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01 /
2015
PROJECT PROPOSAL
Title: Greenhouse Plant Monitoring and Control System
Client: Department of Agronomy
Group: DEC15-14
The engineering design process isthe formulationof a plan to helpan engineer builda product withaspecifiedperformance goal.
“
MANI MINASenior Design Instructor
3 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
7 CLIENTS
8 TEAM MEMBERS
10 BACKGROUND
12 REQUIREMENTS
13 PROBLEM STATEMENT
14 MARKET SURVEY
16 OUR SOLUTION
18 SPECIFICATIONS
20 COUNTER ARGUMENTS
22 PROJECT TIMELINE
23 DETAILED COSTS
25 APPENDIX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
12 August 2014
Dear Diego,
Enclosed is a project proposal for a new plant monitoring system for the Department of Agronomy. This proposal details the work to be completed by Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECpE) Senior Design group DEC15-14 during the spring semester of 2015. The new plant monitoring system will provide researchers with the necessary tools to precisely monitor and control environmentalconditionsinthedevelopmentofgeneticallymodifiedsorghum.
KEY CONCEPTS OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM:
` Measure and record soil moisture, leaf temperature, and water consumption of each plant.
` Controlwaterflowtoindividualplantswithasolenoidvalve.
` Transmit data to the internet, accessible via downloadable format or interactive web UI
` Expand to concurrently monitor and control 48 plants
Wewouldliketothankyouinadvanceforyourconsiderationofthisproposal.Weareconfidentthatthisdocumentwillshowcasethebestofwhatthisnewplantmonitoringsystemhastooffer.Pleasefeel free to contact us for further information.
Sincerely,
Michael MeadSenior Design Group [email protected]
Diego Ortiz1515 Agronomy HallAmes, Iowa 50014 515.294.9721
Individually Representing
Jacob Moyer
Brian Bahr
Matt Clucas
Andrew Hutchinson
ABSTRACTThe Iowa State University Department of Agronomy is conducting research on the effectsofchangingthegenomeofsorghumplantforuseinbiofuelproduction.Togaugetheeffectivenessofgenomealterations,growthfactordata,includingplant stress and water usage, are needed for each individual plant in the experiment. Currently, the plant monitoring system does not meet the researcher’s requirements. It only provides record of soil moisture. Additionally, the data collection is a manual process. To remedy this issue, Senior Design Group DEC15-14 is proposing a customized system comprised of forty eight sensors that record soil moisture, leaf temperature, and water usage. The system as a whole will aim for a budget of $20.00 per sensor, much lower than the $110.00 per sensor of the currently used system. Data will be remotely accessible via a web-based user interface. The proposed plant monitoring system will cost the Department ofAgronomylessmoney,whileincreasingtimeefficiencyandexpandingthemagnitude of data collected.
DR. LIANG DONGProject Advisor Dr. Dong is a Tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. His research includes Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), labonachip,microfluidics,photonics, optics, and smart materials and structures.
XINRAN WANGAdvising TA Xinran is a doctorial student studing under Dr. Dong. Her focus area is electronic circuits for biochips and MEMS devices.
CLIENTSThe system resulting from this project will be used for Diego’s research. Dr. Dong is overseeing the project as the advising faculty member for electrical and computer engineering senior design course.
DIEGO ORTIZEnd User Diego is a researcher for the Department of Agronomy studying under Dr. Maria Salas Fernandez. Her research program is “devoted to develop superior sorghum lines to be used as lignocellulosic feedstock for biofuel production.”
(http://faculty.agron.iastate.edu/mgsalas/)
Clients 8Plant Monitoring & Control System
PROJECT TEAM
JACOB MOYERGroup Leader Course Work Focus Area: Software Systems
Internship Experience: Amazon.com
Responsable for creating the web server application and programming the Ardunio micro controller
Computer Engineering Major
BRIAN BAHRCommunications Leader Responsible for creating signal input circuits for the Arduino micro controller Electrical Engineering Major
MATT CLUCASWebmaster Course Work Focus Area: Software Systems
Internship Experience:Pioneer, Rockwell Collins
Responsible for creating the web server application and programming the Arduino micro controller Computer Engineering Major
Theseniordesignteamconsistsoffiveundergraduateseniors,threecomputerengineeringandtwoelectrical engineering majors. In addition to project responsibilities completed as a group, individual responsibilities are listed here.
Project Team 9Plant Monitoring & Control System
ANDREW HUTCHINSONKey Concept Holder Course Work Focus Area: Communications
Internship Experience: Lennox, Elemech Inc.
Responsible for creating a circuit to control the solenoid valve with the Arduino micro controller
Electrical Engineering Major
MICHAEL MEADKey Concept Holder Course Work Focus Area: Embedded systems
Internship Experience: Garmin, 3M
Responsible for programming Wi-Fi micro controller firmware,designingArduinomicro controller device interface printed circuit board
Computer Engineering Major
Project Team 10Plant Monitoring & Control System
BACKGROUND
HISTORY OF ETHANOLEthanol is a major contributor to the energy security of the United States, a major source of economic growth in Iowa, and a major reductant of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climatechange.Thefigureabove,providedbytheRenewableFuelsAssociation,showsthevolumeof ethanol produced from corn has remained stagnant since 2010. Starch ethanol can not meet the total biofuel demand and also causes increased food prices. Therefore, the development of alternativebiofuelsources,suchascellulose-basedcrops,iscrucialfortheefficientproductionofethanol continuing in the future. Recognizing the importance of biofuels, the Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007. By requiring 22 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol be produced by 2022, biofuel research is further incentivised.
AREA OF RESEARCHCarbon assimilation through photosynthesis is the basis of crop productivity. Considering there isadirectassociationbetweenphotosyntheticefficiencyandbiomassyield,thediscoveryandexploitationofthegeneticarchitecturecontrollingcarbonassimilationcouldhaveasignificantimpact on biomass yield for biofuel production.
YEAR STARCH ETHANOL(BILLION GALLONS)
2014 14.30
2013 13.29
2012 13.22
2011 13.93
2010 13.30
2009 10.94
2008 9.31
2007 6.52
2006 4.88
ETHANOL PRODUCTION
Background 11Plant Monitoring & Control System
THE BIG PICTUREThe Department of Agronomy has initiated a sorghum breeding program for
biofuel production at Iowa State University. Diego Ortiz is on the team investigating altering genes/alleles associated with higher leaf photosynthetic capacity under
fieldconditions.Plantgrowthanddevelopmentisafunctionoftemperature,light,humidity, carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, chemicals, pathogens, etc. Precise and
quick detection and control of these environmental conditions is crucial in the developmentofgeneticallymodifiedplants.
REQUIREMENTSThe Department of Agronomy is requesting a plant monitoring an control system. Boiled down, the new system needs to monitor and control multiple environmental factors, provide a user interface for remote data analysis, and have the potential of large scale expansion. The system must maintain theexactmoisturecontentspecifiedbytheusersothattheplantexperimentsareaccurate.Sensorsmust measure the soil moisture content and update the server with the measured data. The data must be updated for viewing at least once every two hours. Data must remain on the device for the duration of the experiment while available to copy of the device incrementally and may also be downloadable from the server via the internet. The system must be detachable from each pot so the plants can be moved.
FUNCTIONAL What should the new system do?
` Record: The system must record leaf temperature, soil moisture level, and water delivered.
` View: System includes a graphical user interface for displaying collected data. The client must be
abletoviewdatafromeachplantautomaticallycollectedintoasingle.csvfile.
` Control: The client must be able to specify a regulated soil moisture level for each plant. The
systemmustmaintainaspecifiedsoilmoisturelevelforeachplant.
NONFUNCTIONAL How should the new system do so?
` Expandability: The system must have the ability to monitor up to 48 plants simultaneously.
` Reliability:The system must take regular measurements for the duration of the experiment.
` Accuracy: The moisture sensors must measure the soil moisture content entire pot, and the
temperature sensor must record the temperature of the top leaf of the plant.
` Affordable: Total system cost must be less than $1000.
Requirements 13Plant Monitoring & Control System
PROBLEM STATEMENT
CURRENT SYSTEMDecagon Devices Em50 Data Logger and EC-5 Moisture Sensor
Thecurrentsystemasawholecanonlyrecorddatafromfiveplants,asshownbythefive-portboxinthefigure.Gatheringdatalogsfromthesensorinterfaceboxrequirestheresearchertopluga serial to USB cable into the device’s comm port. The data remains only on the laptop on which itwasdownloaded,andaflashdrivemustbeusedtotransportthedatatoanyothercomputerthe researchers wish to use for analysis. This data collection must be done daily and requires that the researcher travel to the greenhouse. The new system should allow researchers to access data withoutleavingtheiroffice.AnothermajorflawisthedatedsoftwareinterfacewhichisdesignedforWindows XP. If the researchers update their laptops, the program may become incompatible.
Problem Statement 14Plant Monitoring & Control System
MARKET SURVEY
FLOWER POWER BY PARROT, INC.
Flower Power by Parrot measures light, temperature, soil moisture, and fertilizer level. It uses bluetooth to transmit data to a smartphone application. The smartphone application provides realtimedataanalysis.FlowerPowerfulfillspartoftheDepartmentofAgronomy’srequirements,namely wireless transmission of soil moisture data.
FlowerPowerisnotavalidsolutionbecauseitextensivelydiffersfromthespecifications.Whileitincludes a user interface with data analysis, the data is not static and can only be viewed through the smartphone application. Flower Power is wireless, but uses bluetooth to transfer data which means it is not expandable due to pairing. Leaf temperature, required by the new system, is not measured by Flower Power’s sensors. Most importantly, the cost of Flower Power is higher than the Department is willing to pay. Forty eight Flower Power devices would exceed the budget by 300%.
At a Glance
Sensors Light, temperature, soil moisture, fertilizer level
Software Application for smartphones and tablets using iOS and Android
Data Transmission Bluetooth Smart
Power AAA Batteries
Cost $59
Market Survey 15Plant Monitoring & Control System
EXPANDING CURRENT SYSTEM $9,234.00
Unit Cost: $205.20 per plant
The new system requirements call for concurrent soil moisture measurements of forty eight plants. To expand the current system, nine additional dataloggers and forty three more moisture sensors would need to be purchased. The cost of the Em50 datalogger is $476.00 and the cost of the EC-5 soil moisture sensor is $110.00 (see Appendix on page 25). On top of this cost, the client would have to manually collect data from ten separate dataloggers every day. This system does not measure leaf temperature or water-used per plant either.
FLOWER POWER $2,832.00
Unit Cost: $59.00 per plant
The Department of Agronomy would need to purchase forty eight Flower Power devices to replace the current system. Since Flower Power requires a smartphone to collect data, a researcher’s smarthphone would need to be donated to the project to avoid additional cost. Also many of the sensors, such as fertilizer level and temperature, would not be used by the researchers.
COST COMPARISON
Neither expanding the current system of soil moisture sensors or switching to Flower Power devices meet the requirements of the Department of Agronomy for a new plant monitoring and control system. Both options highly exceed the budget and do not include major requested features.
Cost Comparison 16Plant Monitoring & Control System
OUR SOLUTIONThe Senior Design Group DEC15-14 is proposing to create a remote plant monitoring and control system with accompanying user interface. The system will provide concurrent, real-time logging of leaf temperature, soil moisture content and water delivery for forty eight plants.
KEY FEATURES
` Measures water delivery, soil moisture content, and leaf temperature
` Maintains desired soil moisture content level via automatic watering
` Collected data will be displayed using a website interface with downloadable logs and analysis tools.
` Total system cost is less than $1000 (unit cost of $20.00 per plant).
Onefeaturethatcommercialplantsensorscannotofferistheautomaticwateringofaplantwhenlowmoistureisdetected.Sincetheclientisusingthesesensorsforresearchonmodifiedplantconditions, not all plants will require the same amount of water. Controlling soil moisture introduces further costs to each sensor with the addition of a solenoid water valve and plumbing to each plant. The solenoid valve will control the amount of water given to each plant.
Each sensor is connected to an micro controller, and each micro controller wirelessly transmits datalogstoanoff-sitewebserver,accessiblebyanyauthorizeduser.Theuserinterfaceonthewebserver will display all forty eight plants in a table, allowing the user to label each plant with a name of their choosing. Depending on which plant is currently selected, graphs outlining water usage, soil moisture, and leaf temperature will be shown above the table. In addition, the user may set the soil moisture content to be maintained by the automatic watering process for an individual plant. The interface allows plants to be searched and sorted in ascending and descending by all of the previously stated parameters.
Our Solution 17Plant Monitoring & Control System
Type-K Thermocouple Attached to top leaf of plant to measure temperature
Solenoid Value Opens by applying 12V across the contacts to water plants
Resistive Soil Probe Buried near the roots of the plant to measure soil moisture
Micro controllers and Sensor Interface PCB Attached to the side of the plant pot to process and transmit data
HARDWARE DIAGRAM
Our Solution 18Plant Monitoring & Control System
SPECIFICATIONS
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
DATA LOGGER AND ANALYSIS TOOLA Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP (LAMP) web server is used to store and analyze the plant sensor data as well as individual control the moisture of each plant. It provides a REST service to receive HTTP requests from the plants. The service validates and stores requests made from web clients to make sure that the client is a plant and the data is valid. After validation the data is stored, and emergency analysisisdonetocheckforerrors.Ifthereareerrors,researcherswillbenotified.
PLANT MONITORING AND CONTROL DEVICESArduino Uno R3 microcontrollers are used to collect data and control water delivery for each plant individually. The moisture sensor and thermocouple are attached to the Arduino via analog-to-digital converter (ADC) ports. Communication with the webserver is completed using Wi-Fi. ESP-8266 microcontrollerswithcustomfirmwareactasaserialbridgetothewebserver.Serialconnectionbetween the Arduino Uno R3 and ESP-8266 is achieved by connecting the RX/TX pins.
Web Browser
Specifications 19Plant Monitoring & Control System
WEBSITE USER INTERFACEData for all plants in the system is accessible through a website. The client can view each of the collected data types separately for each plant. ChartJS JavaScript library is used to display graphs of each type of data. The time range of the graphs can be manipulated by the user. Plants can be categorized based on custom input for easy access. The desired soil moisture content can be individually set for each plant too.
Specifications 20Plant Monitoring & Control System
ANTICIPATED COUNTER ARGUMENTS
MOISTURE SENSOR
Onenotablecompromisebythedevelopmentteamistheuseofadifferentmodelmoisturesensor than the model desired by the clients. Due to cost limitations placed on the project, is was necessary to select a less expensive sensor while introducing a potential reduction in measurement accuracy. The development team feels this sensors model is appropriate for this project based on individual unit cost. If the clients still desire their preferred sensors, then they can compromise on the remaining components and features to dedicate more of the budget to the moisture sensors themselves or they can consider increasing the development budget to account for the pricier model.
Counter Arguments 21Plant Monitoring & Control System
MAINTENANCE
System maintenance is another point of contention. As the development team consists of studentsintheirfinalornear-finalyearofschoolwhoareworkingtogetherinatemporaryproject group, it raises the question of how the system will be maintained in the future. Within a few months, the development team will be unavailable to correct any issues in the device or interface. In addition, the students may not be fully familiar with the process of creating the proposed device and other similar devices. Clients may rest assured, as the development team recognizesthesignificanceofthisprojectwithregardtoongoingandfutureresearch.Thesensors will be developed in the most professional way possible, allowing outside parties to maintain the device in the future.
DURABILITY
Finally, system longevity is a major concern. In terms of physical longevity, the greenhouse used forsorghumresearchisahavenforenvironmentalfactorsthatmayaffectsensorperformanceand condition, including water, soil, and concentrated high temperatures. Naturally, the development team will place the device in a protective container, but even components properly protected against such threats will experience degradation in the research environment. In terms of system design, the components used may be outdated within a few years. For example, the current Decagon system relies on technology and design practices were outdated years ago. While the development team cannot guarantee the longevity of the technology used in the system, it should be noted that the low price point makes replacement a viable option. The natural inclination is use expensive technology for a longer period of time than comparable cheaper options, meaning the proposed sensors allow for earlier replacement than technologically comparable commercial models. Overall, the development team intends to create a system that will possess a respectable use life.
Counter Arguments 22Plant Monitoring & Control System
Sensors
Resistive Soil Probe 48 $0.95 $45.60
Type K Thermocouple 48 $16.00 $768.00
Logic
Arduino Uno R3 Micro controller 48 $3.00 $144.00
ESP-8266 Wi-Fi Micro controller 48 $2.50 $120.00
Devices
Solenoid Valve 48 $2.50 $120.00
SUBTOTAL $1,076.60
SALES TAX 7.00%TOTAL $1,153.03
DELIVERABLE Time & Cost Estimate
DETAILED COSTSUnit Cost: $24.95 per plant
Highersystemcostisattributedtothethermocouplespecificallyrequiredbytheclient.Withoutthethermocouple, the cost per unit would have been $8.95, which is within the Department’s budget.
Detailed Costs 23Plant Monitoring & Control System
Measures Soil Moisture
Expandable to 48 plants
Measures leaf temperature
Remote data collection
Automated water delivery
Measures water used
Measures Soil Moisture
Expandable to 48 plants
DOES NOT Measure leaf temperature
Remote data collection
NO Automated water delivery
DOES NOT Measure Water used
Measures Soil Moisture
Expandable to 48 plants
DOES NOT Measure leaf temperature
ON-SITE data collection
NO Automated water delivery
DOES NOT Measure Water used
COST COMPARISON
$1076 $9234$2832PROPOSED SYSTEM EXPANDED OLD SYSTEMFLOWER POWER
Detailed Costs 24Plant Monitoring & Control System
H. R. 6—31
in accordance with subparagraph (B) and, in the case of any such renewable fuel produced from new facilities that commence construction after the date of enactment of this sentence, achieves at least a 20 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to baseline lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.’’.
(2) APPLICABLE VOLUMES OF RENEWABLE FUEL.—Subparagraph (B) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(B) APPLICABLE VOLUMES.— ‘‘(i) CALENDAR YEARS AFTER 2005.—
‘‘(I) RENEWABLE FUEL.—For the purpose of subparagraph (A), the applicable volume of renewable fuel for the calendar years 2006 through 2022 shall be determined in accordance with the following table:
Applicable volume of
renewable fuel
‘‘Calendar year: (in billions of gallons):
2006 .............................................................................. 4.0 2007 .............................................................................. 4.7 2008 .............................................................................. 9.0 2009 .............................................................................. 11.1 2010 .............................................................................. 12.95 2011 .............................................................................. 13.95 2012 .............................................................................. 15.2 2013 .............................................................................. 16.55 2014 .............................................................................. 18.15 2015 .............................................................................. 20.5 2016 .............................................................................. 22.25 2017 .............................................................................. 24.0 2018 .............................................................................. 26.0 2019 .............................................................................. 28.0 2020 .............................................................................. 30.0 2021 .............................................................................. 33.0 2022 .............................................................................. 36.0
‘‘(II) ADVANCED BIOFUEL.—For the purpose of subparagraph (A), of the volume of renewable fuel required under subclause (I), the applicable volume of advanced biofuel for the calendar years 2009 through 2022 shall be determined in accordance with the following table:
Applicable volume of advanced
biofuel ‘‘Calendar year: (in billions of
gallons): 2009 .............................................................................. 0.6 2010 .............................................................................. 0.95 2011 .............................................................................. 1.35 2012 .............................................................................. 2.0 2013 .............................................................................. 2.75 2014 .............................................................................. 3.75 2015 .............................................................................. 5.5 2016 .............................................................................. 7.25 2017 .............................................................................. 9.0 2018 .............................................................................. 11.0 2019 .............................................................................. 13.0 2020 .............................................................................. 15.0 2021 .............................................................................. 18.0 2022 .............................................................................. 21.0
H. R. 6—32
‘‘(III) CELLULOSIC BIOFUEL.—For the purpose of subparagraph (A), of the volume of advanced biofuel required under subclause (II), the applicable volume of cellulosic biofuel for the calendar years 2010 through 2022 shall be determined in accordance with the following table:
Applicable volume of cellulosic
biofuel ‘‘Calendar year: (in billions of
gallons): 2010 .............................................................................. 0.1 2011 .............................................................................. 0.25 2012 .............................................................................. 0.5 2013 .............................................................................. 1.0 2014 .............................................................................. 1.75 2015 .............................................................................. 3.0 2016 .............................................................................. 4.25 2017 .............................................................................. 5.5 2018 .............................................................................. 7.0 2019 .............................................................................. 8.5 2020 .............................................................................. 10.5 2021 .............................................................................. 13.5 2022 .............................................................................. 16.0
‘‘(IV) BIOMASS-BASED DIESEL.—For the purpose of subparagraph (A), of the volume of advanced biofuel required under subclause (II), the applicable volume of biomass-based diesel for the calendar years 2009 through 2012 shall be determined in accordance with the following table:
Applicablevolume of
biomass-based diesel
‘‘Calendar year: (in billions of gallons):
2009 .............................................................................. 0.5 2010 .............................................................................. 0.65 2011 .............................................................................. 0.80 2012 .............................................................................. 1.0
‘‘(ii) OTHER CALENDAR YEARS.—For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the applicable volumes of each fuel specified in the tables in clause (i) for calendar years after the calendar years specified in the tables shall be determined by the Administrator, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture, based on a review of the implementation of the program during calendar years specified in the tables, and an analysis of—
‘‘(I) the impact of the production and use of renewable fuels on the environment, including on air quality, climate change, conversion of wetlands, ecosystems, wildlife habitat, water quality, and water supply;
‘‘(II) the impact of renewable fuels on the energy security of the United States;
‘‘(III) the expected annual rate of future commercial production of renewable fuels, including advanced biofuels in each category (cellulosic biofuel and biomass-based diesel);
f
Q U O T E
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Bill To:
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This Quote is good for 30 days unless otherwise noted. All prices in U.S. Dollars (USD) unless otherwise noted. Shipping charges, if not quoted, may be added to the final invoice. All Custom Orders are final and non-refundable.
Decagon Devices, Inc.2365 NE Hopkins Ct – Pullman, WA 99163
Phone: (509) 332-2756 – Fax: (509) 332-5158 – Email: [email protected]
04-23-15 2015042303 47275 1
Iowa State University Iowa State University2115 Coover Hall 2115 Coover HallAmes, IA 50014 Ames, IA 50014
05-23-15 NET30 ECZIRR FedEx Ground
5.00 40593 EC-5 Soil Moisture Sensor, 5m Cable, $110.00 $550.00Stereo connector for use with Decagonloggers
1.00 40800 Em50 Digital Data Logger, 5-channel, $476.00 $476.00for use with all Decagon sensors,self-enclosed, batteries included
1.00 30887 USB to Stereo, Cable Adapter, 0.81m -$0.00 $0.00(3 ft) cable (free cable)
1.00 20452 LIT, Manual, Em50 Logger -$0.00 $0.00
$1,026.00
