• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.73-81
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to analyze the waste nutrient generation loads from hydroponics for three major crops in Gyeongsangnam-do. Study hydroponic farms were selected for the three major crops such as paprika, strawberry, tomato based on the agricultural statistics data and field investigation. The flow amount and water quality for inflow and outflow of study hydroponic farms were monitored and analyzed on a monthly basis. Monitored samples were analyzed in terms of DO, BOD, T-N, T-P, SS, and EC. The generated load of BOD, T-N, and T-P were calculated from the monitored flow and water quality. The monitoring results showed that the drainage ratio for the circular hydroponic farm was lower than the non-circular hydroponic farm because the outflow from the circular hydroponics were much lower than that from the non-circular. The generated load calculation results showed that the BOD tended to have a smaller value than the TMDLs guideline for land, while T-N and T-P showed higher value than that from the TMDLs guideline. In order to effectively manage the pollutant load discharged from the hydroponics farming complex, it is necessary to manage the non-circulating hydroponics farm. To improve water quality, it is necessary to gradually expand the circulating hydroponics farm through policy and economic support.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 2015

This study was conducted to develop the fertigation system with a peristaltic hose pump and brushless DC motor. The fertigation system was consisted of sensor, main controller, motor control unit, peristaltic pump, water supply pump, control panel, and filter. The peristaltic pump discharges liquid by squeezing the tube with rollers. Rollers attached to the external circumference of the rotor compresses the flexible tube. The fluid is contained within a flexible tube fitted inside a circular pump casing. The developed fertigation system has no mixing tank but instead injects directly a concentrated nutrient solution into a water supply pipe. The revolution speed of the peristaltic pump is controlled by PWM (Pulse width modulation) method. When the revolution speed of the peristaltic pump was 300rpm, the flow rate of the 3.2, 4.8, 6.3mm diameter tube was 202, 530, 857mL/min, respectively. As increasing revolution speed, the flow rate of the peristaltic pump linearly increased. As the inner diameter of a tube larger, a slope of graph is more steep. Flow rate of three roller was more than that of four roller. Flow rate of a norprene tube with good restoring force was more than that of a pharmed tube. As EC sensor probe was installed in direct piping in comparison with bypass piping showed good performance. After starting the system, it took 16~17 seconds to stabilize EC. The maximum value of EC was 1.44~1.7dS/m at a setting value of 1.4dS/m. The developed fertigation system showed ±0.06dS/m deviation from the setting value of EC. In field test, Cucumber plants generally showed good growth. From these findings, this fertigation system can be appropriately suitable for fertigation culture for crops.