WATER ABSORBENT TENSIOMETER FOR DETERMINING MOISTURE LEVELS FOR IRRIGATION

摘要

A tensiometer designed to produce more accurate readings and reduced manual maintenance by means of using Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) filling inside the tensiometer which absorbs water and expands when the moisture content in the surrounding soil is rising and releases it into the soil when its moisture level decreases. Accordingly by measuring either the pressure produced inside SAP filling or by measuring capacitive change produced by SAP filling or by measuring the electric resistance of SAP filling or by measuring the amount of SAP filling expansion or by measuring SAP filling's weight change; the corresponding level of soil moisture is determined when said measurement is sent to the processor unit. The manual maintenance of this tensiometer is reduced as there is no need to manually remove the accumulating air released from the water or to refill the tensiometer with water.