Author
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Cullum, Robert |
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Submitted to: Transactions of the ASAE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Accurate studies of infiltration and sediment transport require duplication of natural rain events and rainfall intensities. Many current rain simulators do not allow for automatically changing storm intensities as well as nozzle sizes. The objective of this study was to describe the electronic controls required to control rain simulators that duplicate natural rain events. Three controls were developed that provided the necessary motion required with the simulators. The solutions move from low cost, low precision control on constant speed gearmotor to high cost, precise control over all aspects of motion of variable rate motor. These results will help other scientists who require artificial rainfall in infiltration and erosion studies. Information from these simulator studies will further help conservationists and farmers in soil conservation planning and chemical application on agricultural lands. Technical Abstract: Three electronic controllers were designed to provide a range of solutions to automate rainfall simulator research. These solutions included a relatively-inexpensive repeater relay and counter that controlled a clutch and single-speed gearmotor assembly; a moderately-priced digital interface board or parallel port in a microcomputer that controlled a clutch and single-speed gearmotor assembly; and a relatively-expensive microstepping motor with built-in indexing capabilities that permitted control of every aspect of motion of a variable-speed gearmotor. These solutions move from the most limited to the greatest flexibility in motion control for rainfall simulators. Single and variable rainfall intensities were achieved with all three solutions. The digital interface board and the microstepping motor solutions provided programmable capability through software previously unavailable in field research. This software provided user-friendly interaction and the ability for controlled variations of rainfall intensity and storm duration in simulated rainfall studies. These described solutions will help other scientists who require artificial rainfall in infiltration and erosion studies. Information from these simulator studies will further help conservationists and farmers in soil conservation planning and chemical application on agricultural lands. |
