Create a Conducive Environment for Livestock & Poultry Farming with ICP DAS Environmental Monitoring Solution
ICP DAS WISE Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller Series transmits data detected or collected by various modules and devices to the control center’s AVEVA Edge HMI/ SCADA software for data visualization and management. The data includes measured variables such as temperature & humidity, illuminance, wind speed, and air quality detected by the DLW series – mini weather stations and DL-300 series – data loggers. The data also includes digital scale & hanging scale readings collected by TPD/VPD series – touch HMI devices, as well as power consumption information measured by the PM-3000 series – smart power meters.
WISE series also enables the activation or deactivation of field equipment and systems, including lighting, cooling pad systems, circulation fans, feeder motors, and water supply equipment based on on-site conditions. The whole system creates a conducive environment for livestock and poultry farming at all times.
Introduction:
As globalization speeds up, the worldwide spread of avian influenza accelerates. Recently, countries including Taiwan and Japan have carried out mass culling of poultry to slow the spread and prevent new outbreaks, leading to an egg supply shortage. In Taiwan, most poultry farms still adopt traditional farming buildings — open air sheds. With the sides of the sheds open to the outdoor environment, poultry are susceptible to external factors such as temperature and humidity changes. The resulting decrease in fowls’ immunity levels contributes to an elevated risk of infections.
A comfortable living environment ensures poultry’s health and safety, and this is achievable with environmental monitoring & control equipment. This case study illustrates how ICP DAS smart environmental monitoring systems provide a poultry grower with an optimum farming environment which alleviates the effects of seasonal variation on egg production.
An Optimal & Safe Environment for Poultry Farming Enabled by ICP DAS Environmental Monitoring Solution
The system structure consists of five parts: 1.Environmental Monitoring & Control, 2.Power Monitoring, 3.Water Resource Management, 4.Feed Management, 5.Edge Computing & Remote Management.
1. Environmental Monitoring & Control
For environmental monitoring, the client has deployed the DLW-1023 Mini Weather Station inside the sheds of the goose farm to detect information on CO, CO2, particulate matter, wind speed, temperature, humidity, illuminance, etc. The DL-305-IP43 Data Logger collects data on NH3, while the DL-306-IP65 Data Logger measures H2S values. Additionally, the M-7051-G Digital Input Module monitors lighting and cooling pad system status, while the M-7055-G Digital Input/Output Module controls circulation fans’ on/off status.
All the information collected is transmitted to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller using Modbus RTU. WISE-5231 supports the XV107 I/O Expansion Board, making it capable of controlling the lighting equipment and cooling pad systems. Simultaneously, the data is returned to the AVEVA Edge HMI/ SCADA software in the control center through Modbus TCP for data visualization and management.
DLW-1000 series – mini weather stations measure meteorological data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation amount, illuminance, atmospheric pressure, and sea level; The series also measures real-time air quality data, including CO, CO2, O2, NH3, HCHO, H2S, PM1/2.5/10, and TVOC. In addition, the whole series supports Modbus RTU/TCP and MQTT communication protocols.
DLW-1000 series – mini weather stations provide IP54 protective design and supply & exhaust fans. The design effectively prevents slanting rain caused by strong winds from entering the module. Besides, waterproof and protective connectors for RS-485 and Ethernet (with PoE support) are also provided to ensure proper functioning in extreme environments.
In this case, the customer uses the DLW-1023 mini weather station for temperature, humidity, illuminance, wind speed, CO, CO2, and PM1/2.5/10 measurements. The data collected are then sent to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller that performs the functions of simple logic control and alerting.
DL-300 series – data loggers provide a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) touch screen, and the product series measures and records the data on temperature, humidity, dew point, CO, CO2, HCHO, TVOC, NH3, and H2S with the date and time stamps included. It can store up to 450,000 downloadable records. This series supports various communication protocols such as DCON, Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, and MQTT, which can be seamlessly integrated with HMI or SCADA systems.
The management personnel can download the iAir App developed by ICP DAS on mobile devices to retrieve real-time data monitored by the DL-300 series at anytime and send messages to the LCD built on the modules. Besides, ICP DAS iAir Utility – a free software – can be installed on a PC to use grouping for multiple DL-300 series modules and export CSV files for management personnel to check and manage the data remotely and conveniently.
In this case, the client uses the DL-305-IP43 data logger to measure concentrations of NH3 and uses the DL-306-IP65 data logger to detect H2S value. The obtained data is then transmitted to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller using Modbus RTU communication protocol.
M-7051/M-7051D Digital Input Module offers a 16-channel digital input, accepting both dry and wet contact. The module provides a maximum wiring distance of 500 meters for dry contact, making it suitable for measurements over long distances. Besides, the module delivers protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD) up to 4 kV and the intra-module isolation can withstand up to 3750 VDC. All channels feature isolation enabled by the photocoupler. The module can function as a 16-bit counter, and has 16 status LED indicators that provide monitoring of channel status.
M-7051/M-7051D supports Modbus RTU and DCON, and software-based configuration. In this case, the M-7051-G Digital Input Module collects data on the status of the lighting and cooling pad systems.
M-7055/M-7055D Digital Input/Output Module offers 8-channel digital input and 8-channel digital output with intra-module isolation. The module provides either sinking or sourcing inputs, and can function as a 16-bit counter. Additionally, the module supports sourcing output with short circuit protection. M-7055D has 16 status LED indicators that provide monitoring of channel status.
M-7055/M-7055D supports Modbus RTU and DCON, and software-based configuration. Besides, the power-on and safety values can be configured as well. The module delivers protection against ESD up to 4 kV and the intra-module isolation can withstand up to 3750 VDC. In this case, the M-7055-G Digital Input/Output Module is deployed to turn on/off circulation fans.
2. Power Monitoring
For power monitoring, the client installs the PM-3133-100 3-phase Smart Power Meter inside the sheds of the goose farm to monitor the farm-wide power consumption. The data obtained is transmitted to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller using Modbus RTU. WISE-5231 performs the execution of automated logic, turning off non-essential equipment when the farm-wide equipment consumes excessive energy. This capability reduces the overall energy consumption. At the same time, WISE-5231 sends the data to the control center’s AVEVA Edge HMI/SCADA software using Modbus TCP for data visualization and management.
PM-3000 series – smart power meters feature high-accuracy measurements (<0.5%, PF=1), and they are suited for the current measurement on the primary side carrying low voltage and the secondary side carrying medium and high voltage. The capabilities of the PM-3000 series allow users to get accurate and reliable data on energy consumption, as well as monitor and operate the equipment in real time.
PM-3000 series provides clip-on current transformers (CT) for measurement, and supports Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, and CANopen. The series also works together with 2-channel relay output, enabling integration with alarm devices and lighting systems. In this case, the PM-3133-100 3-phase Smart Power Meter collects power consumption data of the equipment and devices, and transmits the data to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller via Modbus RTU.
3. Water Resource Management
Regarding water resource management, the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller collects data detected by water and pH meters installed in the goose pond. In the event of excessively increased or decreased water levels, WISE-5231 performs the execution of automated logic and turns off/on solenoid valves through the tM-R5 Power Relay Module to regulate water flow. Meanwhile, WISE-5231 transmits the obtained information to AVEVA Edge HMI/SCADA in the control center via Modbus TCP for data visualization and management.
tM-R5 Power Relay Module offers 5-channel replay output. In this case, tM-R5 is deployed to receive commands from the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller, regulating water flow by turning off/on solenoid valves when water levels exceed or fall below threshold values.
4. Feed Management
To manage goose feed, the customer installs TPD-433F-H Touch HMI Device and VPD-143-H Touch HMI Device to collect and display data obtained from digital scales and hanging scales, respectively. The data is then sent to WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller using Modbus RTU for the execution of automated logic. When digital scale & hanging scale readings fall below the pre-configured lower threshold value, WISE-5231 will activate feeder motors through tM-PD3R3 Digital Input & Power Relay Module to refill the feed. Simultaneously, WISE-5231 returns the data to AVEVA Edge HMI/SCADA in the control center via Modbus TCP for data visualization and management.
TPD/VPD series – touch HMI devices feature high-resolution color touch screens, real-time clocks (RTC) and various communication interfaces such as RS-232/RS-485, Ethernet, and USB.
Within the two series, the TPD series is ideally suited for home and building automation, while the VPD series is designed specifically for factory and machinery automation. The TPD series comes with a built-in buzzer and offers dedicated external wall boxes, allowing the module to blend in with the surroundings and become less noticeable. The VPD series has a rubber keypad and a front panel with an IP65 rating — protection against water and dust. The features make it well-suited for applications in factories that have harsh industrial environments.
In this case, TPD-433F-H Touch HMI Device and VPD-143-H Touch HMI Device display data obtained from digital scales and hanging scales respectively on the 4.3″ high-resolution color touchscreen LCD. The data is also sent to the WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller using Modbus RTU.
tM-PD3R3 Digital Input & Power Relay Module provides 3-channel digital Input and 3-channel relay output, and each channel features isolation enabled by the photocoupler. tM-PD3R3 deployed in this case receives commands from WISE-5231, activating feeder motors to replenish feed as needed.
5. Edge Computing & Remote Management
ICP DAS WISE Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller Series is extensively used in various industrial applications, enabling logic control and monitoring. The built-in IF-THEN-ELSE statement provides the execution of automated logic stably and efficiently. Suppose an interruption of the communication between the controller and a control center occurs. In that case, the WISE series placed in the field still performs the functions of edge computing, calculation, scheduling, and alert messages sent via email/Line/WeChat/SMS.
The built-in data logger of the WISE series provides data recovery, automatically transmitting all the data to the control center. These ensure complete data transmission, and there is no need to worry about data loss. In addition, the WISE series can be used with the DI/DO expansion boards of the XV-board series for applications requiring I/O solutions across a range of fields. The expansion boards can be directly inserted in the WISE series, greatly saving space.
In this case study, WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller is employed to collect every single data of the farm and perform the function of logic control. Once the pre-configured IF condition is recognized, the related equipment will be activated through various I/O modules and XV-board to keep optimal farm environment conditions. When an anomaly is detected, WISE-5231 will send alarm notifications to the right personnel and transmit the data back to the control center via Modbus TCP.
AVEVA Edge is a comprehensive software capable of developing full-featured HMI and SCADA applications with various fundamental tools provided. It supports all Windows runtime platforms, including Windows Embedded Compact, Windows Embedded Standard,
Windows 8.1/10, and Windows Server Editions (Server 2012/2016/2019).
Besides running AVEVA Edge on a PC, users can also remotely access the software interface on a web browser using mobile phones. In this case study, the data of the farm is transmitted to the control center for web-based visualization. AVEVA Edge HMI/SCADA software compiles data collected to generate trend charts for analysis and exports reports in different formats, including CSV, PDF, and Excel. Once an anomaly occurs in the data obtained from the farm, AVEVA Edge will issue alarms to the management personnel for troubleshooting.
Benefits:
DLW-1000 series – mini weather stations and DL-300 series – data loggers have RS-485, Ethernet, and PoE communication interfaces, enhancing the capabilities to integrate with various devices and systems such as HMI and SCADA.
-
ICP DAS M-7000 series – remote I/O modules support Modbus RTU and DCON communication protocols and provide analog and digital inputs/outputs required for process signals such as current, voltage, and temperature.
Besides, the series also features a dual watchdog. The “Module Watchdog” automatically resets a microprocessor when the module malfunctions, while the “Host Watchdog” ensures smooth communication between the master and I/O modules. Management personnel can preset a “Safe Value” as an emergency mechanism, meaning the module automatically switches to a safe output state when it cannot receive a command from the master within the preset time, i.e., watchdog timeout triggered.
For the output modules, the “Power On Value” ensures the module is in the preset output state since power-on and the power has been restored. This feature improves system reliability and stability.
WISE Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller Series provides an easy-to-operate web interface to edit the rule settings. No programming is required; users only need to click the settings on the HMI for condition and rule configuration.
-
The management personnel can input the preferred quantity of feed refill either using a PC at the control center or mobile devices. This allows for accurate control of the feed dispensed and achieves the best possible lifespan of young birds at the lowest cost.
An automated environmental monitoring system reduces the frequency of on-site inspections and personnel entry to the farm. The system avoids the virus by protecting the farm from diseases and thus maintaining good biosecurity.
Conclusion:
Environmental monitoring keeps poultry owners posted on environmental factors, allowing them to take measures promptly once anomalies are detected and prevent disease spread. During avian flu outbreaks, environmental monitoring also helps government departments and agriculture agencies verify the infected area and assists decision-makers in formulating effective pandemic prevention strategies and contingency plans.
ICP DAS smart farming solutions have proven themselves in practice across various fields. Our portfolio includes the smart aquaculture solution: saving water and maintaining a constant temperature using ZigBee wireless transmission, the smart plant growing solution: cultivating mushrooms in greenhouses, the remote temperature monitoring solution applied in seed banks, smart watering systems deployed in cornfields, etc. ICP DAS builds smart farming systems for effective farm management by utilizing digital technology, enabling farmers to keep updated on field conditions and improve operational efficiency effortlessly.
Related products:
Categories
ICP DAS View All
ICP DAS was established in 1993 and strongly focuses on innovation and the enhancement of industrial automation technology. ICP DAS continuously endeavors to develop a comprehensive selection of products ranging from remote I/O controllers, distributed I/O modules, I/O data acquisition boards, programmable automation controllers, industrial communication modules, web-related products, motion control systems, SCADA/HMI software to automation solutions for applications critical to energy management, motion automation, smart factories, intelligent buildings, and smart cities. Our ambition is to provide a wide range of high-quality products and versatile applications, together with prompt and efficient services, that can be implemented to assist in the continued success of our clients worldwide.