3S-CB

What it does

3S-CB uses free solar energy as the power source. 3S-CB empowers the breeders to monitor their chicks in a good health conditions by maintaining brooder’s temperature at optimum condition, besides reducing energy bill on the chicks’ livestock efficiently.

Your inspiration

In the first week of chicken farming, temperature control in the chicks’ brooders must be kept warm and dry by maintaining the temperature around 30 degree Celcius to provide comfort and dry conditions. Typically, breeders use light bulbs to enable temperature can be set to a certain level. No free renewable energies were used as the main source of this incubator to reduce the electricity bills. Typically, curtain will be lowered and raised manually at 7pm/am to avoid temperature drop at night. This inspired us to design a smart solar power solution for the chicks’ breeders to monitor their chicks and also minimise their electricity wisely.

How it works

3S-CB has three main functions; detecting temperature inside the brooder, detecting darkness at surrounding and sensing rain at the rooftop of brooder. When temperature inside the brooder is less than 30°, the LED bulbs will be switched ON to keep the chicks warm and comfort. Meanwhile, the installed especial curtain will be lowered at 7 p.m and will be raised again at 7 a.m to avoid temperature drop in the brooder at night. However, if raining during the day time, curtain will be automatically lowered once rain sensor detects water splash. This function is considered to enable temperature in the brooder can be kept warm during rainy day and also to avoid the chicks from the splashing of rain water. If temperature inside the brooder is less than 30°, the LED bulbs will be switched ON automatically and vice versa. The most expensive part/component is our 3S-CB product is solar PV panels. Without PV panels, this 3S-CB product can be manufactured for £60.

Design process

3S-CB has been through several stages of development to arrive at a design and 3 functions that both works and satisfies the chicks’ breeders. Early stage was worked on the interview sessions and survey. At second stage, we designed the electrical circuit diagram of our final product and our consideration was based on STEEP analysis. It was important to us to keep the price cheap but the functions must fulfil the breeders’ needs. We spoke with many chicks’ breeders and electrical experts throughout the process and their help has been invaluable in creating this 3S-CB with 3 features as wanted by chicks’ breeders. In the third stage, we developed the product stage by stage; temperature, curtain and energy management control. Sizing the PV panels and battery were main tasks after considering the size of the chicks’ brooders and weather condition. 3S-CB does not currently exist, and since production of this complete product is not complicated, hence, we don’t need any custom machinery to create or develop this product in any quantity. The challenges were only on the programming codes and the integration of the system components. However, we managed well this where all functions are working excellently. 3S-CB has been created and developed based on the needs of breeders.

How it is different

3S-Chick Brooder has been created and developed based on the needs of breeders. 3S-Chick Brooder has three main functions; detecting temperature inside the brooder, detecting darkness at surrounding and sensing rain at the rooftop of brooder. While in practice or in exist system, currently, most of the breeders will hire worker to monitor the chicks’ condition and check the temperature inside the brooder manually. Bulbs need to be switched ON and OFF manually when needed. Sometimes, the bulbs will not be switched OFF for 24-hour in a day even though the bulbs are not needed, therefore, wasting energy and increase the electricity bills for unreasonable.3S-Chick Brooder solves the problem of chicks monitoring time and effort, and also uses free energy from the sun to save the breeders’ electricity bill wisely and safely. 3S-Chick Brooder can be installed easily by DIY only, fits at anywhere around the brooder, small and portable.

Future plans

3S-Chick Brooder has been used and well tested in the chicks’ brooder. We are currently exploring for investors to develop the product for massive production and market. This product is ready to use and working perfectly. However, we are also looking for professional and better looks in terms of components’ casing before massive production is started.

Awards

The best Capstone Award (Theme Track) 11 December 2017, FKE, UTM, Malaysia.