Development of a Distributed System of Wire Sensor Network in Monitoring the Environment factors affecting the Quality of Stored Agricultural Grains.
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
A distributed system consisting of network of wireless sensor nodes with well selected components and resourceful capabilities for monitoring the effects of temperature, relative humidity and light on the quality of stored agricultural grains was developed. A mini storage facility for the grains according to standard considerations was also designed and constructed. Moreover, this study deployed the developed system with efficient coverage in the constructed mini bin and monitored the environmental factors affecting the quality of the stored grains over a range of period. The study then evaluated the entire system. This was with a view to making available a low-power low-cost but effective wireless monitoring system for storage of grains at small scale and modular level.
A distributed system of wireless sensor network (DWSN) was developed comprising of characterized wireless nodes. The low power system was designed with well selected intelligent sensing devices, homogenous sleep-configured XBee radios, modified power-down arduino board and modified tree-mesh wireless network protocol to deliver remotely monitored parameters from the end nodes to a base station. The DWSN was deployed in a designed and constructed cylindrical-shaped mini silo with half-tonne storage capacity for maize grains. The DWSN monitored the environmental parameters affecting the quality of the stored grains and communicated the real-time data to the facility administrator‘s personal computer, and ensured mobile phone real-time alerts through text messages. The sensor nodes were characterized using the environment provided by five saturated salt solutions. The developed system was evaluated for real-time data collection, coverage efficiency, and node life. The collected data was evaluated using the oven drying method.
The resulting composite units of the developed system were products of the best parameters trade-off in the selection of components and protocols. The sensing unit resulted from the selected Grove - DHT22 Temperature/Humidity sensor with calibrated, linearized and stable digital signals output via 1-wire bus and a cheap low-power Grove – LDR GL5528 light sensor. The traded-off parameters included cost and response time for the DHT22 and measurement range for LDR GL5528. The resulting tree-mesh network had no hierarchy or parent—child relationship constraint. The low-power sleep configuration of the sensor node was cyclic and synchronized. The algorithm for node localization ensured more than 91% coverage efficiency and minimized redundant nodes thereby reducing cost. Data were collected on the developed graphical user interface at about 4secs delay in real time, and instant cell phone alert. The characterization of the sensor nodes indicated very good agreement of close to 96% accuracy on the average. The node lifetime was extended from 26 hrs to 132 days (Approx). Power consumption was also reduced by 10%. The evaluation of the data collected showed an accuracy of 95.2% with error limit of 4.19%.
This study justified the development of a low-power low-cost but effective wireless monitoring system for quality bulk grains storability, and appropriate for marketers, small and medium scale farmers.
Description
xv,189 Pages
Keywords
Wireless sensor network,, Agricultural Grains, DWSN, XBee radios,, LDR GL5528, DHT22
Citation
Onibonje,M.O.(2016)Development of a distributed system of wire sensor network in monitoring the environment factors affecting the quality of stored agricultural grains.