A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL OF THE TEMPERATURE IN CHICKEN EGGS HATCHING USING ARTIFICIAL INCUBATORS

Abstract

According to OACD/FAO Agricultural Outlook, poultry meat remains the primary driver of growth in total meat production. Its short production cycle allows producers to respond quickly to market needs, as well as rapid improvements in genetics, animal health, feeding practices, breeding conditions and breeding environment. Hatching process needs to be done properly in order to maximize the number of healthy chickens hatched and to minimize their death rate. When using artificial egg incubation, it is important to monitor and control ambient conditions in incubators, to obtain ventilation and egg turning. Ambient conditions are expressed in terms of temperature and humidity, where maintaining and controlling the temperature inside the incubator is of the greatest importance. This paper deals with the description of a control system developed for remote monitoring and
control of the temperature in chicken eggs hatching using artificial incubators. The system consists of heater in a form of an incandescent light bulb, temperature sensor, relay, microcontroller, and communication module. For temperature control, a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller is designed, which maintains the temperature at 37.8 °C. Temperature readings are available through the web browser and are accessible using wired Internet connection. Proposed system represents a simple, low-cost but very efficient solution which provides the necessary conditions for proper development of chickens while growing inside the egg.

Key words: temperature control, PID, hatching, artificial incubator, Internet of Things.