Chapter-OneIntroduction
1.1 Overview:The irrigation system is defined as a system that
distributes water to targeted area. Basically, it is meant for
agriculture purposes. The efficiency of the irrigation is based on
the system used. Since antiquity, the human life is based on
agriculture and the irrigation system is one of the tools that
boost agriculture. There are many other types of irrigation system
all over the world but these irrigations are encountering many
problems. In fact, there are few modern systems but they mostly
fail in one way to another. The automation plays an important role
in the world economy; therefore, engineers struggle to come out
with combined automatic devices in order to create complex systems
that help human in its activities so that the system automatically
processes itself without any human intervention. So we would like
to develop an automatic irrigation system. Basically, the paper
consists of electrical part and mechanical part. The electrical
part consists of photovoltaic, which is meant to generate power and
the power is stored in the rechargeable battery. The mechanical
part consists of pump to pump out the water from the water source.
There are two solenoid valves that are used to control the water
flow. Additionally, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is
interfaced with SCADA (Supervisory Control Data Acquisition) system
developed in a personal computer (PC) using LABVIEW. SCADA system
is used for controlling the automation system via computer so there
is a need to develop HMI human-machine interface employed to
communicate with automation device like PLCs and other computers,
like water computers. Water is recognized as a source of human
life, as well as plants and animals. Therefore, the water needs to
be managed properly without any waste. The proper management of any
liquid is very significant, especially in our case of water
management of the irrigation system. The best liquid management is
provided by SCADA.
1.2 Irrigation systems: Is the artificial application of water
to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of
agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of
disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate
rainfall. Additionally, irrigation also has a few other uses in
crop production, which include protecting plants against frost, [1]
suppressing weed growth in grain fields [2] and preventing soil
consolidation. [3] In contrast, agriculture that relies only on
direct rainfall is referred to as rain-fed or dry land farming.
Irrigation systems are also used for dust suppression, disposal of
sewage, and in mining. Irrigation is often studied together with
drainage, which is the natural or artificial removal of surface and
sub-surface water from a given area. Irrigation has been a central
feature of agriculture for over 5000 years, and was the basis of
the economy and society of numerous societies, ranging from Asia to
Arizona.1.3 History
Fig. 1.1: Animal-powered irrigation, Upper Egypt, ca. 1840
Fig1.2: Inside a karez tunnel at Turpan,
UyghurstanArchaeological investigation has identified evidence of
irrigation where the natural rainfall was insufficient to support
crops. Perennial irrigation was practiced in the Mesopotamian plain
whereby crops were regularly watered throughout the growing season
by coaxing water through a matrix of small channels formed in the
field.[4] Ancient Egyptians practiced Basin irrigation using the
flooding of the Nile to inundate land plots which had been
surrounded by dykes. The flood water was held until the fertile
sediment had settled before the surplus was returned to the
watercourse.[5] There is evidence of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh
Amenemhet III in the twelfth dynasty (about 1800 BCE) using the
natural lake of the Faiyum Oasis as a reservoir to store surpluses
of water for use during the dry seasons, the lake swelled annually
from flooding of the Nile. [6]The Ancient Nubians developed a form
of irrigation by using a waterwheel-like device called a sakia.
Irrigation began in Nubia some time between the third and second
millennium BCE. [7] It largely depended upon the flood waters that
would flow through the Nile River and other rivers in what is now
the Sudan. [8]In sub-Saharan Africa irrigation reached the Niger
River region cultures and civilizations by the first or second
millennium BCE and was based on wet season flooding and water
harvesting. [9] [10] Terrace irrigation is evidenced in
pre-Columbian America, early Syria, India, and China. [5] In the
Zana Valley of the Andes Mountains in Peru, archaeologists found
remains of three irrigation canals radiocarbon dated from the 4th
millennium BCE, the 3rd millennium BCE and the 9th century CE.
These canals are the earliest record of irrigation in the New
World. Traces of a canal possibly dating from the 5th millennium
BCE were found under the 4th millennium canal. [11] Sophisticated
irrigation and storage systems were developed by the Indus Valley
Civilization in present-day Pakistan and North India, including the
reservoirs at Girnar in 3000 BCE and an early canal irrigation
system from circa 2600 BCE. [12][13] Large scale agriculture was
practiced and an extensive network of canals was used for the
purpose of irrigation.Ancient Persia (modern day Iran) as far back
as the 6th millennium BCE, where barley was grown in areas where
the natural rainfall was insufficient to support such a crop. [14]
The Qanats, developed in ancient Persia in about 800 BCE, are among
the oldest known irrigation methods still in use today. They are
now found in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The system
comprises a network of vertical wells and gently sloping tunnels
driven into the sides of cliffs and steep hills to tap groundwater.
[15] The noria, a water wheel with clay pots around the rim powered
by the flow of the stream (or by animals where the water source was
still), was first brought into use at about this time, by Roman
settlers in North Africa. By 150 BCE the pots were fitted with
valves to allow smoother filling as they were forced into the
water. [16]The irrigation works of ancient Sri Lanka, the earliest
dating from about 300 BCE, in the reign of King Pandukabhaya and
under continuous development for the next thousand years, were one
of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world. In
addition to underground canals, the Sinhalese were the first to
build completely artificial reservoirs to store water. Due to their
engineering superiority in this sector, they were often called
'masters of irrigation'. Most of these irrigation systems still
exist undamaged up to now, in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, because
of the advanced and precise engineering. The system was extensively
restored and further extended during the reign of King Parakrama
Bahu 1.4 Before according about power Crisis Crisis of power is one
of the major problems in Bangladesh. Day by day the gap between
demand and production is increasing. Moreover, most of the power
plants are gas based which will be phased out in future. Misuse,
system loss and corruption in power sector are the main issue
regarding this crisis. It is possible to control load demand by
using compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), transformation of holiday,
proper load management, encouraging Independent Power Producers
(IPP) and reducing transmission loss. Priority should be given to
control misuse and corruption in power sector than generation of
power. Proper utilization of renewable energy is the up most choice
for solving the power crisis in Bangladesh because it requires low
cost and less risk. Initiative should be taken to develop skilled
manpower required for the power sector considering renewable energy
sources. By incorporating IPP and local Government (GOV), central
GOV may take the responsibility to increase the power generation
and ensure its proper use in Bangladesh.Bangladesh managed to
achieve an effective power generation capacity of 3500MW till 2009
and three and half years since then present government added 3300MW
new power. Without fuel constraint the total generation could be
6800MW. Some persons may not like the way the new power generation
has been added but all must appreciate that in a country like
Bangladesh it is no mean achievement. But government failed to
anticipate impacts of price increase of liquid fuel in volatile
world energy market requiring huge subsidy obligation. Government
failed to initiate exploration of own sweet coal , government
failed to advance traditional fuel based major power plant
installation. Fuel constraints restrict power generation to about
5200-5500MW against an increased demand of 7500MW. Consequent
deficit does not make visible of positive impacts of new power
generation as load shedding continues and people criticize.Every
power plant in the private sector whatever is its size large,
medium or small is a rental plant. For private sector power plants
Bangladesh has required policies. Liquid fuel based contingency
plants, peaking plants should be categorized under small IPP. If
liquid fuel based Barge Mounted plant at Khulna could be
categorized as IPP why not the liquid fuel based small
Fig 1.3: Power Distribution Linecontingency plants be called
small IPP. Somebody somewhere someday called these Quick Rental
plants and now everyone has found it a favorite pastime to talk
about it in Bangladesh.When the present government came to state
power there was a power deficit of 2000MW at generation level. The
coincident peak demand was about 5500 MW and the generation was
3500 MW. In three and half years about 2000MW new demand has been
created for various reasons ranging from more and more people
acquiring power consuming new electronic gazettes [freezes,
televisions, air conditioners, personal computers], new power
connections, easy bikes etc. Government theoretically added about
3300 MW new power. Hence raising power generation from 3500MW to
6800MW [Although for fuel supply crisis effective generation is
5200-5500MW] and demand increased to 7500MW. Consequently the
deficit of 2000MW continues to remain creating massive load
shedding. One can easily imagine the consequences if no new power
could be added and government continued on a business as usual like
its predecessors.1.5 Water ProblemThe water resources of Bangladesh
are facing different problems including Quality hazards in many
areas where the exposure to pollution from agriculture,Urban areas
and industrial sites as well as arsenic contamination in shallower
Groundwater aquifers makes the water unfit for human consumption
and in some Cases even for irrigation purposes. It has been
estimated that the population of 61 Districts has been suffering
from arsenic contamination (dphe, 2001)to protect the population
from water-borne diseases, primarily from the consumption of
polluted and dirty surface water, effort has been made throughout
the country during the past two decades to replace drinking water
supplies from surface water with groundwater and millions of
shallow tube wells (
