DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY TESTING OFA DEVICE FOR THE MONITORING OF ZOOTECHNICAL EFFLUENT DISTRIBUTION USING RAINGUN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

• Main Authors: Fabrizio Mazzetto, Aldo Calcante
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2009-06-01
• Series: Journal of Agricultural Engineering
• Subjects: fertigation, raingun distribution system, microturbine, GPS, monitoring
• Online Access: http://www.agroengineering.org/index.php/jae/article/view/72

The present project consisted in the design, development and early testing of a device for the monitoring of the distribution of zootechnical effluents using raingun distribution systems with the aim of defining a system that is reliable and objective that is useful both in farm management and to certify the activities carried out with respect to environmental regulations. The proposed system leads to the integration of the records of the main operating parameters of the distribution process (flow rate, range, quantity of distributed sewage) with those regarding operating times and distance covered by the gun-supporting trolley (measured through a GPS receiver). The main strength of said device lies in its autonomy in terms of power supply: the slurry flowing inside the pipe is used to generate, through a dynamo, an amount of electric power that is sufficient to ensure its operation.