Sistema fotovoltaico aplicado à irrigação de uma unidade agrícola de produção familiar

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyze the technical and financial feasibility of a stand-alone photovoltaic system for irrigation applied to familiar unit production. The agricultural unit was installed in the Center for Teaching and Research in Urban Agriculture (NEPAU), which operates in partnership with the Alternative Energy Laboratory (LEA), located at the PICI campus of the Federal University of Ceará. The unit occupies a floor area of 43 m2, with a reservoir of water that simulates a pond, lake or well with capacity of 3534 liters, a pump motor of 12 VDC and a photovoltaic module of 135 Wp. The irrigation system is composed of 12 micro-sprinklers with 7 psi working pressure, with a range of 1.2 m radius and output of 0.6 l/min. The production plant consumed 31,592 liters of water and demanded 5.2 kWh of electrical energy throughout 44 days of production of coriander. A soil moisture sensor was used to control soil moisture allowing save 3608 liters of water and 0.6 kWh of electricity in the production of 23 kg of coriander. The costs for the photovoltaic pumping system was R$ 1,694.00. The efficiencies of photovoltaic module, pump and global set were 8.4%, 42% and 3.5%, respectively. The return on capital invested time is 10 years without regard to any allowance and 8.4 years for a 20% allowance on capital invested in the acquisition of equipment.