A novel high sensitivity single probe heat pulse soil moisture sensor based on a single npn bipolar junction transistor

Orientador: Elnatan Chagas FerreiraTexto em inglêsDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de ComputaçãoResumo: A constante preocupação em aumentar a produtividade das plantações de uma forma sustentável e otimizando o uso dos insumos agrícolas (água, fertilizantes, pesticidas e produtos para correção do PH) levou ao desenvolvimento da agricultura de precisão, que permite determinar a quantidade correta de insumos para cada região do solo (tipicamente um hectare), evitando o desperdício. Sensores de umidade de solo de baixo custo e fácil aplicação no campo são fundamentais para permitir um controle preciso da atividade de irrigação, sendo que os sensores que melhor atendem estes requisitos são os chamados sensores de dissipação de calor ou sensores de transferência de calor. Estes sensores, entretanto, apresentam um problema de baixa sensibilidade na faixa de umidade mais importante para as plantas (umidade de solo 'teta'v variando entre 5% e 35%), pois, para cobrir esta variação de 30% em 'teta'v com resolução de 1%, é necessário medir variações de temperatura de aproximadamente 0,026 ºC nos sensores de pulso de calor a duas pontas e 0,05 ºC para os sensores de pulso de calor de ponta simples. Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um novo sensor de umidade de solo do tipo pulso de calor de ponta simples, baseado em um único elemento: um transistor bipolar de junção npn, que é usado tanto como aquecedor e como sensor de temperatura de alta precisão. Resultados experimentais, obtidos em medidas realizadas através de uma técnica de interrogação especialmente desenvolvida para este novo sensor mostram que neste trabalho foi possível obter uma sensibilidade cerca de uma ordem de grandeza maior do que nos sensores de pulso de calor com uma ponta e cerca de 20 vezes maior do que nos sensores de pulso de calor de duas pontas. Outra vantagem da técnica desenvolvida é que o aumento da sensibilidade não é obtido às custas do aumento da corrente drenada da bateria para aquecer o sensor. No sensor desenvolvido é utilizada uma corrente de apenas 6 mA para gerar o aquecimento (com energia dissipada de 1,5 J), enquanto que que os sensores de pulso de calor com ponta simples requerem cerca de 50 mA (com 2,4 J de energia dissipada) para operar. Os sensores de pulso de calor de ponta dupla também são fabricados com resistores que requerem cerca de 50 mA para o aquecimento (0.8 J de energia dissipada) para operar corretamenteAbstract: The concern regarding sustainable development and crop inputs optimization (such as water, fertilizers, pesticides and soil PH correction products) has led to the development of the precision agriculture concept, that allows to determine the exact amount of each input required on each ground section (typically one hectare), avoiding waste of inputs. Low-cost and easily handled soil moisture sensors are very important for allowing a precise irrigation control. The class of sensors which fulfill those requirements are the heat transfer sensors, where there are basically two types of devices: dual (or multi) probe heat pulse sensors and single probe heat pulse sensors. However, these sensors have a low sensitivity in the most important range of soil humidity 'teta'v for plants (usually from 5% ? 'teta'v ? 35%). To cover this 30% soil humidity range with 1% resolution it is necessary to measure temperature with a resolution of 0,026 ºC in the dual/multi probe heat pulse sensors and 0,05 ºC in the single probe heat pulse sensor. In this work it was developed a new type of single probe heat pulse sensor, comprised of a single element: an npn junction bipolar transistor, that plays the role of both the heating element and a high accuracy temperature sensor. Experimental results, obtained through an interrogation technique especially developed for this sensor, show sensitivity about one order of magnitude greater than the typical sensitivity of the single probe heat pulse sensors and 20 times greater than dual probe heat pulse sensors. Another great advantage of the developed interrogation technique is that the increase in sensibility is not obtained through a higher current being drained from the batteries that power the sensor. The developed sensor operates at a much lower current level than the other sensors, draining only 6 mA from the battery (with an energy of 150 mW). The single probe heat pulse sensor requires 50 mA and 1.5 J of energy to operate, whilst the dual probe heat pulse sensors are manufactured with resistors which also drain 50 mA from the battery with 0.8 J of dissipated energyMestradoEletrônica, Microeletrônica e OptoeletrônicaMestre em Engenharia Elétric

Recent Topics in Electromagnetic Compatibility

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A Low-Cost System for Quick Measurements on Noise Barriers in Situ

This paper describes the development of a low-cost device for measuring the acoustic intrinsic characteristics of noise barriers. The system is based on the Teensy 4.1 microcontroller combined with a few other components. The measurements are carried out using a vertical linear microphone antenna housing 6 microphones and a lightweight loudspeaker, wireless connected to the main unit. Both the main system unit and the amplified loudspeaker are powered from normal 5 V USB battery packs, which are easily rechargeable and interchangeable. The system measures 6 impulse responses using an MLS signal and performs a series of calculations and frequency analyses to characterize the device under test, following a simplified version of the European standards EN 1793-5 and EN 1793-6 (commonly referred to as the ’Adrienne method’). One measurement takes few minutes, obtaining results comparable to those obtained with the Adrienne method, which requires a more complicated and heavy measuring equipment and is much more expensive and time consuming

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INE/AUTC 10.0

Serial laser lithography for efficient manufacture of universal microstructures

The technique of microstructuring revolutionises all classical fields of engineering like electronics, optics and mechanics. In order to manufacture a microstructure in large quantities and at a reasonable price, master elements or masks will be formed that can be duplicated in a highly efficient process. Further development in technology leads, on the one hand, to further reduction of possible dimensions of structures down to the range of sub-nano technology and, on the other hand, to the development of more flexible systems in using more reasonably priced technologies for the structuring in the classical micrometre range, which in turn opens a much larger field of use. This study examines the use of serial laser lithography for efficient manufacture of universal microstructures. To facilitate this, a laser beam writer or so-called Laser Pattern Generator (LPG) was developed and described here as well as in a previous work[Samu96a]. The laser beam writer uses a precise positioning system for the movement of a substrate for material processing using a focussed laser beam. This system permits the production of structures with dimensions down to 0.5 μm which can be used in several application fields. This was systematically analysed for optimisation of the production process. Based on the achieved results, a computer-aided simulation system for process parameter determination and optimisation was developed that may be used in order to minimise the experimental effort in LPG manufacturing. The total production process and the individual optimising steps are illustrated by the manufacture of different microstructures. Because of the high reproducibility in manufacturing different structure types and, compared with other manufacturing methods, the low equipment and manufacturing effort, serial laser lithography is an efficient process for the microstructuring of universal microstructures down to the dimensions in the micrometre range

NASA thesaurus. Volume 2: Access vocabulary

The Access Vocabulary, which is essentially a permuted index, provides access to any word or number in authorized postable and nonpostable terms. Additional entries include postable and nonpostable terms, other word entries, and pseudo-multiword terms that are permutations of words that contain words within words. The Access Vocabulary contains 40,738 entries that give increased access to the hierarchies in Volume 1 - Hierarchical Listing

NASA thesaurus. Volume 2: Access vocabulary

The access vocabulary, which is essentially a permuted index, provides access to any word or number in authorized postable and nonpostable terms. Additional entries include postable and nonpostable terms, other word entries and pseudo-multiword terms that are permutations of words that contain words within words. The access vocabulary contains almost 42,000 entries that give increased access to the hierarchies in Volume 1 - Hierarchical Listing

NASA Thesaurus. Volume 1: Hierarchical listing

There are 16,713 postable terms and 3,716 nonpostable terms approved for use in the NASA scientific and technical information system in the Hierarchical Listing of the NASA Thesaurus. The generic structure is presented for many terms. The broader term and narrower term relationships are shown in an indented fashion that illustrates the generic structure better than the more widely used BT and NT listings. Related terms are generously applied, thus enhancing the usefulness of the Hierarchical Listing. Greater access to the Hierarchical Listing may be achieved with the collateral use of Volume 2 - Access Vocabulary

NASA thesaurus. Volume 1: Hierarchical Listing

There are over 17,000 postable terms and nearly 4,000 nonpostable terms approved for use in the NASA scientific and technical information system in the Hierarchical Listing of the NASA Thesaurus. The generic structure is presented for many terms. The broader term and narrower term relationships are shown in an indented fashion that illustrates the generic structure better than the more widely used BT and NT listings. Related terms are generously applied, thus enhancing the usefulness of the Hierarchical Listing. Greater access to the Hierarchical Listing may be achieved with the collateral use of Volume 2 - Access Vocabulary and Volume 3 - Definitions