Solar Powered Operated Grass Cutter With A Herbicide Spreader
Solar Powered Operated Grass Cutter With A Herbicide Spreader
REVIEW ARTICLE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
need for fossil fuels, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions downsides. A blade is a component of a machine, weapon, or
and air pollution. Secondly, it is quiet and efficient, which tool that features an edge created for cutting, thrusting,
reduces noise pollution and disturbance to wildlife. Thirdly, it scraping, or chopping surfaces or materials [2]. In the past, the
is cost-effective, as it eliminates the need for fuel and reduces process of cutting grass involved manual labor with the
maintenance costs over time. Finally, it promotes ecological utilization of hand-held devices such as scissors, which
benefits by reducing the use of harmful herbicides and necessitated more human effort and additional time to
pesticides. So, aim of this project is to make a new grass cutting accomplish the task, often resulting in uneven outcomes.
device has been developed which is powered by electricity and Powered machines that run on fuel tend to increase air
includes several components such as a plate, a 12 Volt D.C. pollution and noise levels while demanding regular
battery, a motor, cutting blades, a 12 Volt D.C. pump, a water maintenance [3]. A solar-powered grass cutter, on the other
tank, and wheels. The modified grass cutter features a rotor that hand, utilizes sliding blades to cut grass at an even length. Its
is fixed between bearings and attached to the frame of the design is straightforward, comprising a DC motor, a switch for
cutter. The motor is also attached to the rotor and fixed onto managing the motor, and a battery that charges via a solar panel
the grass cutter frame. To ensure efficient operation, a plate is [4]. Solar energy refers to radiant light and heat generated by
fixed on the top part of the grass cutter to absorb direct sunlight the sun and captured utilizing a wide range of ever-developing
and is directly connected to the motor. The motor can be technologies. A solar electric array generates electricity from
rotated in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, sunlight with no components that move or wear out.
depending on the wiring or the specific requirement. Furthermore, a solar pump efficiently harnesses direct current
Additionally, this device can also be used as a pesticide sprayer from the array while accommodating variations in energy
as it comes with a 12 Volt pump and a sprayer option. production throughout the day. The solar panel generates solar
energy, which is stored in a battery, and then converted into
2. Literature review electrical energy. The blade, which is connected to the DC
motor, can cut all kinds of grass and distribute pesticides on
It includes, the data of the published journal papers related to crops.
our projects. We have described the work of respective
authorities published in their books. This papers are related to 2.3 Multipurpose pesticides sprayer pump
our project topic, which have help us to learn various process,
methods and design factors used in respective work. A pump is a mechanical device that facilitates the movement
Converging all the ideas and methods used in journal papers, of fluids by consuming energy to execute mechanical work and
we refined the data required for our project work. propel the fluid [5]. Certain pesticide sprayer pumps are a
combination of knapsack and battery-operated mechanisms,
2.1 Design & fabrication of multi nozzle spray pump which enhance their efficiency. This particular model is a
trolley-operated system, enabling the spraying of pesticides in
The populace of India is growing with each passing day, any direction and at any height around the crops, thereby
necessitating a modernization of the agricultural sector to meet reducing maximum effort required for spraying. It is used for
the increasing demand for food. However, the use of chemical various activities such as weeding and plugging. The purpose
fertilizers has led to a decrease in soil fertility, prompting of this paper is to suggest a model of a manually operated,
farmers to shift towards organic farming [1]. This approach not multi-nozzle pesticide sprayer pump that can perform spraying
only solves the problem of back pain, which arises from at the maximum rate in the shortest possible time. The scope
carrying a sprayer on one's back and shoulder, but also and objective are to decrease operational costs by utilizing new
provides a convenient adjustment mechanism for crops, mechanisms, enhance reliability under different working
preventing excessive use of pesticides and reducing pollution. conditions, reduce the cost of the machine, decrease labor costs
Moreover, this sprayer is more cost-effective than the by advancing the spraying method, design a machine that can
conventional spraying pumps available in the market, as it does perform both operations of spraying and weeding, spray
not require direct fuel or maintenance costs. It is an upgraded maximum area in minimum time, facilitate proper adjustments
version of the manually operated sprayer and weeder, specially with respect to crop size and height, attach multiple nozzles
designed for small land farmers. This machine saves both time and trolleys, and incorporate other instruments such as pilling,
and money when compared to traditional spraying and hilling, and plowing. Additionally, this eco-friendly system
weeding methods. Since it does not require any fuel or power, uses a spray guard to minimize the negative impact of
the maintenance cost is also minimal. spraying. The equipment is specifically designed for farmers
with small farming land, approximately 5-6 acres, who can
2.2 Solar powered grass cutter and herbicide sprayer benefit from its low cost. The equipment is particularly suitable
for weeding moist soil, as the weed cutter can easily penetrate
In previous times, conventional lawn upkeep equipment was and dig out the soil, resulting in more efficient weeding.
the primary preference for householders and lawn care experts. Furthermore, the equipment performs better on smooth or less
Nevertheless, this equipment that are run by gas, including uneven surfaces and crops having similar height and spacing
mowers and herbicide spreaders, come with several between them.
79
B. Upadhyay et al., / International journal of research in engineering and innovation (IJREI), vol 7, issue 2 (2023), 78-84.
The grass cutting principle involves imparting high-speed An electric motor that converts direct current electrical energy
rotational motion to the blade, which aids in cutting the grass into mechanical energy is well known as DC Motor. It consists
with precision and smoothness. For the upkeep and of a rotor, a stator, and a commutator that provides the motor
enhancement of the aesthetics of lawns and gardens, grass with the ability to change the direction of the current flow. A
cutting machines serve as a highly efficient option. A lawn motor driver is an electronic device that controls the speed and
mower, equipped with revolving blades, helps people direction of a motor by regulating the current flow. It can be
effortlessly maintain their lawns and gardens, ensuring even used to drive DC motors and is essential for applications where
lengths of grass. In modern times, there are numerous options precise control of motor speed and direction is required.
available, ranging from the most basic push-along mowers to In a solar power operated grass cutter, a DC motor and motor
the highly advanced electric grass cutting machines. As per the driver commands the blade speed and direction. Motor,
World Energy Report, conventional fossil fuels such as oil powered by the solar panel which generates direct current from
(36%), natural gas (21%), and coal (23%) account for the sun's energy. The motor driver receives input from a
approximately 80% of the energy we use. However, it is widely controller and adjusts the motor's speed and direction
known that these sources are finite and will eventually be accordingly. This enables the grass cutter to operate efficiently
depleted. Therefore, it is crucial to explore alternative energy and effectively while using renewable energy sources.
sources to avoid an energy crisis in the near future.
Incorporating solar energy into the functioning of grass cutting
machines can help mitigate this issue [6]. The use of solar
energy as a source of power to drive a lawn mower is
increasingly necessary due to the rising cost of fuel and the
harmful emissions generated by the combustion of these fuels,
which pollute the environment. This project outlines a design
methodology for a solar-powered grass cutter, which operates
based on the Law of Conservation of Energy. The grass cutter
has solar panels arranged at an angle of 45 degrees to receive
high-intensity solar radiation easily, which the panels then
convert into electrical energy [7].
3. Working
Figure 1: DC Motor
Direct conversion of solar radiation into electricity is made
possible by utilizing photovoltaic (PV) cells, which function as 3.2 Operation of DC Motor
semiconductor devices. When the solar cell is exposed to
sunlight, it absorbs a portion of the energy and transforms it In modem industrial applications, the DC motor you will find
into electrical energy. This electrical energy is then stored in a operates very similarly to the simple DC motor mentioned
lead-acid battery. The battery is connected to a 12V DC motor, earlier in this chapter. An electrical diagram of a simple DC
which then converts the electrical energy into mechanical motor is shown in the figure [8]. The DC motor in a solar
energy. The solar-powered agro sprayer comprises three power operated grass cutter is powered by the direct current
primary components, namely the solar panel unit, battery generated by the solar panel. When a voltage is applied to the
storage unit, and solar-powered pump. In the solar agro sprayer motor's terminals, it generates an attractive field that interacts
pump, the two-stroke petrol engine has been substituted with a with the magnetic influence of its environment can be detected
combination of a storage battery and solar pump. To recharge stator. This interaction causes the rotor to rotate, which in turn
the storage battery, a solar panel arrangement is placed at the drives the blade of the grass cutter. By adjusting the voltage
top of the unit. To allow the maximum amount of solar applied to the motor, the speed of the blade can be controlled.
radiation to fall on the panels, the solar panels are arranged at The motor driver regulates the voltage and current flowing to
a 45-degree angle to the vertical. This permits the unit to the motor, ensuring that it operates efficiently and avoids
receive the maximum amount of solar energy from the sun damage. The combination of the DC motor and the motor
while it is in use in the field. The output of the panel is linked driver enables the grass cutter to operate effectively using
in parallel with a 12V storage battery to store the electrical renewable solar energy.
energy generated by the panel. The 12V solar panel is then
linked to the 12V battery. The operation of the solar pump is 3.3 Solar Panel
controlled by a switch and regulator. The stored electrical
energy is converted into mechanical energy by rotating the Photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells, are electronic
motor, eliminating the need for traditional fuels such as devices that convert the energy of photons from sunlight into
gasoline for mechanical operations.
80
B. Upadhyay et al., / International journal of research in engineering and innovation (IJREI), vol 7, issue 2 (2023), 78-84.
electrical energy. A solar panel comprises of three essential affordable, often appearing blue due to the manufacturing
components. Firstly, a material known as a semiconductor process.
generates electron-hole pairs through the absorption of solar Meanwhile, thin film solar panels have a photovoltaic
energy. Secondly, there is a zone that contains a drift field material layer on a flexible substrate, making them less
responsible for the separation of charges. Lastly, front and efficient but more adaptable for various uses due to their
back electrodes are used to collect charges [9]. lightweight and flexibility.
Building-Integrated Photovoltaic or BIPV panels can
Rotation of loop serve as both energy generators and building materials
when incorporated into the design of a building, such as
windows or roofs.
Finally, concentrated solar panels utilize lenses or mirrors
to focus sunlight onto a smaller area, producing more
electricity per unit of surface area.
Brush Brush
Ultimately, the choice of solar panel will depend on cost,
efficiency, space availability, and intended use, with each type
having its own advantages and disadvantages.
Split spring commutator
DC power supply 3.4 Solar Energy
81
B. Upadhyay et al., / International journal of research in engineering and innovation (IJREI), vol 7, issue 2 (2023), 78-84.
82
B. Upadhyay et al., / International journal of research in engineering and innovation (IJREI), vol 7, issue 2 (2023), 78-84.
material, allowing for broad coverage and efficient application. sprayers, the following equation can be utilized:
The Gaseous Energy Sprayer offers a versatile and efficient
solution for delivering liquids or powders to specific areas, Sprayed amount
Spray Effectiveness = ×100 %
providing an effective means of achieving desired results in Applied amount
83
B. Upadhyay et al., / International journal of research in engineering and innovation (IJREI), vol 7, issue 2 (2023), 78-84.
herbicide spreader. These technologies enable precise [5] Arvind, G., Athira, V.G., Haripriya, H., Rani, R.A., Aravind, S., 2017.
Automated irrigation with advanced seed germination and pest control.
monitoring and control, leading to optimized use of resources,
2017 IEEE Technological Innovations in ICT for Agriculture and Rural
increased crop yields, and reduced crop damage. Overall, the Development (TIAR). https://doi.org/10.1109/ tiar.2017.8273687.
solar-powered operated grass cutter with herbicide spreader [6] Åstrand, B., Baerveldt, A.-J., 2002. Auton. Robot. 13 (1), 21–35. Bak,
offers a sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective solution for T., Jakobsen, H., 2003. Agricultural robotic platform with four wheel
steering for weed detection. Biosyst. Eng. 87, 2125–2136.
maintaining lawns, fields, and agricultural areas. Its
[7] Bakker, T., van Asselt, K., Bontsema, J., Müller, J., van Straten, G.,
implementation can contribute to water conservation, 2006. An autonomous weeding robot for organic farming. Field and
improved weed control, and enhanced agricultural Service Robotics 579–590.
productivity, benefiting both the environment and the farming [8] Bendig, J., Bolten, A., Bareth, G., 2012. introducing a low-cost mini-uav
for thermal- and multispectral-imaging. xxii isprs congress 345–349.
community.
[9] Bhagyalaxmi, K., Jagtap, K.K, Nikam N.S., Nikam K.K, Sutar S.S.,
2016. “Agricultural robot” (Ir- rigation system, weeding, monitoring of
References field, disease detection). International Journal of Innovative Research in
Computer and Communication Engineering. 4(3), 4403–4409.
[1] Al-Ali, A.R., Qasaimeh, M., Al-Mardini, M., Radder, S., Zualkernan, [10] Bhaskaranand, M., Gibson, J.D., 2011. Low-complexity video encoding
I.A., 2015. ZigBee-based irrigation system for home gardens. 2015 for UAV reconnaissance and surveillance. Proc. IEEE Military
International Conference on Communications, Signal Processing, and Communications Conference (MILCOM), pp. 1633–1638.
Their Applications. https://doi.org/ 10.1109/iccspa.2015.7081305. [11] Kumar, G., 2014. Research paper on water irrigation by using wireless
[2] Albaji, M., Shahnazari, A., Behzad, M., Naseri, A., BoroomandNasab, sensor network. In- ternational Journal of Scientific Engineering and
S., Golabi, M., 2010. Comparison of different irrigation methods based Technology, IEERT conference Paper, pp. 123–125.
on the parametric evaluation approach in Dosalegh plain: Iran. Agric. [12] Savitha, M., UmaMaheshwari, O.P., 2018. Smart crop field irrigation in
Water Manag. 97 (7), 1093–1098. IOT architecture using sensors. Int. J. Adv. Res. Comput. Sci. 9 (1), 302–
[3] Anand, K., Jayakumar, C., Muthu, M., Amirneni, S., 2015. Automatic 306.
drip irrigation system using fuzzy logic and mobile technology. 2015 [13] Varatharajalu, K., Ramprabu, J., 2018. Wireless Irrigation System via
IEEE Technological Innovation in ICT for Agriculture and Rural Phone Call & SMS. In- ternational Journal of Engineering and Advanced
Development (TIAR). https://doi.org/10.1109/ tiar.2015.7358531. Technology. 8 (2S), 397–401.
[4] Anthony, D., Elbaum, S., Lorenz, A., Detweiler, C., 2014. On crop [14] Unpaprom, Yuwalee, Dussadeeb, Natthawud, Ramaraj, Rameshprabu,
height estimation with UAVs. 2014 IEEE/RSJ International Conference 2018. Modern Agriculture Drones the Development of Smart Farmers.
on Intelligent Robots and Systems. p. 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1109/iros.2014.6943245.
Cite this article as: Bipul Upadhyay , Prateek Kumar, Rohit Vashishth, Alok Kumar, Aman Kumar, Gaurav kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Solar
powered operated grass cutter with herbicide spreader, International Journal of Research in Engineering and Innovation Vol-7, Issue-2 (2023),
78-84, https://doi.org/10.36037/IJREI.2023.7204.
84