Low cost and high performance triac thermostat

Nowadays, we see a growing advance in the automation of processes that were previously done in a traditional way, which brings benefits to everyone as there is a considerable reduction in costs and an increase in process performance as a result of the automation and mechanization of the processes involved.

One of the branches to benefit from technology is poultry farming: poultry breeders can now take advantage of modern incubators to achieve high hatching rates on their properties with the use of artificial incubators. Before, using the traditional hatching method, birds were needed to carry out the process, which generated a lot of burden due to susceptibility to external variables such as unfavorable weather conditions (rain and cold weather) and contamination of the eggs due to the contact of the eggs with the hen, causing production losses. This problem is solved with the use of technology, as ideal temperature and humidity conditions are created within sterile and controlled environments, increasing the success rate of the process.

The main element to accomplish this feat is the Thermostat: A device capable of taking precise temperature measurements (and in some models, humidity readings) and managing all the activation control of heating resistances and turning motors to obtain an optimal hatching.

In the current market there are many options for thermostats, from the simplest (such as thermostats with relay outputs) to the most complete (such as PID thermostats with humidity control).

The thermostat I developed encompasses all the essential needs for use in an incubator, reducing the need to use more than one plate (or the use of a more expensive thermostat available on the market), presenting a low and small product.

The project's proposal is to manufacture this hardware with better characteristics than the most common low-cost thermostats on the market and offering the lowest possible price to the final consumer.

Theory and concepts:

There are differences between each model and these differences reflect performance limitations and, consequently, influence the success rate in the incubation process. But, to understand better, we will see the main points present in an incubator:

1 - Temperature control.

According to the literature, a stable temperature within a certain ideal range (depending on the type of bird to be incubated) produces better results. This occurs due to the need to reproduce the biological incubation conditions offered by the bird. As birds are homeothermic animals, their temperature is constant. So a good thermostat should be able to provide stable temperature control.

For temperature control to be carried out, a power output is activated by turning on a heating resistance so that the temperature remains in the ideal range.

There are currently two types of temperature controls on thermostats:

1.1. Relay temperature control.

It is the most widely used option in low cost thermostats. Thermostats that use relays use fewer components and therefore generate less assembly costs. On the other hand, the performance is impaired due to the fact that a temperature control made by relay cannot carry out many switchings in very short time intervals (essential action for a precise temperature control) because the relays are electromechanical components and present a wear and tear. faster compared to electronic components. In this way, the temperature control is done using hysteresis, that is, the temperature will oscillate within a specific range: the heating will be activated when the temperature reaches a minimum value and will be deactivated when it reaches a maximum value. It is a programmed temperature swing in order to spare the electronic components due to their performance limitations.

1.2. Triac temperature control

Temperature control, in turn, has better performance due to using an electronic component with a power switch to drive the heating resistance. In this way, the triac can be activated and deactivated as many times as necessary in the same second, without the risk of shortening its useful life. Thus, the triac has advantages over the relay both in terms of lifetime and performance in temperature control.

By controlling the temperature in smaller time intervals, a “fine adjustment” of the temperature can be made, making the oscillations decrease and the temperature more stable, offering hatching conditions closer to the ideal and offering more chances of a hatching. with good results (higher birth rates bring more profitability to the producer).

The thermostat developed by me uses the triac control, obtaining a great performance and guaranteeing that the producer obtains the best results in his production, increasing the family income.

2 - Turn control

The other necessary factor for incubation is the turning of eggs, done by a tray with automatic activation.

The motor normally used is a microwave motor, connected to a sliding tray and a control timer.

Low cost thermostats do not have such functionality, needing to be purchased separately and increasing connection complexity.

For chickens, for example, it is necessary to activate the turning on the second/third day and deactivate it on the 19th day. The birth must take place on the 21st day. For this, the producer must be aware of the calendar to activate and deactivate the turning on the correct days, as errors in the dates can generate great losses and losses for the producer.

The developed project encompasses this functionality, offering the day counting function, in which the device counts the hatching days and is capable of starting the turning on the specified day and deactivating the turning on the correct day, leaving the producer more relaxed and free from the worry of forgetting the dates. This gives greater automation to the process, as the essential functions are previously configured by the producer before the process starts.

Conclusions

The project was created by me with the aim of meeting a need and overcoming a challenge: Offering a complete thermostat that meets the needs of the industry in this sector, with outstanding functions that stand out from other competitors and offer a low price for it. In this way, even people with lower purchasing power will be able to assemble their own brooders using this high-performance thermostat at the lowest price and thus obtain better results in their family production, increasing their income.