Application and optimization of control implemented in irrigation systems based on microclimate models of tropical crops

Abstract

It presents a simulation study oriented to the control of irrigation systems, whose main objective was to evaluate the performance in terms of stability of controllers based on the fuzzy logic and PID, which have as a characteristic the emulation of human knowledge and traditional use in industrial applications respectively. Both control systems interacted with the different models and sub-models related to the microclimate of plants, so that their fundamental purpose was to maintain soil moisture and the water requirements of the crop. As a control strategy, it was defined as an input signal the difference between the humidity level supported by the existing soil type and the actual humidity level measured in each instant of time through electronic sensors. The water balance equation, i. e. the interaction between climate, crop and soil subsystems, was used as a strategy to model these moisture levels. These were parameterized under the climatic conditions of the study area and adapted to the different types of soils in the municipality of Sincelejo (Colombia). Finally, we propose the best control alternative that optimizes water management in irrigation systems for watermelon crops, taking as a decision criterion the stability of the system and its energy consumption. It is concluded that the irrigation model based on the PID controller achieved better performance in terms of stability, energy consumption and reliability, but the diffuse controller uses less liquid to maintain water requirements, however, the continuous intermittent operation presumably makes the controller susceptible to increased power consumption