Smart fan system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a highly efficient smart fan system which is developed for farms and barns. The smart fan system according to the invention facilitates remote fault management and fan control in fan systems, aiming to ensure animal welfare. The goal is to increase milk productivity and improve animal health by enhancing animal welfare and air quality.

Description

[0001] SMART FAN SYSTEM

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention relates to a highly efficient smart fan system developed for farms and barns. The purpose of the invention is to improve animal welfare through the facilitation of remote fault management and control of fan systems. By enhancing animal welfare and air quality, the invention aims to boost milk productivity and improve animal health.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Today, there is a growing concern for the welfare of farm animals in both developed and developing countries, with state policies increasingly addressing these issues. These concerns are primarily driven by ethical and moral considerations to ensure that animals are kept in good conditions and to prevent suffering. Consequently, the farm industries are seeking ways to enhance welfare measures through legislation and public policy or by incorporating welfare standards into suppliers' contractual obligations.

[0006] The inadequate welfare of farm animals adversely impacts their health and productivity. Poor living conditions increase the risk of disease, reduce productivity, and degrade product quality. Therefore, farmers with high productivity expectations are obliged to change their management strategies to minimize the effects of environmental conditions.

[0007] One of the critical environmental conditions affecting animal welfare on farms is the microclimate. Specifically, ambient temperature, humidity, and air quality are challenging to control and have a significant impact on farm animals. During the summer, when high temperatures coincide with high humidity, the predominant issue is the development of heat stress. The most common effects of heat stress on animals include reduced milk production, decreased fertility, and diminished weight gain.

[0008] Heat stress can result in a series of health problems in dairy cows, and various stress factors can cause production issues in farm animals. The specific problems are listed below:

[0009] 1. Decreased Milk Yield: Heat stress adversely impacts the metabolic processes of cows, leading to a reduction in milk yield. This decline results from insufficient nutrition due to energy and water loss, combined with the decreased lactation efficiency of stressed animals (West, 2003:2131-2144). 2. Reproductive Problems: High temperatures can negatively affect the reproductive performance of dairy cows. Heat stress can increase embryo loss rates and disrupt estrous cycles. This can lead to reduced conception rates and fertility issues in cows (Hensen, 2007:242-249).

[0010] 3. Metabolic Disorders: Heat stress can induce metabolic disorders in cows, including conditions like acidosis and ketosis. These diseases negatively affect the feed intake and energy balance of cows, leading to a deterioration in their overall health (Baumgard and Rhoads, 2013:311-337).

[0011] 4. Respiratory Diseases: Hot and humid conditions can lead to the proliferation of respiratory diseases in dairy cows. High temperatures increase the respiration rate of cows, creating a predisposition for respiratory infections (Collier and Collier, 2012).

[0012] 5. Hyperthermia: Heat stress can cause a significant rise in body temperature, leading to hyperthermia. Hyperthermia can result in severe health problems and even death in cows. This condition is more prevalent in environments lacking adequate cooling facilities (Gaughan et al., 2010:617-627).

[0013] 6. Weakened Immune System: Heat stress weakens the immune system of cows, making them more susceptible to various infections. This increases the incidence of mastitis and other infections (Nardone et al., 2010:57-69).

[0014] The most effective system for reducing heat stress involves using sprinklers to directly wet the animals, followed by ventilation systems. However, the use of sprinklers inside barns is deemed inappropriate, as it causes organic bedding to become wet, keeping feed and manure moist and consequently increasing the bacterial load. Correspondingly, organic bedding in barns becomes covered by approximately 80% of manure and feed residues by the 14th day after initial installation. If these residues remain moist due to temperature, conditions such as interdigital dermatitis, laminitis, tarsal phlegmon, and fur contamination arise under unfavorable drying conditions.

[0015] Ammonia which is released due to the interaction between microorganisms and urine or manure in barns, is the most common harmful gas. Poorly ventilated barns with low ammonia cleanliness increase ammonia concentrations, affecting the respiratory system and causing situations like increased saliva production. Additionally, poor stable ventilation increases the risk of animals being exposed to dust, airborne microorganisms, and other harmful gasses, leading to chronic respiratory diseases in both humans and animals. Therefore, adequate ventilation is very important for protecting animal welfare.

[0016] Fan systems used to ensure animal welfare in large areas exist in the known state of the art. In the known state of the art, there are two types of systems. The first includes a combined power unit with an asynchronous AC industrial motor and reducer, and the second is a fan system driven directly with a permanent magnet motor. Figure 1 shows an example of a fan system of the first type. In these systems, all fan configurations (1) are connected in series. It is common to control multiple fans with a single motor driver (inverter) (21) connected to the fan configurations (1). This structure is often preferred because it is cost-effective to control it through a single motor driver (21). However, this system is shortlived and inefficient. When a fault occurs in the motor driver (21) or fan configurations (1), problem detection and maintenance become difficult. When the motor driver (21) fails, the operation of the entire system is affected. Animals have to endure poor conditions until the problem is identified. This situation becomes even more challenging, especially on hot summer days.

[0017] The known state of the art also includes the Patent Application US10309663B1 , which discloses a system and related method for controlling condensation in an area. The system includes a fan and one or more sensors to detect environmental conditions such as temperature and relative humidity associated with the area and / or objects within the area. For example, sensors can detect the surface temperature of an object within a room. The system also includes a controller that can receive measurements from the sensors and control the fan based on the detected information. The system may also include a heater and / or a damper to introduce outside air into the space; any of these can be controlled by the controller based on the measurements.

[0018] An European Patent Application EP3247909A1 discloses a system with a variable operating mode to control thermal comfort in a space. The system may include a conditioner to condition the air in the space and a sensor to measure a temperature in the space. A controller is provided to control the air conditioner based on the temperature detected by the sensor and arrange a fan for air circulation within the space based on the temperature detected by the sensor. A related system for controlling a fan based on height and a system and method for determining the height of a fan easily and efficiently using a simple camera such as a "smart" phone is also provided. Another aspect relates to a controller with a user interface adapted to suggest an increase in the set point temperature of a thermostat based on the selected speed of a fan, for example, using a portable handheld device. A Chinese patent application CN109189129A describes an loT-based intelligent draft fan for animal husbandry. According to the smart draft fan for animal husbandry described in the invention, temperature, humidity, harmful gas concentration, and the like in an animal husbandry factory can be detected via a sensor unit, the rotation speed of the draft fan can be controlled by an intelligent draft fan controller, and the temperature and humidity in the animal husbandry factory can be intelligently adjusted by connecting the end of the air cylinder to an external cooling facility, thus stabilizing the living conditions of animals.

[0019] As a result, fan systems which are developed to ensure the welfare of animals in the known state of the art exist. Although these systems use different sensors and loT-based systems, they are inefficient and short-lived and do not provide fault detection and analysis.

[0020] OBJECTIVES AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The smart fan system according to the invention aims to facilitate remote fault management and fan control in fan systems found in farms and barns. Thus, it ensures the enhancement of animal welfare.

[0022] The most important advantage of the smart fan system according to the invention is that it provides predictive fault analysis by accessing remote motor and sensor information. The invention aims to quickly intervene by remotely estimating faults, especially by accessing the motion and parameter values of the motor.

[0023] Another advantage of the invention is that it allows driving permanent magnet DC motors of different powers and diameters. With the invention, different motors can be driven with the same driver and software by changing motor parameters remotely (firmware update). Thus, the needs of different motor alternatives can be met with a single product.

[0024] Another advantage of the invention is that it is a system that can be directly driven and moved with a DC permanent magnet motor, thus eliminating the need for additional mechanical equipment such as a reducer. Since the system contains only a directly driven DC brushless permanent magnet motor, it has no parts requiring maintenance. This feature increases the operational life of the system.

[0025] Another advantage of the invention is that it provides quieter operation due to the use of a DC permanent magnet, offering a comfortable environment for animals. The smart fan system according to the invention also provides that each fan motor can be driven separately thanks to a separate motor driver for each fan motor. Thus, environmental conditions can be controlled more easily.

[0026] Another important advantage of providing a separate motor driver for each motor is that it facilitates maintenance and increases the operational life. In the event of a fault, while the operation of all motors is affected in the previous technique, only the faulty fan motor is affected thanks to the invention. It becomes easier to identify the faulty motor or motor driver.

[0027] Another important advantage of the invention is that the motor driver can be controlled remotely, and sensor data can be accessed.

[0028] Another advantage of the invention is that energy consumption is reduced thanks to the permanent magnet DC motors and smart control systems used in the project. Thus, it contributes to energy savings by reducing the use of electric energy in farms.

[0029] Another advantage of the invention is that remote software updates and remote control allow adjustments and threshold levels to be set based on air temperature, humidity, and animal movement from a phone or remotely. Since the fans are suspended at a height of at least 3 to 8 meters, remote adjustment in inaccessible areas facilitates the control of the fan.

[0030] The system and method of the invention will be better understood by using the following figures.

[0031] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0032] Figure 1 : It shows a fan system in the known state of the art.

[0033] Figure 2: It shows the relationships between the elements within the smart fan system according to the invention.

[0034] Figure 3: It illustrates an exploded perspective view of the fan configuration and circuit board connection within the smart fan system according to the invention.

[0035] Figure 4: It illustrates a perspective view of the fan configuration and circuit board connection within the smart fan system according to the invention. Figure 5: It illustrates a schematic view of the sensors within the sensor group of the smart fan system according to the invention.

[0036] Figure 6: It illustrates a table of temperature-humidity index calculated according to temperature and humidity values.

[0037] Reference numbers of sections and components given in the figures to assist in explaining the invention:

[0038] 100 Fan configuration

[0039] 110 Fan motor

[0040] 200 Circuit board

[0041] - 210 Motor driver

[0042] 220 Gateway

[0043] 230 Sensor group

[0044] 231 Fault analysis sensors

[0045] 232 Environmental sensors

[0046] 300 Smart device

[0047] 400 Server

[0048] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] The smart fan system according to the invention aims to facilitate fault management and fan control in fan systems to enhance animal welfare. The invention aims to improve the microclimate by controlling the temperature and humidity conditions in farms and barns. It should be kept in mind that the diagrams and figures used for better understanding are only for better understanding and are not binding.

[0050] The relationships between the elements within the smart fan system according to the invention are shown in Figure 2. The exploded perspective view of the fan configuration (100) and circuit board (200) connection within the smart fan system according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 3. The perspective view of the fan configuration (100) and circuit board (200) connection within the smart fan system according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 4. The schematic view of the sensors within the sensor group (230) of the smart fan system according to the invention is provided in Figure 5. In general, the invention is a smart fan system that ensures remote control and fault management of a system comprising a fan configuration (100) connected with a circuit board (200), a motor driver (210) placed on said circuit board (200) controlling said fan configuration (100); characterized in that it comprises at least one sensor group (230) receiving environmental and motor information connected with said circuit board (200), at least one gateway (220) providing data transmission connected with said motor driver (210) on said circuit board (200), at least one server (400) storing and processing information and instructions connected with said gateway (220), and at least one smart device (300) entering instructions and displaying information connected with said server (400); at least one motor driver (210) is provided for each one of the fans in said fan configuration (100).

[0051] The smart fan system according to the invention is a system comprising a fan configuration (100) placed on the circuit board (200). Said circuit board (200) is connected with the fan motor (110). It contains a gateway (220), a motor driver (210), and a sensor group (230).

[0052] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises at least one sensor group (230) receiving environmental and motor information connected with the motor driver (210) and gateway (220) on the circuit board (200). The sensor group (230) contains fault analysis sensors (231) and environmental sensors (232). By connecting the sensor group (230) with the motor driver (210), the fan motor (110) can be autonomously driven using sensor data. By connecting the sensor group (230) with the gateway (220), users can access sensor data via a smart device (300) or server (400) over the internet.

[0053] The sensor group (230) includes fault analysis sensors (231). The fault analysis sensors (231) contain a vibration sensor and / or an acceleration sensor. The fault analysis sensors (231) measure vibrations during the movement of the fan configuration (100) and create a yellow or red alarm based on the determined vibration threshold levels. At the yellow alarm threshold level, the mechanical connections of the fan may have loosened, causing excessive vibration in the fan. Therefore, maintenance information is notified to the user in advance. If the vibration level is at the determined red alarm threshold level, the motor driver (210) stops the operation of the fan motor (110). In the red alarm state, wireless communication continues, and information is transmitted to the user via the gateway (220). Yellow and red vibration levels are determined by calculating an average from the vibration data observed after the initial installation of the fan configuration (100). These average values vary depending on the installation location and the building. The preferred threshold level for the yellow alarm is between 15% and 25%. The preferred threshold level for the red alarm is between 25% and 35%. The sensor group (230) includes environmental sensors (232). Environmental sensors (232) provide the necessary data for controlling the movement of the fan motor (110) by being connected with the motor driver (210). The motor driver (210) can autonomously drive the fan motors (110) using the sensor data. Environmental sensors (232) include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a radar or motion sensor.

[0054] Using radar or motion sensors, the motion index and the number of animals under the fan are measured. In addition to temperature and humidity data, the fan speed is reduced when no animals are present, and the fan speed is increased as the number of animals increases. Additionally, if animals are unable to move due to heat stress, this is detected by the sensor, and the fan speed is increased to accelerate cooling. Thus, energy efficiency and comfort are increased.

[0055] Microclimate conditions are measured using temperature and humidity sensors. The temperature-humidity index value is obtained with the data from the sensors. The motor driver (210) controls the fan motor (110) speed according to the temperature-humidity index value.

[0056] The temperature-humidity index is a component of humidity and air temperature that defines how the temperature is perceived. This index is not the actual air temperature. In the table provided in Figure 6, a table is also arranged to find the temperature-humidity index. The motor driver (210) automatically activates within the ranges determined in the schema in Figure 6, adjusts its speed according to the relevant index value, and automatically stops if the index is below the determined threshold.

[0057] In the temperature-humidity index table provided in Figure 6, the fan activates in the area marked in gray. As the temperature-humidity index value increases, the speed increases. Thus, since the motor speed is adjusted according to the need, energy savings are achieved. If the temperature-humidity index is outside the values in the table in Figure 6 (if unnecessary), the fan automatically stops.

[0058] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises at least one motor driver (210) on the circuit board (200). Said motor driver (210) controls the opening, closing, and speed of the fan motor (110) it is connected to. The status of the fan motor (110) is monitored remotely using data obtained from the sensor group (230) connected with the motor driver (210). Among the sensors connected with the motor driver (210) are environmental sensors (232). The motor driver (210) runs the control algorithm that provides the appropriate temperature and humidity values based on data from the environmental sensors (232) and user instructions. Since each fan motor (110) has a separate motor controller, the fan motors can be controlled individually. Thus, fan motors (110) work at different speeds for areas with different temperature and humidity conditions.

[0059] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises a fan motor (110) connected with the motor driver (210). Said fan motor (110) is a brushless DC permanent magnet type. Thus, it provides low energy consumption and quiet operation. The DC fan motor (110) is developed with the power to control large diameter (1.5 to 7 m) propellers. Additionally, it is directly powered by 220V AC mains voltage without requiring any additional components. The fan motor (110) is driven directly with the help of the motor driver (210). Thus, there is no need for a reducer.

[0060] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises at least one gateway (220) on the circuit board (200) connected with the motor driver (210). Said gateway (220) provides connection to a smart device (300) or server (400) using wireless communication technologies such as WiFi, Zigbee, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). When communication is provided via WiFi, the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) communication protocol is used. Thus, lossless data transmission is ensured. Bidirectional communication is provided via the gateway (220). Instructions from the smart device (300) are transmitted to the motor driver (210), and data from the sensors are transmitted to the server (400) or smart device (300). Predictive fault analysis of fault analysis sensors connected with the gateway (220) (231) informs the user if there are mechanical connection issues or problems in the motor requiring maintenance.

[0061] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises a server (400) connected wirelessly with the gateway (220) and the smart device (300). A bidirectional connection is established over the internet between the server (400) and the gateway (220). Motor data can be accessed remotely, and instructions can be given to the motor driver (210) by connecting the smart device (300) to the server (400). The user can group the fan motors (110) via the server (400) to facilitate the management of the fan motor (110). For example, fan motors (110) in the north group are operated at low speed, while fan motors (110) in the south group are operated at high speed.

[0062] The smart fan system according to the invention comprises a smart device (300) that the user accesses the fan motor (110) data obtained from the sensors and controls by giving instructions. The smart device (300) connects with the gateway (220) or server (400). Thus, bidirectional communication with the motor driver (210) is ensured. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

[0063] The smart fan system according to the invention aims for a sustainable microclimate system for barns and farms. The invention provides control and fault detection of numerous fan motors, especially in large areas. The invention is suitable for driving HVLS and BLDC motors.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A smart fan system for providing remote control and fault detection and management comprising a fan configuration (100) connected with a circuit board (200) and a motor driver (210) placed on said circuit board (200) controlling said fan configuration (100); characterized by comprising at least one sensor group (230) receiving environmental and motor information connected with said circuit board (200); at least one gateway (220) providing data transmission connected with said motor driver (210) on said circuit board (200); at least one server (400) storing and processing information and instructions connected with said gateway (220); and at least one smart device (300) entering instructions and displaying information connected with said server (400); wherein at least one motor driver (210) is provided for each one of the fans in said fan configuration (100).

2. A smart fan system according to Claim 1 , characterized in that said sensor group (230) comprises fault analysis sensors (231) with an acceleration sensor and / or vibration sensor.

3. A smart fan system according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by comprising said motor driver (210) that stops the operation of the fan motor (110) when the data obtained from the fault analysis sensors (231) exceed the threshold level at the red alarm level.

4. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising said gateway (220) that continues communication when the data obtained from the fault analysis sensors (231) exceed the threshold level at the red alarm level and informs the user about the fault condition.

5. A smart fan system according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the threshold level of the red alarm is 25% to 35% higher than the average value.

6. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sensor group (230) comprises environmental sensors (232) with a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.

7. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sensor group (230) comprises environmental sensors (232) with a radar and / or motion sensor which measures the number of animals and activity in the environment.

8. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising said motor driver (210) that autonomously controls said fan motor (110) using data obtained from said environmental sensors (232).

9. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising a brushless DC permanent magnet type fan motor (110) which can be driven directly by said motor driver (210).

10. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising a smart device (300), wherein a wireless communication is provided with the gateway (220).

11. A smart fan system according to Claim 5, characterized in that said wireless communication is provided with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

12. A smart fan system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising a server (400) wherein a wireless communication is provided with the gateway (220).

13. A smart fan system according to Claim 7, characterized in that said wireless communication is provided with WiFi technology.

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