly decreasing along the radial direction from each sprinkler. However, the irrigation level from the developed watercraft was higher than the water irrigated by labor conventionally. Analysis of field capacity found that the watercaft could finished the irrigation task faster than human 2.91 times approximately, with a higher irrigation water level of 1.19 times. Economical analysis shows that annually break-even-point and pay-back-period according to annually break-even-point period of use was 133.09 rai and 8.15 year, respectively. Anyhow, various of the plantation size and uncertain solar radiation would affect the amount of electrical power used from the batteries. These constrain are need to be concerned and developed to increase the performance of the watercrated.