Fuzzy irrigation greenhouse control system based on a field programmable gate array

Abstract

Fuzzy logic provides a methodology to represent, manipulate, and implement heuristic knowledge to control a 
system. In this work, the development of a fuzzy irrigation control system based on a field programmable gate array 
(FPGA) to control greenhouse fertigation was presented. Factors involved in crop nutrition were discussed first. Next, 
the description of the fuzzy control system was presented, followed by the analysis and design of the fuzzy 
controller, and its implementation, a FPGA-integrated circuit. The FPGA system is not only flexible (it can be easily 
reconfigured and reused for different designs) but it also provides rapid prototyping and offers the capability to 
perform multiple operations at the same time, producing positive economic returns. The design, compilation, and 
simulation of the system were developed in Active-hardware description language (HDL) using the hardware 
description language, very high-speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL). Results from 
simulation and experiments showed the simplicity of the design, the viability of its implementation, and the low cost 
that the use of a fuzzy logic controller and FPGA system represents.