Gravity Irrigation with Pump and Flow Control [Success Story]
Challenge
Gravity fed water distribution systems for potable water and irrigation rely on pumping water uphill, often through topography that can be extremely challenging for RF communication. In this application submersible pressure sensors are used to monitor tank levels. Based on the tank water level, pumps bringing water in from a lake are turned ON or OFF.
Counter Nodes with flow meters are used to monitor the water flowing to orchards to allow for precise water metering and accurate billing for water use. For installations without access to wired power, a solar panel or battery pack may be used to power the FlexPower Nodes and sensors.
Solution
The Gateway, or wireless network controller, monitors the water level inside the water tank. When the water level drops, a Node installed with the reservoir pumps uses its outputs to cycle the pumps on or off. A series of Nodes monitors the amount of water flowing into each orchard. A 1 Watt Data Radio connected to the Gateway transmits the data to a mobile asset or a centralized control center for data processing and billing.
Because of the difficult terrain, using Data Radios allowed us to reliably transmit data over great distances and around obstacles. SureCross FlexPower devices using efficient power management technology allow users to choose from solar, battery, or dc power without compromising the performance or response time of the network.
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Create point-to-multi point networks that distribute I/O over large areas. Input and output types include discrete (dry contact, PNP/NPN), analog (0 to 10 V dc, 0 to 20 mA), temperature (thermocouple and RTD), and pulse counter.