Chapter 9: Engineering Calculators
Five interactive real-time calculators for solar power sizing, RS-485 bus design, sensor node density, ET₀ reference evapotranspiration, and CO₂ enrichment requirements.
9.1 Solar Power System Sizing Calculator
Calculate the required solar panel wattage and battery capacity for off-grid monitoring nodes. Adjust the sliders to see real-time results and the daily energy balance chart.
9.2 RS-485 Bus Design Calculator
Verify RS-485 bus feasibility by calculating maximum cable length, signal quality, and bus loading. The gauge shows real-time bus loading percentage with color-coded status.
Max devices (standard): 32 (with repeater: 128)
Termination status: —
9.3 Sensor Node Density Calculator
Determine the optimal number of monitoring nodes for a given farm area based on crop type, monitoring objectives, and spatial variability. The bar chart shows recommended node counts per zone type.
9.4 ET₀ Reference Evapotranspiration Calculator
Calculate daily reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) using the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith simplified equation. ET₀ is the foundation of precision irrigation scheduling. Adjust environmental parameters to see the real-time ET₀ estimate and irrigation recommendation.
9.5 Greenhouse CO₂ Enrichment Calculator
Calculate CO₂ injection requirements for greenhouse enrichment. Determine the required CO₂ flow rate, daily consumption, and estimated cost based on greenhouse volume, target concentration, and ventilation rate.