Development of an ESP32-S3 Hydroponic Nutrient Control System with Flow-Based Safety Interlock
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68437/jejpte.v6i2.3Keywords:
ESP32-S3, hydroponic automation, nutrient control, flow sensor, safety interlockAbstract
Hydroponic cultivation requires precise control of nutrient concentration and pH, while manual monitoring and adjustment may result in inconsistent nutrient conditions and increased labor requirements. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an ESP32-S3-based automated hydroponic nutrient management system for water filling, nutrient dosing, pH adjustment, circulation verification, and scheduled nutrient solution replacement. A quantitative Research and Development (R&D) approach was employed to design, implement, and evaluate the system, integrating EC/TDS, pH, ultrasonic, water flow, temperature and humidity sensors, a real-time clock, peristaltic pumps, solenoid valves, a circulation pump, and a 20×4 I2C LCD. Experimental testing included sensor calibration, actuator functional testing, flow-based safety interlock testing, and integrated system operation. The results showed that the pH sensor achieved a maximum measurement error of 0.43%, while the EC sensor produced errors of 5.16–13.23% at 1.413 mS/cm and 2.17–2.95% at 12.88 mS/cm. The ultrasonic sensor produced errors of 0% in four measurements and 5% in one measurement. The flow sensor successfully distinguished flow and no-flow conditions and prevented nutrient and pH dosing when circulation was absent. The peristaltic pumps achieved an average flow rate of 0.908 mL/s, and the integrated system completed the tested automation sequence. However, testing was limited by the number of calibration points and short-duration functional evaluation, with no assessment of long-term nutrient stability, repeated dosing accuracy, or plant-growth performance.Downloads
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