EMBEDDED FUZZY CONTROLLER FOR APPLICATION IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT This paper describes the modeling, implementation, and evaluation of a control system based on an embedded fuzzy controller for application in irrigation systems. The motivation for the development of this system comes from the need to offer farmers resources that provide a reduction in water and electricity consumption in irrigation, which contributes to reducing production costs and preserving natural resources. The proposed control system aims to keep the water flow constant, as close as possible to the desired value and independent of load variations. A single-board computer, with the fuzzy controller software, a frequency inverter to control the speed of the irrigation motor pump system, and a flow sensor to measure the water flow, was used to implement the system. The proposed control system was evaluated in laboratory and field experiments to simulate real operating conditions. The results showed that the system presents satisfactory performance, representing a viable alternative for application in general irrigation systems.