A specific communication study for wide irrigation systems with integrated power transmission

Water volumes for agriculture copes with the water scarcity (drought), which is a big problem for this sector. Agrarian Exploitations are introducing new Irrigation Systems with high technologies to prevent this problem, especially in the Mediterranean Region. An Irrigation System consists of several elements: aquifers, water pumps, a hydraulic network (pipes) and a great number of electro-values, which are far from the central post (in the order of km). to control the whole system is necessary to operate remotely every electro-value, which requires simultaneously control information (to open/close these electro-values) and power. The only way to operate with the lowest cost, is using a single wire for both, control and power. In this paper is shown a specific communication study for wide Irrigation Systems with Integrated Power Transmission, to carry out data communications over 2/spl times/1.5 mm section wires and distances no longer than 10 km, under very restrictive current consumption requirements, using OOK (On-Off Keying) modulation and a suitable filter design, both for transmission and reception.