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Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system

Barn Owl Wireless

Cloud-based crop monitoring and automatic fan control

Barn Owl Wireless
Key Features
How It Works
Uses
Components
Specifications
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system works on any internet browser enabled device

Barn Owl Wireless is the most advanced automatic crop monitoring and fan control system available. Combining the technology of cloud computing, cellular communication and radio transmission, a Barn Owl Wireless system is always up to date and able to work on any internet-enabled device.

Barn Owl Wireless reduces crop cooling time and store management energy and labour costs, and ensures crops remain in optimum condition. Barn Owl Wireless automatic fan control reduces cooling and drying energy bills by at least 40% since only air good enough to cool or dry the stored crop is used.

Energy saving
Modular system
Any device, anywhere
Secure Data
Web based system
Full control

How Barn Owl Wireless works

1. Temperature data in the crop store or silo is sent to the gateway

2. Data is sent to the cloud via the GSM network

3. Data on the webpage is accessed via the Internet

4. Fan controls are selected on the webpage

5. Fan controls are sent to the gateway

6. Fan controls are sent to fan controllers to turn on/off cooling fans and extraction fans. 

Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system in 6 easy steps

Barn Owl Wireless Automatic Crop Monitoring

Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system being accessed on an iPad
Barn Owl Wireless makes it possible to monitor crop temperature readings via the internet, without the time and cost of driving to remote stores
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system webpage
View live colour-coded grain temperature updates from the crop store, identify areas needing further cooling or drying and select the fans required. Temperature and humidity readings are sent continuously to the user’s webpage, allowing data downloads to suit quality assurance needs. Data is backed up on the Microsoft cloud network.
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system visualises crop storage
Silo temperatures are recorded at 2m or 3m intervals. Using a unique algorithm, the temperature information is also used to determine an approximate depth of grain in the silo.
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system webpage
Store management can be carried out on-line – moving equipment such as temperature sensors and ventilation fans to new positions and adding or removing them as the store is filled or emptied.

Barn Owl Wireless Automatic Fan Control

Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system fan controllers
A wide range of equipment can be controlled automatically by Barn Owl Wireless. Controllers can be static for connection to an existing control panel, or portable to move with equipment between ventilation ducts. Versions for up to 12 single or 3 phase fans can be supplied.
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system control page
Controllers are configured remotely from the user’s Barn Owl Wireless webpage, with the option to allocate each fan independently to a different control programme including temperature differential, thermo-humidistat and drying.
Barn Owl Wireless automatic fan control reduces crop cooling time and maintains quality. Achieving cooling targets depends on ambient conditions, but users have lowered their crop temperatures to 15°C within 13 days of harvest, 10°C in less than 2 months and 5°C by the end of November.
Barn Owl Wireless automatic fan control saves at least 40% of the energy cost of cooling and drying crops. Using an algorithm that responds to readings from the nearest crop temperature sensor, the fans operate independently and only when the ambient air is suitable. Overall, this means that fan use is as efficient as it is possible to be. The Barn Owl Wireless webpage uses energy unit cost and fan running time to calculate actual costs. Users have spent as little as £370 to cool grain to below 5°C or as low as 28p per ton to reach target temperature.

Barn Owl Wireless Data Service

Barn Owl Wireless combines the technology of radio transmission within the user’s crop storage site, the GSM international SIM network for data upload onto the cloud server and a bespoke Gateway programme that ensures trouble-free operation. This and the supporting Martin Lishman Barn Owl Wireless Data Service gives the following benefits:

  • Data transmission to and from the user’s storage site, with data stored and backed up in secure web servers on the Microsoft cloud network and available for download in both graphical and tabular formats.
  • The user can access the system via the internet from PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone from any location. No software is involved or required.
  • Webpage creation to match the user’s site and facilities, automatic system upgrades, and office hours support from the Martin Lishman team if required
  • If the GSM network is out of action, the Gateway retains all data, continues automatic fan operation and transmits the data when communications are restored
  • An on-line alert facility with fan overload warnings displayed on the user’s webpage
  • Additional log-on facility for multiple users such as contract storage customers
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system transmitter unit on silo

Where is Barn Owl Wireless used?

Martin Lishman Pile Dry Grain Pedestals with green fan for an optimised grain cooling system
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system

Barn Owl Wireless can be installed in Pile-Dry Pedestal stores, FloorVent stores, traditional under-floor or on-floor lateral stores and drying stores.

Martin Lishman Crop Storage in Silos
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system

Barn Owl Wireless can be installed in storage silos up to 60m high and in many types of storage bin.  Temperatures at each level in a silo are displayed, also giving a guide to the depth of grain in the silo.

Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system used to monitor potatoes
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system potato store

Barn Owl Wireless can be installed in bulk potato stores or potato box stores. A simple monitoring system can provide online colour-coded crop temperature and ambient updates. Automatic control of ventilating equipment can also be included, with temperature differential or humidity control programmes.

Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system compost temperature probe
Martin Lishman Barn owl Wireless automatic crop monitoring and control system

Remote automatic monitoring with Barn Owl Wireless during compost production provides verifiable proof that the correct temperatures have been maintained for the required time period.

Barn Owl Wireless Components

Barn Owl Wireless is a modular system with no limit to the quantity of sensing points in the crop or automatic control options for cooling or drying. Martin Lishman will always help with designing and building the most appropriate system for each store. The components shown below can used to make up a Barn Owl Wireless system for any situation! Contact us today to discuss your requirements.

Basic System Components

Barn Owl Wireless Gateway

Gateway

The Gateway is the communications hub of any Barn Owl Wireless system, loaded with a bespoke programme that ensures trouble-free operation. If the GSM network is out of action, the Gateway retains all sensor readings, continues automatic fan operation and transmits the data when communications are restored. Usually only one Gateway is required where the storage buildings being monitored are in close proximity.

barn owl wireless bridge

Bridge

Bridge units are mains powered transmitters that send data between the building where the Gateway is located and other storage buildings in close proximity. One Bridge is usually required for each additional building.

barn owl wireless booster

Booster

The Booster is a mains powered transmitter used as a staging point in an installation with large numbers of sensors or to increase the range between buildings, and ensures that data reaches the Gateway. Bridge units, Ambient Sensors and automatic controllers also carry out the same function, so the need for a Booster will depend on the overall installation set-up.

Crop Temperature Monitoring Components

barn owl wireless crop sensor

Crop Temperature Sensor

A battery powered radio transmitter attached to a 2 or 3m rigid crop sensor that displays the crop temperature and transmits data via the Gateway to be displayed on the user’s webpage.

A 4 way version is available to use 4 flexible cable sensors of lengths up to 40m in potato stores. The transmitter displays the potato temperature from each connected sensor and transmits data via the Gateway to be displayed on the user’s webpage

barn owl wireless silo sensor

Pendant Temperature Sensor

A steel core cable with digital sensors at 2 or 3m intervals, ideal for deep stores and silos where sensing is required through the entire depth profile of the crop. The pendants are suspended from a suitable anchoring point in the structure roof and connected to a multi-sensor transmitter. In flat floor stores they would be positioned at the midpoint between Pedestals or ventilation ducts.

For silos, pendants up to 60m long can be installed to suit the diameter and height of the silo.

barn owl wireless silo sensor transmitter unit

Pendant Sensor Transmitter

The Pendant Temperature Sensors are connected to a mains powered radio transmitter that displays each sensor temperature and transmits data via the Gateway to be displayed on the user’s webpage.

barn owl wireless compost sensor

Compost Sensor

A battery powered radio transmitter suited to outdoor use attached to a 2 or 3m rigid sensor that displays the compost temperature and transmits data via the Gateway to be displayed on the user’s webpage.

 Air Temperature and Humidity Monitoring

barn owl wireless ATH sensor

ATH Sensor 

The ambient temperature and relative humidity sensor is connected to a mains powered radio transmitter that displays the sensor’s readings and transmits the data via the Gateway to be displayed on the user’s webpage. Measuring the ambient air condition ensures that fans only operate automatically when suitable air to meet drying or cooling targets is available.

Automatic fan control

barn owl wireless Sio controller

Single Fan Controller

This will control automatically a single fan such as a large drying tunnel fan or fans that are moved between horizontal ducts. The unit has a screen displaying operating status and diagnostic information and can be used in manual or automatic mode.

barn owl wireless static fan controller

Static Fan Controller

This will control automatically up to 12 static fans such as StoreVent building extraction fans, large crop drying fans and fans connected via a control panel to Pile-Dry or FloorVent Pedestals. The unit has a screen displaying operating status and diagnostic information and can be used in manual or automatic mode.

barn owl wireless portable controller

Portable Fan Controller

This will control automatically up to 5 single or 3 phase portable cooling or drying fans such as used with Pile-Dry or FloorVent Pedestals. It has built-in starters for each fan being controlled and can be repositioned when fans are moved. It can be used in manual or automatic mode and is supplied with all plugs and sockets to connect the fans to the controller and the controller to the power supply. The screen displays operating status and diagnostic information.

Other types of Automatic Fan Control

Temperature Differential
For automatic crop cooling and drying
Lean More
Thermo-Humidistat Control
Simple in-store drying control
Lean More
Temperature & Humidity Control

Full control over crop cooling and drying

Lean More
Full Details and Specifications

Systems are specified individually for each storage situation. The following components might be included:

ComponentProduct codeDimensionsPower supplyNotes
GatewayBOW/GATE19.5 x 19.5 x 9.5cm240vComes with SIM card and aerial
1m aerial extension cable
BridgeBOW/BRIDGE7.5 x 15 x 5cm240v
Crop Sensor2m: BOW/ST/2
3m: BOW/ST/3		9.5 x 30 x 5.5cmReplaceable battery pack
Typical life: 2-3 years		Rigid PVC sensor
Compost Sensor2m: BOW/ST/2/COMPOST9.5 x 30 x 5.5cmReplaceable battery pack
Typical life: 2-3 years		Stainless steel sensor
Multi-input TransmitterBOW/TR/49.5 x 30 x 5.5cmReplaceable battery pack
Typical life: 2-3 years		4 way transmitter
Suited to potato stores
Silo Sensor Transmitter UnitBOW/MSU/022.5 x 30 x 10cm240vSends data from up to 160 sensing points
ATH SensorBOW/ST/ATH/ATransmitter: 15 x 7.5 x 11.5cm
Sensor: 15 x 8 x 5.5cm		240vWaterproof transmitter, detachable sensor
SIO ControllerBOW/SA/SIO/A15 x 7.5 x 11.5cm240vSingle fan controller for large or portable fans
Static Fan Controller6 Fans: BOW/SA/6/A
12 Fans: BOW/SA/12/A		41 x 34 x 14cm240vWirelessly control up to 12 fans
Portable Fan Controller BOW/BM/...
Specify fan qty, current rating and phase		61 x 45 x 19cm240v or 415vControl up to 4 single or 5 three phase fans
32A power input socket and plug
fan connection plugs and sockets
Built in starter/overloads

Static fan controllers require a starter for each fan. Contact us for more information.

Considering using Barn Owl Wireless in your store?

Enquire now

More information:

Crop Storage Brochure
Back to Crop Storage Systems

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