Thesis Abstract

Small farms face challenges in accessing reliable irrigation due to issues like unavailability of grid electricity and high costs of diesel pump sets. This project aims to design a low-cost solar powered irrigation system suitable for small farms of up to 2 hectares. A solar photovoltaic (PV) system will be designed to power a DC motor operated centrifugal pump. Different components of the system like PV panels, battery, controller, motor pump set will be selected based on technical specifications. A prototype of the system will be developed and tested under field conditions on a small farm. The performance of the system in terms of water discharge, operational time and reliability will be evaluated. The cost-benefit analysis will be carried out to assess economic viability for small farmers. The study expects to demonstrate an affordable and environment friendly irrigation solution for small and marginal farms using solar energy.

Thesis Overview