Low-Cost Control and Measurement Circuit for the Implementation of Single Element Heat Dissipation Soil Water Matric Potential Sensor Based on a SnSe2 Thermosensitive Resistor.

Abstract

A low-cost signal processing circuit developed to measure and drive a heat dissipation soil matric potential sensor based on a single thermosensitive resistor is demonstrated. The has a high thermal coefficient, from C in the 20 to 25 C to C in the 20 to 25 C. The thermosensitive resistor is encapsulated with a porous gypsum block and is used as both the heating and temperature sensing element. To control the power dissipated on the thermosensitive resistor and keep it constant during the heat pulse, a mixed analogue/digital circuit is used. The developed control circuit is able to maintain the dissipated power at mW when the resistor changes from to . When the gravimetric water content of the porous block changes from dry to saturated (), we measured a variation of in the thermosensitive resistor, which results in an end-point sensitivity of 130 m/%. The developed system can easily meet the standard requirement of measuring the gravimetric soil water content with a resolution of approximately , since the resistance is measured with a resolution of approximately , three orders of magnitude smaller than the sensitivity.