| NEW COURSE PLS 579X / ABE 579X Applied Instrumentation for Controlled Environment Agriculture Spring 2005 Instructors: Dr. Chieri Kubota (80%) 520.626.7937 (Forbes) 520.626.8833 (CEAC) Dr. Gene Giacomelli (20%) 520.626.9566 (CEAC) Course Description: Students will learn principles, methods, and techniques related to the measurement and control of environmental factors affecting plant growth under controlled environment. Light intensity, light quality, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, water, air current, and related factors are important environmental variables to measure and control since they determine plant growth and development. Students will learn application of instrumentation and design a simple system to control and measure environments for plant production systems. Course Prerequisites: Math 110, Math 113, and Phys 102 The course is initially provided as experimental Lab fee: $30 (not applied this year) Class Meeting Location and Times: 3 Semester Credit Hours 2 50 min lectures, Wednesday and Friday, 10:30 am – 11:20 am in CEAC conference room 1 3-hr laboratory session, Wednesday 12:00 – 3:00 pm in CEAC conference room Course Objectives: The overall course objectives of Applied Instrumentation for Controlled Environment Agriculture are: 1) to outline for the student and expose the student to the advantages, complexities, and problems of instrumentation (measurement and control) for CEA associated with the various environmental variables (factors) that control plant growth and development under controlled environments, and 2) to give student a hands-on experience that the student can apply to achieve the goal of their research or other applications being pursued in the controlled environment. After taking this course, students will be able to 1) Recognize the advantages, complexities, and problems associated with environmental control of plant growth and development. 2) Know how to measure, monitor, and control the various environmental variables (factors) affecting plant growth and development. 3) Know how to report (describe) the various environmental variables (factors) affecting plant growth and development for a scientific journal so that they are reproducible. 4) Understand how to control various environmental variables affecting plant growth and development. 5) Experience designing and developing a controlled environment system for plant growth and development 6) Analyze and interpret the written description of the environment used in a scientific research report. 7) Understand the techniques and principles used for measurement of temperature, humidity, light intensity, light quality, air current, and CO2 and other gaseous concentrations in a controlled environment. 8) Understand and identify how to evaluate humidity in a controlled environment. 9) Become familiar with various artificial light sources to control plant growth environment. 10) Understand the techniques of controlling temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration. 11) Understand the principles of assessing CO2 exchange rate (net photosynthetic rate or respiration rate) of plants in a controlled environment. 12) Utilize information on the maintenance and calibration of sensors. 13) Utilize guideline for measuring and reporting the environment in which scientific research was conducted. 14) Become familiar with data loggers and greenhouse control systems 15) Conduct student-designed experiments and report the design and experiment in a format of a journal manuscript. 16) Prepare and present a short (15 min) seminar that reports the results of students group designed experiments conducted in a controlled environment for plant growth and development. Textbook: Growth chamber handbook (Iowa State University Press) Examinations: There will be a midterm examination and a final examination. Topics: 1. Radiation 1.1 Light intensity 1.2 Light quality 2. Temperature 2.1 Air temperature 2.2 Leaf temperature 2.3 Soil temperature 3. Humidity 3.1 Relative humidity 3.2 Absolute humidity 3.3 VPD 3.4 Other moisture parameters 4. Air current 5. CO2 concentration 6. Recording and monitoring 7. Data logger 8. Control 8.1 Feedback control 8.2 On-off control 8.3 PI and PID control 9. Application 9.1 Measurement and control of transpiration 9.2 Measurement and control of photosynthesis 9.3 Greenhouse control systems Grading Policy: Grade for the course will be based on points accumulated over the course of the semester (541-600 pts. = A; 481-540 pts. = B; 421-480 pts. = C; 361-420 pts. = D; 360 or below = E). Total possible points obtained are 600 pts. These points will be awarded based on attendance, two exams (midterm and final), homework assignments, design project and presentation. Attendants 100 Midterm exam 100 Final exam 100 Homework assignment 100 Design project and presentation 200 Total 600 pts. Assignment/Testing Schedule: Midterm exam March 4, Friday 10:30 am Final exam May 6, Friday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Teaching format: The course will be provided in two lectures plus one lab format, which will be at Controlled Environment Agriculture Building and Campus Agriculture Center facilities. Field trip: One on-campus field trip is planned. One off-campus field trip (to Biosphere II, to be confirmed) is planned. Tentative lecture outline: Week 1-1 (January 12, Wednesday) Introduction to instrumentation in controlled environments Needs in research and applications No lab. Week 1-2 (January 14, Friday) List of environmental variables important for plant growth and development Discussion Week 2-1 (January 19, Wednesday) Spectral quality and terminology of plant light environment Lab: spectral quality measurement (Mitsui plastics for altering R/FR) Week 2-2 (January 21, Friday) Radiation measurements 1: Solar radiation Week 3-1 (January 26, Wednesday) Radiation measurement 2: Photosynthetic photon flux Lab: new sensor evaluation (color acetate film) Week 3-2 (January 28, Friday) Lab: new sensor evaluation (color acetate film) Week 4-1 (February 2, Wednesday) Temperature Principle of thermocouples and other sensors Lab: Making thermocouples. Calibration of thermocouples. Week 4-2 (February 4, Friday) Temperature Air temperature and leaf temperature Appropriate shield for thermometers. Week 5-1 (February 9, Wednesday) Humidity What is “relative humidity”? Lab: Building aspirated psychrometer Week 5-2 (February 11, Friday) Various parameters for water environment in the air Week 6-1 (February 16, Wednesday) Air current Its importance and measurement Lab: Measuring air current speed in greenhouse Week 6-2 (February 18, Friday) CO2 concentration Principles of IRGA Week 7-1 (February 23, Wednesday) Recording and monitoring: Importance of recording Lab: Working with data logger Week 7-2 (February 25, Friday) Lab: Recording and monitoring Using data-logger Week 8-1 (March 2, Wednesday) Guidelines of measurement and reporting CE Lab: Discussion Week 8-2 (March 4, Friday) Midterm exam (Reporting/Presenting Optleaf project) Week 9-1 (March 9, Wednesday) Control Basics of on-off control algorism Lab: Working with data logger to on-off control Week 9-2 (March 11, Friday) Control PI and PID control Spring Break NCR-101 March 13&14 (possible project presentation) Week 10-1 (March 23, Wednesday) Campus field trip to various CE facilities (can be combined with NCR101 tour) Week 10-2 (March 25, Friday) Lecture: Gene Giacomelli I Greenhouse CE systems Week 11-1 (March 30, Wednesday) Lecture: Gene Giacomelli II Greenhouse CE systems Week 11-2 (April 1, Friday) Designing a CE control or measurement system Week 12-1 (April 6, Wednesday) Designing a CE control or measurement system Week 12-2 (April 8, Friday) Designing a CE control or measurement system Week 13-1 (April 13, Wednesday) Students design presentation & Discussion Week 13-2 (April 15, Friday) Developing a CE control or measurement system Week 14-1 (April 20, Wednesday) Developing a CE control or measurement system Week 14-2 (April 22, Friday) Developing a CE control or measurement system Week 15-1 (April 27, Wednesday) Students final presentations Week 15-2 (April 29, Friday) Students final presentations Week 16-1 (May 4, Wednesday) Discussion Final exam (May 6, Friday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) |
