Advance Irrigation Control System

Transcription

1 Advance Irrigation Control System The DREAM 2 is the next generation of central control systems. It allows combining various technologies to suit each projects specific need. It is an Internet enabled controller so the use can control everything from a PC or Smartphone. The DREAM 2 can handle multiple irrigation heads allowing the user to manage medium to very large projects with many irrigation lines using a single controller. Goldtec Control Systems 1 DREAM 2 List of Features

2 FEATURES DESCRIPTION HARDWARE CONSTRUCTION POWERFUL AND FLEXIBLE: The DREAM 2 consists of a powerful CPU with large memory capacity, communicating the various input output units via serial communication, utilizing a variety of I/O interfaces. LOCAL I/O: Local outputs and inputs are handled by "local I/O interfaces" DC or AC. Each local I/O interface can handle up to 2 boards of 16 outputs/ 8 inputs. The AC outputs are of 24v AC and the DC outputs are of 12v DC latching 2 wired, the inputs are dry contacts. Up to 5 local I/O interfaces may be connected to the same Dream unit. REMOTELY INSTALLED LOCAL I/O: Local I/O interfaces and I/O boards may be installed up to 2 km away from the DREAM in batches of 16 or 32 outputs and 8 or 16 inputs. In that case a "Bridge" board is needed between the DREAM and the interface. The remotely installed boards are locally energized. 2 WIRED SINGLE CABLE RTU UNITS: A DREAM 2 unit may handle several RTU channels. A 2 wired RTU channel consists of a 2 wired interface and up to 60 RTU units. There exist three types of RTU units - the so called "modular RTU" the "economical RTU" and the molded RTU unit. The modular RTU may have 2,4,6 or 8 outputs and 4 or 8 digital inputs, each 4 digital inputs can be replaced by 2 analog inputs. The economical RTU may have up to 2 outputs and 2 digital inputs or 1 analog input instead of the digital ones. The molded RTU allows the unit to be installed in damp environments such as valve boxes and may have up to 2 outputs and 1 digital input. All the outputs are 12v DC latching. REMOTE I/O BY WIRELESS RTU UNITS: License exempt, low power battery energized RF RTU system handling up to 60 units per channel. 2,4,6,8 outputs 12v DC latching and 4 digital inputs per RTU. The distance between the center and a wireless RTU can be 3km with clear sightline, each RTU can serve as a repeater and thus the distances can be doubled. The RTUs are powered by 4x1.5 v "D" size batteries. The RF RTU can also be configured to accept up to 4 analog inputs. LOCAL & REMOTE ANALOG INPUTS: Local & remote analog inputs can be connected to the DREAM 2 through a proper interface, via 2-wire RTU or RF RTU. In particular Aquaflex soil moisture sensors can be added in any remote input location. Another option is a THD (Temp, Humidity, Dewpoint) sensor that will offer data and graphical trace on frost events or cooling requirements. Irrigation can be conditioned by set points and alarms sent. SUPPORTING WEATHER STATION: The Dream 2 Weather station allows the user to record and monitor meteorological parameters and condition the system operation on actual values. ph AND EC CONTROL: Adding FERTMASTER units enables each fertilizer site to fertilize by ph and EC control. Each FERTMASTER can handle up to 6 injectors, 1 booster, 1 main-valve or 1 agitator reading 6 fertilizer-meters, 1 water-meter, 1 EC sensor and 1 ph sensor. Goldtec Control Systems 2 DREAM 2 List of Features

3 User Friendly Menu to navigate from: Water Sources The system handles up to 6 water sources each of which may have up to 6 water pumps. The pumps can be arranged in combinations to be activated according to the flow demand. Different delays can be defined for changing combination when the flow demand increases or when it decreases. Each water source may have a real or virtual water meter measuring the water supplied by the source. Each water source may have a definition of a flow limit which it can supply. Before starting irrigation of another valve the total demand is compared with the limit and if it exceeds the limit the valve will wait. Irrigation lines Handling up to 128 irrigation lines. Any number of irrigation lines may be irrigated simultaneously. Each irrigation line may contain 1 water meter, 1 main valve, a local fertilizer site with up to 6 injectors, a local filter with as many stations as needed and an unlimited number of irrigation valves. However the total number of irrigation valves per one DREAM should not exceed 250. Main valves can be operated simultaneously with the irrigation valves or with delayed opening and advanced closing or inversely, with advanced opening and delayed closing. Each irrigation line may have it's own dry contact low pressure sensor. Irrigation lines may have an assignment of a default water source. However valves may use a different water source per each program. Irrigation programs An irrigation program defines the sequence of valves or groups of valves to be irrigated, the water and fertilizers dosage per each, the schedule of activation and the conditions governing the program's operation. By default a DREAM 2 has an allocation of 60 programs. This allocation can be increased by much more depending on other allocations made. Within the sequence the user defines the order of operation of the valves to be irrigated. For convenience, valves can be grouped together and stored in a library of groups for repeated use. The sequence may include also temporary groups for use by the current program only. Groups of valves are treated as singular valves as far as the dosing is concerned, however the accumulation is divided between all the participating valves. The sequence may contain as many as 21 members; each member can be a singular valve or a group. The program's schedule contains a start time and optionally a stop time, a definition of irrigation days expressed as a cycle of days or as a RUN-LIST. Within a RUN-LIST the user specifies per each day whether to irrigate, fertigate, or skip. The program may contain a definition of repetition cycles up to 9999 with interval expressed in h:m:s. Each program can have a priority definition. In case of conflicts, programs with higher priority will get precedence and those with lower priority will wait. Goldtec Control Systems 3 DREAM 2 List of Features

4 Water dosing The water dosage of each valve or group of valves may be defined in various ways: Volumetrically in m 3. By time in terms of hour:minutes:seconds. In terms of volume per area, for example m 3 / hectare. By evaporation The water dosage of all the valves is automatically calculated daily based on the accumulated evaporation since last irrigation, the area to be irrigated and the evaporation factor specific to each crop. Measuring the irrigated water per each line can be done by the water meter of the specific line, whether real or virtual, however irrigation lines having no water meter will automatically use the water meter of the associated source for measuring the irrigated water. The dosage can be varied by percentage within the range 0-255%. Returning to 100% restores the original values. The system remembers the default dosing mode of each individual valve. Fertilization The system handles local and central fertilization sites. Local sites serve individual irrigation lines, and central sites can serve multiple irrigation lines. Each fertilizer site may have up to 6 injectors. Each injector may work with or without a fertilizer meter. Each fertilizer site may include a booster for Venturi injectors. The booster has a built in shut down delay and it will keep running even between the pulses as long as there are any of the associated injectors still in progress. Each fertilizer site may include agitators per each tank. The agitators may be programmed to work in various modes: continuous, periodic, single pulse, or sequential. Fertilization is carried out in three stages: pre-watering, fertigation and post- watering. In each program local and central fertilizations may have different "water before" definition and apart from the other local fertilizers a special "water before" value can be defined for the first local fertilizer. Possible limiting of the global amount to be injected from each fertilizer type per each valve. The fertilizer dosage may be specified in the following ways: liters of fertilizer per each cubic meter of water (l/m 3 ) seconds of fert per each minute of irrigation (sec/min) min:sec of fert per each cubic meter of water (min:sec/m 3 ) liters of fert per each minute of irrigation (l/min) proportion calculated by the division of the fert dosage with the water dosage bulk injection specified by time bulk injection specified by volume To simplify the fertilizers dosing the user may use predefined fertilizer sets which are kept in the controller's memory. Up to 9 fertilizer sets can be defined per each fertilizers site. In case of problem with the fertilizer injection, the user may request the following actions: stopping the faulty injectors, stopping all the injectors of the specific site, stopping irrigation of the related line/lines, or just getting information with no other reaction. Goldtec Control Systems 4 DREAM 2 List of Features

5 EC / ph control Optionally injection of fertilizers may be controlled by the EC and ph levels. Adding FERTMASTER units enables each fertilizer site to fertilize by ph and EC control. Ability of injecting short pulses measured in milliseconds. Accurate measurement of ph and EC values by analogue sensors including temperature compensation. Including tools for automatic calibration of the sensors and tools for measuring important system parameters such as the actual flow of the injectors and the control system's latency. The system's latency expresses the delay between injection and sensing of the results by the sensors as it happens in the specific system. Safely guarded by the protection mechanisms, never allowing the concentration of the fertilizers to exceed the predefined limits. Each new process takes into consideration the results of the last time of activation of the specific formula. Special PC software that enables process monitoring, showing the actual values and the average values of the EC and ph on a graphical display and creating a log that can later be redisplayed in order to analyse the process behaviour. Filters Backflushing Local filter sites serving individual lines or central filter sites serving multiple lines may be defined. Flushing cycles may be triggered by time or by pressure difference. The system handles DOWN STREAM VALVES that ensure high pressure for efficient backflushing. The system keeps track of the number of backflush cycles executed by time and by DP. The system detects and eliminates endless looping caused by faulty DP indication. Irrigation and fertilization during the backflush process can be dictated by the user to wait or continue. Goldtec Control Systems 5 DREAM 2 List of Features

6 Remote Soil Moisture & Soil Temperature Monitoring The Dream 2 system utilizes Aquaflex Soil Moisture & Temperature sensors. Aquaflex sensors are connected directly to the system via remote 2-wire RTU or RF radio RTU. The 2-wire or RF radio RTU not only logs analogue data but also activates outputs for valves etc. Two Aquaflex sensors can be connected to each RTU Soil moisture and temperature data is logged onto the main Dream system to be viewed on the PC as data or graphed information. Irrigation can be switched on/off or conditioned according to soil moisture/temperature % Goldtec Control Systems 6 DREAM 2 List of Features

7 Weather station Fully integrated Dream 2 Weather Station allows the user to record and monitor meteorological parameters and condition the system operation on actual values. The Dream 2 Weather Station features the following sensors -- Evapo-transpiration -- Solar Radiation -- UV Radiation -- Barometric Pressure -- Temperature -- Humidity -- Dew point -- Wind Speed -- Wind Direction -- Daily Rain -- Rain Rate Weather Station can either be located at the controller location or remotely via communication wire up to a distance of 500m. Rain delay feature with its own designated screen -- Feature will suspend irrigation for a planned period dependent on accumulated rain period and planned number of rain days. -- An Alarm message will be triggered when rain delay is activated. Evapo transpiration (ET) feature with its own designated screen -- ET values automatically downloaded from weather station daily. -- If ET feature selected then irrigation will be enabled based on ET values. Frost Protection feature with its own designated screen. -- Frost protection will be enabled when critical plant temperature (user defined) is reached. -- On activation of frost protection all other irrigation will be suspended. -- Manual activation option -- Alarm message Warning, Program Started, Program Stopped will be sent when temperature crosses a pre-defined point and when frost protection is activated. Goldtec Control Systems 7 DREAM 2 List of Features

8 Comfortable programming Large graphical LCD display with back illumination for good day and night visibility Full numeric key pad that serves also as shortcuts for direct jumping into important subjects Position dependent Function Keys Special keys for movement inside and between screens Built in bilingual software. Switching languages by a single key stroke Programs conditioning Conditions may be related to the following events: Change of status of a dry contact. Change of status of a satellite output. Change of status of a program Change of flow rates Change of analogue sensor's value Combined conditions may be created by combining other conditions using AND, OR operators. Each condition may be used by several programs and it may act differently on each program, some may start, some may stop, some may wait and some may continue when a condition becomes true. Conditions may include a reaction delay. Status information and events reporting The current status information is displayed starting from the more concentrated information ending with the more detailed information. The concentrated information contains the most important events that the user might be interested in such as the list of existing problems, the list of irrigating programs (lines), the list of programs scheduled for the current day, that list of already terminated programs, the list of programs with problems. The detailed information displays the status of the programs in each category, for example the irrigating programs will show which valves are currently open and how much is left to be irrigated. The detailed information contains also: the current state of outputs the current state of inputs the current flow rates the current state of communication with the various RTUs included in the system There is a display of the accumulated water and fertilizers per each valve and each meter, during last irrigation and for the whole season. There is a detailed chronologic events report that can be inspected by various sections. The list of events can be printed and can be stored in the PC for later use. Goldtec Control Systems 8 DREAM 2 List of Features

9 Data loggers The system contains three kinds of data loggers: a data logger for logging analog sensors' values, a data logger for logging the irrigation performance, and a data logger for logging the communication performance between the controller and its peripheral I/O devices. The storage capacity of the loggers is user definable. When the storage is full the latest record replaces the earliest. The information accumulated in the loggers can automatically be transferred into the PC and stored in the data base for later use The logger of the analog sensors enables selection of the proper sampling interval for each sensor. There are three sampling intervals to select from: short, medium and long. The length of each interval type can be set by the user. The logger of the irrigation performance generates a record each time a job terminates. The user can select from the following list what information to record: The status of the termination normal or with problem The amount of water supplied The amount of fertilizer supplied The last flow The start time of the job The average EC and ph values The value of a specially selected sensor The logger of the peripheral communication performance will generate a record each time there is a change in the status of communication with any of the interfaces or any of the RTUs. The communication logger when activated uses the same storage area of the irrigation performance logger therefore only one of the two can be activated at a time. Protection mechanisms The system contains the following protection and alarming mechanisms: Uncontrolled water flow. Uncontrolled fertilizer flow. Leakage in the supply system (network protection). Low pressure. High flow and low flow. Fertilizer failure (no flow indication). EC / ph out of range. Endless looping of filters backflush. Low battery (in DC systems). No AC power (in AC systems). Short circuited outputs (in AC systems). Communication problems with interfaces. Communication problems with RTUs. Communication problems with PC Protection against fertilization without water flow Goldtec Control Systems 9 DREAM 2 List of Features

10 Special features The DREAM 2 is a flexible platform that is ready to accept future developments, adding new hardware and software features. Satellite outputs can be defined and attached to any other outputs in order to be activated whenever any of those outputs is active. Conditions can be defined based on the status of the satellites, therefore practically the conditions can refer to the status of the associated outputs. Virtual water meters can be defined as a combination of real water meters. Virtual water meters can be used as a replacement to real water meters of irrigation lines, they can be allocated to a water source for measuring the water supplied by the source and they can be used for NETWORK PROTECTION calculating the loss of the distribution lines. In this case the virtual water meter will have a reaction limit defined and an output to be shut off in case the limit is exceeded. System STOP TIME or individual stop time per program may be used for blocking operation of the whole system or specific programs at a desired time. Software update can be loaded into the controller without losing any of the existing information. All user defined information can be easily transferred to another unit in case of need. Thus enabling a complete replacement without any loss of data. The random access memory (RAM) containing the variable data is fully backed up by lithium long life battery. The system contains special tools to be used by the dealer/installer for tailoring the units to the specific needs, enabling desired features and hiding undesired features, allocating resources and setting defaults according to the specific requirements. Special tools are supplied for protecting systems with large flow during the process of activating/changing shifts of multiple valves. There is a graduated opening/closing of valves, one valve opens and one valve closes and after a delay another pair will follow. If there is an increase of the flow demand which requires starting of pumps, it will be executed after a predefined delay to let the valves open first, and if the flow demand reduces and pumps need to be shut down, it will be executed prior to start closing the valves to eliminate creation of excess pressure. Goldtec Control Systems 10 DREAM 2 List of Features

11 Communication Central control through PC, equipped with New PC software, Java based-dream CONSOLE. Central control through Smartphone application DREAM SPOT. From any device on any application. Communication through 3G modem, Ethernet cable, radio, cable. Alarm notifications DREAM-CONSOLE PC software The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC software is designed to enable remote programming and control of the DREAM system from any PC running WINDOWS XP or later. The large graphical and colorful display of the PC makes the programming and the monitoring of the system much more comfortable and flexible to use. The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC software offers simple irrigation scheduling by utilizing a New Program Wizard allowing the operator to follow a step by step procedure. Goldtec Control Systems 11 DREAM 2 List of Features

12 The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC software allows the operator viewing options with the irrigation programing screen displaying an overview of all programs and components, actual program details, current status and scheduling view. Programs can be stopped, paused, started or modified in this screen The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC offers a Programs Library where the user can prepare programs ahead of time for example different seasons of the year, then export these programs into the Irrigation Programs when they are required. The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC software presents to the operator instant status of multiple Dream 2 system TARGETS accessible to the user. This indicates program status, currant outputs activated, currant main water meter and fertilizer meter flow rate, RTU communication or low battery state, analogue and weather station state. The DREAM 2 CONSOLE PC software enhances the tools given to the user by adding some important features such as handling a data base in which all the historical picture is kept, giving the ability to analyze the accumulated information in various ways including graphical representation. Goldtec Control Systems 12 DREAM 2 List of Features

13 The data base is a mass storage of accumulated data resulting from data acquisition executed repeatedly at user defined intervals. Within the data base there is storage of the water and fertilizer consumptions per each irrigation valve, storage of all the samplings of analog sensors and storage of the reported events. The data base includes also definition of all the crops, all the plots and their sizes, all the fertilizer types with their components, and all the optional users. The consumption can be inspected per valve, per crop, per plot and per user on an hourly, daily or annual basis. The information can be visualized in table format or in graphical format and it can be selectively summed up and printed. The accumulated event reports can be filtered in different ways: inclusive, faults only, per specific programs, lines, valves, fertilizer sites, filter sites and events of a specific kind. The information can be sorted upward or downward by each category. The sampled values of the analog sensors can also be inspected in table or graphical format. The data acquisition can be limited within desired hours. The system includes the ability of presenting the current status on a map, or several maps describing the hydraulic network. Tools are supplied for creating the desired maps presentation. Goldtec Control Systems 13 DREAM 2 List of Features

14 DREAM-SPOT The DREAM-SPOT allows communication to your Dream 2 Controller (or Multiple Dream 2 controllers) using any Web-browsing device such as a PC, Tablet or Smartphone that is connected to the internet. The DREAM-SPOT is included when selecting the option of Dream-Console PC software but also can be selected as a stand-alone internet communication without Dream-Console software. The DREAM-SPOT allows the user to check the system status. Check the system event log. The Irrigation menu the user can check program status, stop, pause and start programs, create & delete programs, change scheduling and change dosage modes such as time or volume. In the Flushing menu the user can check status and start a manual flush. The I/O menu indicates the status of all outputs and inputs and allows the user to manually open and close outputs. In the Communication menu the user can check the status of the interface and also the status of an RTU displaying communication OK, communication error and low battery state on individual RTU s. The Analogue sensor menu displays the actual value of the sensor and also presents the data as a graph. The Flow of water and Flow of fertilizer displays actual flow of connected flow device. User selects the system to access System menu is presented Goldtec Control Systems 14 DREAM 2 List of Features

15 System status Irrigation program menu Modify or view status of program View RTU communication status Current analog value Analog value presented as a graph Goldtec Control Systems 15 DREAM 2 List of Features

16 GROWTH BASED IRRIGATION (GBI) SupPlant, an AWL Group Brand was established in 2012 as a project between several international company s to engage in agricultural monitoring, data analyses and crop management. Using software developed for farmers and agricultural company s in conjunction with Goldtec Control Systems to offer fully enhance decision-making and vastly improve productivity 21 st Century Irrigation made Simple SupPlant offers a revolutionary concept comprising technology and a service suit that yields greater produce, while using much less water. SupPlant s game-changing irrigation concept starts by obtaining granular-resolution information directly from your plants. For the first time, a closed-loop irrigation solution provides a real-time response to your actual plant s needs. With sophisticated plant, soil and environmental sensing technology, cloud computing and artificial intelligence algorithms, your plants conditions are given exact attention in order to provide you with precise, automated irrigation and decision making tools. Goldtec Control Systems 16 DREAM 2 List of Features

17 The Concept Fine tuning your plants needs The Dream 2 Irrigation Control system offers a highly accurate and continuous system to monitor the plant ecosystem, from this data SupPlant is the only company that understands your crops particular irrigation requirements and how to meet them. The system takes into account essential measurements of multi-factor environmental variables, such as soil and environment parameters in order to provide a viable water and growth regimen. When the water consumption varies within plots and even between plants, plant sensors provide you with the control and cost saving solutions you need to run a smarter fertile farming operation Goldtec Control Systems 17 DREAM 2 List of Features

18 Illustration on Peppers 2015 Goldtec Control Systems 18 DREAM 2 List of Features

19 Apple trial Australia / pre-harvest Some Conclusions According to the obtained results during the experimental period, the GBI technology worked under two completely different environmental conditions: During the first wet period, where a significant proportion of the water received by the trees were related to the frequent and intense rain events, the GBI-irrigated small water quantities when it was needed. Therefore, the crop coefficient was relatively low (0.73) compared to the control one (0.87). In the second dry period, the main water source for the trees was primarily coming from the irrigation. Therefore, during this second dry period the crop coefficient in the GBI was considerably larger (0.97) than in the first wet period (table 1) and higher than the control one (0.89) (table 2) On the other hand, the irrigation regime at the control plot was applied as applied apparently without taking account of the rain events, so the crop coefficients for both periods were similar (table 2). When we compared between the GBI and control plots regarding the water quanties applied, a substantial water saving was obtained in the GBI plot: During the first period 43% (table 2) During the second dry period, an increase in irrigation water by 14% was recorded in the same plot compared to the control one. At the end of the entire irrigation period the water saving by the GBI plot was 12% without any apparent negative impact on yield or future performance of the trees. Table 1. Weekly water balance and calculation of crop coefficients in the GBI plot Table 2. Comparison of irrigation water on GBI and control plots Goldtec Control Systems 19 DREAM 2 List of Features

20 Goldtec Control Systems Pty Ltd 135 Murdoch Hill Rd, Woodside, S.A., 5244 Office Phone: Office Fax: Web: Sales and Technical Support Meir Goldstein- Mobile: John Barnett- Mobile: Goldtec Control Systems 20 DREAM 2 List of Features