What is AMMICS?
The Automated Moisture Monitoring Irrigation Control System, dubbed AMMICS, is a cost-friendly sustainable initiative to save both money and water.
Why is it useful?
I am sure you have noticed a sprinkler at some time or another operating while it is raining. (IIT is famous for this occurrence.) As you know, this is a complete waste of both money and water. What if you could regulate the water flow through your irrigation system to operate in relation to your lawn's current moisture content? In essence, this is our design. We are using a sensor to measure soil moisture content, and electronically control a shutoff valve accordingly. From doing so, water is preserved and your monthly water bill will decrease dramatically. (See example below.) The best part is that our product is fully automated, requiring nothing from the user except for 4 D-cell batteries at installation.
For example:
The sprinkler timer is set for 7pm. At 6:50pm it begins to rain outside, the storm lasts til 8pm. With a conventional irrigation system, the sprinklers would run and add more water to the already wet surface. This is counter productive and cost ineffective. However, with our design, the installed valve would automatically close. Thus preventing the flow of water in an unnecessary situation. In doing so you save both money and water.
For some hard statistics, one event of irrigation prevention saves 8250 gallons of water (approximately $24.50 worth of water) over a half acre of land. Apply that to a golf course, institution, or city park, and that provides considerable savings.
How it works?
Sorry, the specifics are a trade secret.
Who can use it?
In one word, anyone can use it. We offer a variety of inlet and valve sizes and pressure requirements. However, the fact that anyone can use our product does not mean we expect everyone to do so. Therefore, after extensive market research, we are predicting golf courses, city park and recreation departments, and some residential areas to take note and apply our design.
Why are we doing this?
This is for a senior capstone mechanical design course in the IIT curriculum. We want to prepare ourselves for industry as much as possible, and get an A in the meantime. We also like the idea of saving water.
The Automated Moisture Monitoring Irrigation Control System, dubbed AMMICS, is a cost-friendly sustainable initiative to save both money and water.
Why is it useful?
I am sure you have noticed a sprinkler at some time or another operating while it is raining. (IIT is famous for this occurrence.) As you know, this is a complete waste of both money and water. What if you could regulate the water flow through your irrigation system to operate in relation to your lawn's current moisture content? In essence, this is our design. We are using a sensor to measure soil moisture content, and electronically control a shutoff valve accordingly. From doing so, water is preserved and your monthly water bill will decrease dramatically. (See example below.) The best part is that our product is fully automated, requiring nothing from the user except for 4 D-cell batteries at installation.
For example:
The sprinkler timer is set for 7pm. At 6:50pm it begins to rain outside, the storm lasts til 8pm. With a conventional irrigation system, the sprinklers would run and add more water to the already wet surface. This is counter productive and cost ineffective. However, with our design, the installed valve would automatically close. Thus preventing the flow of water in an unnecessary situation. In doing so you save both money and water.
For some hard statistics, one event of irrigation prevention saves 8250 gallons of water (approximately $24.50 worth of water) over a half acre of land. Apply that to a golf course, institution, or city park, and that provides considerable savings.
How it works?
Sorry, the specifics are a trade secret.
Who can use it?
In one word, anyone can use it. We offer a variety of inlet and valve sizes and pressure requirements. However, the fact that anyone can use our product does not mean we expect everyone to do so. Therefore, after extensive market research, we are predicting golf courses, city park and recreation departments, and some residential areas to take note and apply our design.
Why are we doing this?
This is for a senior capstone mechanical design course in the IIT curriculum. We want to prepare ourselves for industry as much as possible, and get an A in the meantime. We also like the idea of saving water.