MAHENDRA

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
(Approved by AICTE, Accredited by NAAC & Affiliated to Anna University)
Salem – Chennai Highway, Minnampalli, Salem,
Tamilnadu, India

DEPARTMENT OF
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
Organizes

National Webinar on
“ENGINEERING ELECTROMAGNETICS IN AGRICULTURE”

Webinar Series
Resource Person #9

Er. M.K.Sanoop 19th

Scientist/Engineer –SE, July 2020
ISRO Inertial Systems Unit,
Trivandrum WELCOMES YOU ALL
 IN
AGRICULTURE
SANOOP.M.K
ISRO INERTIAL SYSTEMS UNIT
TRIVANDRUM
09/16/2020 2
 CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION

2. MAXWELLS EQUATIONS & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS

3. EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS

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 INTRODUCTION
WHY TO STUDY EM
EM is all around us:
every time we turn a power switch on
 press a key on our computer keyboard
The beauty of a coral reef
warm radiance of sunshine
the sting of sunburn
 X-ray revealing a broken bone

microwave popcorn
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 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS

It is the subject having to do with electromagnetic fields

which is made up of interdependent time varying electric
and magnetic fields
An electric field is a force field that acts upon material
bodies by virtue of their property of charge, just as a
gravitational field is a force field that acts upon them by
virtue of their property of mass.
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 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

A magnetic field is a force field that acts upon charges in

motion.

When charges are distributed through a wire , electric

field ( E ) is produced around the wire and both the E and
the charge distribution vary as the current changes. The
changing field propagates outward at the speed of light.
At the same time magnetic field ( B ) propagates outward
as well.
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 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

Electromagnetic waves generally propagate out from a

source in all directions, sometimes forming a complex
radiation pattern.
High-frequency electromagnetic waves are more
energetic and are more able to penetrate than low-
frequency waves. High-frequency electromagnetic waves
can carry more information per unit time than low-
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frequency waves.
 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

If the material is transparent to the particular frequency,

then the wave can largely be transmitted. If the material
is opaque to the frequency, then the wave can be totally
reflected. The wave can also be absorbed by the material,
indicating that there is some interaction between the
wave and the material, such as the thermal agitation of
molecules.
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 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

09/16/2020 9
 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

09/16/2020 10
 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

Radio & TV waves:

Extremely low frequency (ELF) radio waves of about 1 kHz
are used to communicate with submerged submarines.
AM radio waves(540 to 1600 kHz) : Commercial radio
transmission
FM radio waves(88 to 108 MHz) : Commercial radio
transmission
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 INTRODUCTION[CONTD..]
ELECTROMAGNETICS:BASICS[CONTD..]

VHF{Very High Frequency} [88 MHz - 222 MHz]: TV

channels.
UHF (Ultra high frequency)[470 MHz - 1000 MHz]: TV
channels.

Microwaves are the highest-frequency electromagnetic

waves that can be produced by currents in macroscopic
circuits and devices.
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MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
ENGINEERING SYLLABUS

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MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
ENGINEERING SYLLABUS

By an electromagnetic field let us understand the domain

of the four vectors E and B, D and H. These vectors are
assumed to be finite throughout the entire field, and at
all ordinary points to be continuous functions of position
and time, with continuous derivatives. Discontinuities in
the field vectors or their derivatives may occur, however,
on surfaces which mark an abrupt change in the physical
properties
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of the medium. 14
MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
NO. DIFFERENTIAL FORM INTEGRAL FORM SIGNIFICANCE
1. Faradays Law

2. Amperes circuital Law

3. Guass Law

4. No isolated magnetic
charges

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MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
ENGINEERING SYLLABUS

EM waves can propagate at a speed given by the equation

By substituting
i.e light is an electromagnetic wave having such
wavelengths that it can be detected by the eye.

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 MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
MAXWELLS EQUATION BACKGROUND
Large-scale electromagnetic phenomena around us were
governed by Maxwell's equations [James Clerk Maxwell]
and Maxwell was fully supported by Coulomb's
determination of the law of force between charges, the
researches of Ampere on the interaction of current
elements-, and the observations of Faraday on variable
fields. To summarize Maxwell brought together all the work
that had been done by brilliant physicists such as Oersted,
Coulomb,
09/16/2020 Gauss, and Faraday, and added his own insights17
MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
MAXWELLS EQUATION BACKGROUND[CONTD..]

to develop the overarching theory of electromagnetism.

Maxwell’s equations are paraphrased here in words
because their mathematical statement is beyond the level
of this text. However, the equations illustrate how
apparently simple mathematical statements can elegantly
unite and express a multitude of concepts—why
mathematics is the language of science.

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MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
MAXWELLS EQUATION BACKGROUND[CONTD..]
Maxwells Equations formulates a single theory combining
all the electric and magnetic effects termed as
electromagnetic waves having oscillating electric and
magnetic fields
Theory-1:
Electric field lines originate on positive charges and
terminate on negative charges. The electric field is defined
as the force per unit charge on a test charge, and the
09/16/2020
strength of the force is related to the electric constant 19ε0 ,
MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
MAXWELLS EQUATION BACKGROUND[CONTD..]
also known as the permittivity of free space. From
Maxwell’s first equation we obtain a special form of
Coulomb’s law known as Gauss’s law for electricity.
Theory-2:
Magnetic field lines are continuous, having no
beginning or end. No magnetic monopoles are known to
exist. The strength of the magnetic force is related to the
magnetic constant μ0 , also known as the permeability of
free space. This second of Maxwell’s equations is known as
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Gauss’s law for magnetism.
MAXWELLS EQUATION & ENGINEERING SYLLABUS
MAXWELLS EQUATION BACKGROUND[CONTD..]

Theory-3:
A changing magnetic field induces an electromotive
force (emf) and, hence, an electric field. The direction of
the emf opposes the change. This third of Maxwell’s
equations is Faraday’s law of induction, and includes Lenz’s
law.

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
INTRODUCTION

Interactive relations between various branches of science

and technology have improved interdisciplinary fields of
science. Let us check electromagnetic treatment in
agriculture as a remedy for the problems faced by the
farmer during pre-harvest as well as post harvest
environments. The various methods of the electromagnetic
wave usage in agriculture are:
(i) ionizing radiation (ii) cold treatments (iii) conventional
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heating
 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
CHALLENGES
(i) Power
Solved by employing frequency not higher than GHz
(ii) Health Effects
exposure time lowering
(iii)Biological Effects
(iv) Price
(v) Frequency Allocation and design

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
PESTS
locust, grass hopper, quelea, arm worm, sunny pest

LOCUST GRASS HOPPER

QUELEA
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM ENERGIES
Infrared
 Wavelength :700 nano-meters (nm) to 1 millimetre
 Frequency: 0.3 to 430 THz,
strongly emitted by hot substances and is readily
absorbed by living tissue.
Employed for the complete control of rice weevils and
lesser grain borers, Angoumois grain moths from rice as
well as for the adults of the sawtoothed grain beetle, rice
weevil, red flour beetle, lesser grain borer

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM ENERGIES[CONTD..]
Microwave
frequencies :300MHz to 300GHz
wavelengths : 1 to 0.001m.
 Employed for post harvest insect control treatment.
The major problems associated with microwave heating
are the non-uniform temperature distribution and thereby
incomplete kill of microbes.
Combined application of microwaves with hot-air
treatment/ cold storage/gamma radiation could be
considered as a potential measure which can help reduce
stored-product insect’s population.
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM ENERGIES[CONTD..]

Radio frequency
Radio frequencies generate internal heat by resistance from
the very rapid change in molecular polarity.
Advantages
(a) Fast heating
(b) can penetrate deep into the target material because of
its longer wavelength.
(c) does not produce toxic residues
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-INTRODUCTION
The process taking place is the interaction of
electromagnetic energy with matter where the dielectric
permittivities or dielectric properties of the materials place
an important role.
The permittivity of a material can be expressed as a
complex quantity, the real part of which is associated with
the capability of the material for storing energy in the
electric field in the material,
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-INTRODUCTION

and the imaginary part is associated with the dissipation of

electric energy in the material by conversion of electric
energy to heat. This is the phenomenon commonly referred
to as dielectric heating, or microwave heating if microwave
frequencies are used.
Every material have its own dielectric constant as well as a
complex permittivity , a frequency dependent term so that
an electromagnetic wave with a particular frequency
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-INTRODUCTION

will only be absorbed by pest not by the plant and hence

the quality of agriculture will not be disturbed.
If the dimensions of the exposed object are electrically
small, the E-field distribution inside the object is uniform.
For bigger objects, the penetration of the wave inside the
object, i.e. skin depth, depending on frequency used and
the dielectric properties of the sample under test, especially
conductivity.
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-INTRODUCTION

The relative permittivity values of agricultural and biological

materials are generally influenced by frequency,
temperature, density, salt content, moisture content and
the state of moisture (frozen, free or bound), as well as the
size and arrangement of the cell structure.

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-MATHEMATICAL
Every material have its own dielectric constant as well
as a complex permittivity , a frequency dependent term

total power absorption in a specific material

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-MATHEMATICAL

Skin Depth

The power absorbed in a unit volume of a dielectric

material depends on its dielectric properties (the loss
factor) and can be expressed by

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-MATHEMATICAL

loss tangent
It is used as an index of energy dissipation or loss in a material
exposed to RF or microwave electric fields and is
mathematically represented as

The ac electrical conductivity associated with the dielectric

loss in the material is

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM SELECTIVE WARMING-TYPES

1.Differential Heating
2. Microwave Heating
3. RF Heating

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM TREATMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE
The EM treatments can be classified as post harvest as well as
preharvest treatments.
 Post Harvest Treatment
Walnuts treatment
There are following experimental setups for the same
(a) Combination of RF heating with hot air
 (b) Combination of RF heating with chemical fumigation

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM TREATMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE[CONTD..]
Pre-harvest Treatment
Disinfection of soil

The RF power source [ Microwaves] have a RF oscillator which

generates low frequency RF waves that will penetrate to the
soil and these energy will annihilate pests, mites, and mico-
organisms
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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM TREATMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE[CONTD..]
Pre-harvest Treatment
Pest Repeller
8
U2
VCC
2
4 T R IG G E R 3
3
V1 5 R E SET O U TPU T
9Vdc 2 6 C O N TR O L
R2

10K 7 TH R ES H O LD
D IS C H A R G E
1k

1 GND
555B
1
C1
0 .0 1 u f

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 EM WAVES IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
.
EM TREATMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE[CONTD..]
Pre-harvest Treatment
Pest Repeller
Circuit using 555 timer IC in astable mode with the design
factors as follows:
F = 1.44 / ((R1+R2*2)*C)
In our case we have used:
R1= 1K
R2 = 1.3 K
C = 0.01uF
F = 1.44 / {(1 + 2*1.3)*1000} * 0.01uF
F = 1.44 * 100000 / 3.6 = 40000 = 40KHz

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 NATURE ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY

THANK YOU
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