Agricultural

Irrigation Systems
Advantages

Maximum Flexibility: allows distribution of the parcels in a

larger number of plots and turns, which can be easily
matched with soil and crops characteristics.

Increase Productivity: will achieve maximum uniformity of

water and fertilizer distribution, which results in better and
more equal yields.

Savings in operation: reduce the water and other supplies

consumption. It is also possible to reduce the travel of the
tractors, making the grouping of irrigation turns in response
to the geography of the land.

Time Saving and avoid manual work: permitto program the

irrigation frequency and characteristics and then be executed
by the system.
Division into lots of an agricultural field
Scalable Solutions: permit to work with different sizes of
irrigation systems in a modular way, allowing reuse code and
finding the right equipment for your need.

Overview Solution
Automatic Irrigation Systems appears from the need to There are a number of alternatives for Rockwell Automation
optimize the use of water and other resources on agricultural to control these irrigation systems. From simple architectures
crops. based on Micro800 or MicroLogix until CompactLogix,based
Using automatic devices ensures that plantations receive the ones, depending on the complexity of the system design
necessary amounts of water and nutrients at the right time (signal number, irrigation turns, type of pump start).
and according to climatic and geographical conditions.
The Logix Control Platform from Rockwell is the basis for
Additionally it is possible to monitor the conditions of each developing a control, display, information and communica-
system component and to maintain the normal operation and service. tion robust system. The design and delivery process is more
efficient and lower cost. Unlike conventional control architec-
The components of an automated irrigation system are commonly: tures, offering fully integrated solutions, using a single
scalable control platform and a single development environ-
Filtering System ment, you have different options for communication, and
allow optimal reusing engineering designs and coding.
Fertilization System
Drip Hoses and Accessories
Field Valves and Accessories
Acidification System
Pipes
Pump System
 Agricultural
Irrigation Systems
Modular Programming and Reusable
With modular programming we refer to a number of conventions
and best practices on industry standards, followed in developing
code that will allow us to make changes to the irrigation control
system functionality without rewriting the code.
Among these we have the choice of tags, implementation of
state models, predefined HMI screens, etc.
For this specific application we offer available
pre-configured modules for management of:
Pressures: performs reception and analog signal processing
(scaling, alarma levels, etc.). It is used in all the pressure
measurements, either for irrigation, pumping and condition
monitoring.
Pressure Control: Performs PID
pressure control loops in the
system, allowing easy change
of parameters, benchmarks and
alarm mode.
Turns: allows automatic handling of the irrigation. It is able to
control the start and stop of the pumping equipment according
to the schedule entered by the operator and monitoring
conditions.
Pressure Sensors
The pressure measurement is an important factor for the normal
operation of these systems. The pressure control ensures the
proper functioning of the pumping equipment (including auxiliary
systems, cleaning and lubrication), as the precise distribution of
water and fertilizer dosage.
Rockwell Automation has used 836E sensors for this
technical alternative, whose main characteristics are:
Operating pressures ranges: from -15 to 6000 psi (gauge)
Outputs: Independently programmable dual PNP NO/NC
outputs or 4...20 mA analog output with single PNP NO/NC
Housing: Rugged, corrosion-resistant 316LStainless steel
housing with IP66 rating.
enclosure
Optional Display: Four-digit 14-segment digital display
SensingElement: 316L Stainless steel
Selectable units of measurement:
kPa, psi, bar, or %
836E Sensors
Agricultural
Irrigation Systems

Automated Irrigation Systems

TypicalArchitectures

Flex I/O Flex I/O

PanelViewPlus 6 Micrologix

PanelView Component Micro830

Point I/O

PowerFlex 70
PowerFlex 40

Pump Motor
Pump Motor

Based on Micro800 Based on MicroLogix

CompactLogix Armor Point I/O

PanelViewPlus 6

Pump Motor

PowerFlex755
Basedon Compact Logix
Publication WWW-AT-001-A-EN-P – May 2013 Copyright ©2013 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.