RU2738976C2 - Air humidity sensor and method of its regeneration - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to technological control of poultry incubation process. Air humidity sensor includes a base in the form of a printed-circuit board with current-conducting elements and a heating element with a capacitive sensor placed on it. At that, current conducting elements and humidity sensor are connected to instrumentation. Method of humidity air humidity sensor regeneration is characterized by that in operating mode during incubation when moisture pickup reaches moisture content of medium of 90 %, control instrument gives command to connect heating element, which provides heating of capacitance sensor of humidity sensor until registered humidity drops to level of 10 %. Then, the capacitive sensor is stopped and the cooling process takes place. At that, the capacitive sensor accumulates moisture, and when the humidity growth parameters cease to vary within the range of not more than 3 % for 30 s, the humidity sensor again switches to the operating mode, as long as moisture values do not reach 90 %. Then the operation cycle is repeated, and after the incubation process the humidity sensor and the control instrument are in standby mode. Humidity sensor collects moisture from the medium of the incubator and when value of 40 % moisture is achieved, the instrumentation provides a command for heating the heating element. Heating is continued until moisture content of sensor reaches 10 %, then the cycle of operation is repeated.

EFFECT: technical result consists in enabling accurate measurement of readings of current relative humidity, as well as possibility of sensor regeneration and longer service life of sensor.

2 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to agriculture, in particular to the technological control of the process of incubation of poultry.

The successful process of incubation of poultry depends on accurate technological control of temperature and humidity parameters of the regime in the incubator. It is known that high humidity should be maintained in the first days of incubation, when the egg is not protected from water loss due to evaporation, therefore, in the first days of incubation, water should be kept in the egg as much as possible. An increase in the relative humidity in the incubator after 6 days of incubation retards the growth of embryos, therefore, incubation of eggs in high humidity conditions from this age is not advisable. In addition, high accuracy of maintaining the air humidity in the incubator is necessary in order to avoid a dew point, at which water vapor will condense. At present, in incubators, to determine the air humidity, along with hygrometers, humidity sensors are used (see the Internet resource www.honeywell.ru). It is also known that the removal of reliable readings depends not only on the increased importance in the incubator, but also on the settling of dust particles, dirt present in the incubator, the aggressiveness of the general gas environment, which leads to inaccurate readings and ultimately failure of the moisture sensor (breakdown ).

It is known from the prior art that most of the currently available moisture sensors are characterized by a complex design, are made porous, are characterized by low measurement stability, increased inertia due to water diffusion and require replacement with new ones.

Such sensors include: An air humidity sensor containing two conductive electrodes placed on a dielectric substrate, moreover, the electrodes are made in the form of flat spirals or rings having a common axis, on which a moisture-sensitive polymer film is placed (see Patent for utility model No. 79674, G01N 27/04, 14.07.2008). A device for measuring air humidity, containing a capacitive humidity sensor and a resistive temperature sensor, an AC voltage amplifier, an AC voltage level meter, a functional block, an AC voltage generator, an electronic converter of the resistance sensor resistance into a voltage (current), a recorder, and the generator output is connected by a long line with one of the contacts of the capacitive sensor, the output of the voltage amplifier is connected to the input of the voltage level meter, the output of which is connected to one of the inputs of the functional block, the second input of which is connected to the output of the resistance converter into an electrical signal (current, voltage), to the input of which using a long a resistive temperature sensor is connected to the line, and the output of the functional unit is connected to the recorder, the primary winding of the matching transformer is connected to the second contact of the capacitive sensor, the second end of which is connected by a long line to the alternator voltage, and a signal line with a characteristic impedance is connected to the secondary winding of the transformer, the second end of which is connected to the input terminals of the voltage amplifier, and the complex resistance module of the primary winding connected to the signal line of the transformer must be 100-200 times less than the complex resistance module of the capacitive sensor, ( cm. RF patent No. 2184369 G01N 25/56, G01N 27/22, G21C 17/00, 27.06.2002). A moisture sensor made in the form of internal and external conductive plates, between which a dielectric spacer made of moisture-absorbing material is placed, the current-conducting plates are made with the possibility of being connected to a series circuit with a current source and a capacitance meter, and the external conductive plate is made in the form of a grid of electrically conductive threads, the conductive plate is made in the form of a conductive metal core placed in an electrically conductive sheath, and the dielectric gasket is made of woven from polymer fibers (see RF Patent No. 2672814, G01N 27/22, 02/06/2018).

Thus, in the claimed invention, the task was set to continuously monitor, within specified limits, one of the main parameters of the microclimate in the incubator - the humidity level.

The technical objective of the claimed invention is the use of a humidity sensor with the ability to accurately measure the current relative humidity, the possibility of its regeneration and lengthening the service life.

FIG. 1 shows a general view of the humidity sensor.

The device consists of a base 1 with conductive elements 2 placed on it, to which a heating element 3 is attached with a capacitive sensor 4 placed on it.

Base 1 is made in the form of a printed circuit board. The conductive elements 2 are connected to a control and measuring device (not shown in the drawing). Sensor 4 has additional current conductors connected to the control and measuring device (not indicated in the drawing).

The invention is implemented as follows.

When the humidity sensor is operating in operating mode, when the control and measuring device registers 90% of the ambient humidity in the incubator, the latter gives a command to connect the electric heater 3 using conductive elements 2. Sensor 4 is heated until the recorded humidity drops to the mark ten%. Then the heating of the sensor 4 is stopped. The sensor is cooling down. At the same time, the sensor 4 gains moisture, and when the humidity growth indicators stop changing in the range of no more than 3% for 30 seconds, the humidity sensor switches back to operating mode until the humidity indicators reach 90%. Then the cycle of work is repeated.

After the end of the incubation process and before laying a new batch of eggs, the humidity sensor, the control and measuring device are in standby mode. The humidity sensor draws moisture from the incubator environment. And when the humidity reaches 40%, the tester gives a command to heat the heating element 3. Heating continues until the humidity reaches 10%. The cycle of work is repeated.

This allows you to restore (regenerate) the moisture sensor, and increase the service life of the latter up to 5-6 years.

Claims (2)

1. Air humidity sensor, including a base in the form of a printed circuit board with conductive elements and a heating element with a capacitive sensor placed on it, and the conductive elements and a humidity sensor are connected to the control and measuring device. 2. A method for regenerating an air humidity sensor, characterized in that in the operating mode during incubation, when the humidity sensor reaches 90% of the ambient humidity, the control and measuring device gives a command to connect a heating element, which provides heating of the capacitive sensor of the humidity sensor until the recorded humidity does not drop to the 10% mark, then the heating of the capacitive sensor is stopped and the cooling process takes place, while the capacitive sensor gains moisture, and when the humidity growth indicators stop changing in the range of no more than 3% within 30 seconds, the humidity sensor switches back to working mode, until the humidity indicators reach 90%, then the cycle of operation is repeated, and after the end of the incubation process, the humidity sensor and the control and measuring device are in standby mode, while the humidity sensor collects moisture from the incubator environment and when the indicator is reached 40% humidity measuring instrument The op gives a command to heat the heating element, and heating continues until the humidity indicator reaches 10%, then the cycle is repeated.

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