Design And Construction Of An Automatic Digital Incubator

PREFACE

 The purpose of this text is to present at a primary and intermediate level a comprehensive over view of the construction principle and indeed the operation of a Digital Incubator.  We want to present a situation where by as the temperature in going up let the resistance be decreasing and as the temperature decreases let the resistance be going up.

The history and importance of Electronics as a unique branch of science cannot be over emphasized Electronic as its history might have it, is divided into two periods.  The first began with the invention of the vacuum tube, the second, occupying the later half of the twentieth century in based on the invention of the transistor.

Since Electronic is the branch of science and Technology relating to the conduction and control of electricity flowing through semi-conductor materials through vacuum are based.  Its application to industry will be concerned with the design, manufacture and application of transistors, diodes, integrated circuits and other semi-conductor devices and to a much lesser extent vacuum tubes.

Therefore, it is a fact crystal clear, that it is from the above breed and follow up from the electronic industry that such devices like Digital incubator was able to be made, Digital incubator is therefore device designed to keep eggs at a required temperature for hatching.  It is used to keep them worm.

It is commendable to note here that with the help of this digital work on construction and operation of digital incubator, students of electronic engineering now have a text to lay hands on.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM OF THE PROJECT
• OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
• LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
• COMPONENT OF INCUBATOR
• PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• PROJECT REVIEW
• HISTORITICAL BACKGROUND OF INCUBATOR
• INCUBATOR AND MEDICAL DISCOVERY OF THE PREMATURE INFANT
• REVIEW OF INCUBATOR (CULTURE)
• TYPES OF INCUBATOR

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY

3.1      BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM

3.2     PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF A DIGITAL INCUBATOR

3.3     SYSTEM CIRCUIT

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     TESTING AND RESULTS

• PACKAGING AND DESIGN
• MOUNTING PROCEDURE
• TESTING
• TESTING OF THE CIRCUIT
• PROJECT COST

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                       INTRODUCTION

Incubator has variety of applications but it has only one meaning, incubator is an apparatus consist of a box designed to maintain a constant temperature by the use of a thermoctal or thermictor; used for chicks or premature infants.  Synoaym: brooder: it is an apparatus consisting of a box designed to maintain a constant temperature by the use of a thermostat; used for hatching egg.

In the business world, an incubator is an enterprise that is set up to provide office space, equipment, and sometimes mentioning assistance and capital to new businesses that are just getting stated.  (the tem is familiar in poetry farming, where an incubator is a specially – equipped home for baby chickens)>  business incubators are set up by universities, non-profit groups, and increasingly by venture capitalists, especially for new web businesses.

On the web, the space of growth and competition, especially of retail and business to – business (B2B) Web sites, is fostering software packages for the creation of “out-of-the box” Web sites.  For more ambitious Web sites and technology product development, venture capitalists are discovering that the incubation idea provides an organized way to finance and monitor the progress of its fledging “chicks”.

1. An apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing sinkable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction.
2. Medicine: An apparatus for maintaining an infant, especially a premature infant, in an environment of controlled temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration.
3. A place or situation that permits or encourages the formation and development, as of new ideas: a college of that was an incubator of new approaches to sociology.

The small-scale apparatus for hailing eggs inspired the invention of incubators for peremptory born human infants, whose lives are often saved in an environment of controlled heat, humidity and ventilation.  Another type of incubator has been developed for the culture of micro-organisms.

Incubator is a specialized crib used in carrying for infants, in which the temperature and oxygen content of the air can be controlled.  Offer, babies who are born prematurely will be placed in an incubator until they have become strong enough to be housed in a regular crib.

1. An apparatus in which environmental conditions, such on temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction.
2. An apparatus for maintaining an infant, especially a premature infant, in an environment of controlled temperature, humanity, and oxygen concentration.

1.2                                PROBLEM STATEMENT

The egg-hatching process has been a major problem in the field of agriculture especially in small poultry flock. A recent statistic shows that this issue is one of the main factors that cause major loss to farmers (Anon., (2010)). The use of homemade incubator is not so effective to overcome this problem. Breeding chickens is a good way to create a sustainable flock; it should be learned by every chicken farmer.

External threats, for example wild animal such as monkeys or reptiles, could possibly harm the eggs which might cause a major loss for the farmer. This threat not only can damage the eggs, but the breeding process is also stunted.

As stated in the problem statement, it is difficult for the hens to lay eggs again if they are in the breeding process. Farmers can overcome this problem by taking the eggs and put them in the incubator, which implements a computerized system to control the environment to mimic the normal breeding process. This system is equipped with sensors which monitor the temperature and humidity of the incubator.

1.2                                  AIM OF THE PROJECT

The main aim of this work is to build a digital device that is used to hatch an egg at a required temperature.

1.3                          OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The objectives of this project are threefold:

• To develop a prototype device to hatch an egg without the broody process. This involves manufacturing an incubator whose temperature and humidity will be controlled by a device developed using microcontroller.
• To develop a monitoring system for the incubator. This element involves developing a web-based system which updates the status of the incubator from the temperature and humidity perspectives.
• To increase the significant of the incubation process. By combining the hardware and software elements of this project, it is hoped that the productivity of the farmers shall increase significantly.

1.4                               SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

This work is a closed incubator in which air is warmed by an electrical heater and then circulated through the incubator by a fan to heat the infant by convection. The temperature of the circulating air in the incubator can be adjusted automatically.

1.5                         LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

1. They are more expensive than a manually controlled incubator.
2. This device is only used to hatch egg.
3. It requires a lot of skills in order to manage and maintain a digital incubator.
4. The incubator requires power source to work. In most rural and remote areas, reliable source of power is a major challenge.

1.6                       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

1. The incubator temperature does not have to be repeatedly adjusted by the staff. Therefore, the egg can be maintained at a constant temperature which results in the best possible hatch.
2. Temperature, humidity and sensor will be used to monitor the breeding process.

iii. Many chicks can be hatched at a time in a short while.

1. Another thing is that it is possible to plan when to hatch the chicks unlike with the hen one may not know when it can sit for the eggs.
2. digital incubation cannot spread parasites and diseases to the chicks and lastly there is no cost for feeding a broody hen since an incubator is used.
3. Chances of eggs spoilage are minimized since all eggs are subjected to the optimal hatching temperatures.

vii. There are no chances of the hen damaging eggs through pecking, a common occurrence with natural incubation.

1.6                           COMPONENT OF INCUBATOR

Components of an incubator are as follows:

1. The hood (or cover) which is made of transparent Perspex. Some incubators have a double hood to reduce radiant heat loss.
2. Doors in the hood for gaining access to the infant. The doors (port holes) have a perspex cover or are lined with a rubber gasket and can be closed with a plastic cuff. Sometimes the whole side of the incubator can be opened to get better access to the infant for procedures.
3. The mattress and floor which can be tilted into the head-up position.
4. The heating coil and fan that warm and circulate the air.
5. The thermostat which controls the temperature of the incubator.
6. The control panel where the required temperature is set. On servo-controlled incubators, the infant’s temperature and the incubator temperature are also displayed.
7. The incubator housing which holds the heating coil, fan and thermostat.
8. The temperature probe. Servo controlled incubators have a skin probe that measures the infant’s temperature.
9. The thermometer which measures the air temperature in the incubator.
10. The stand which supports the incubator. The stand may have shelves or drawers.

1.7                          PROJECT WORK ORGANISATION

The various stages involved in the development of this project have been properly put into five chapters to enhance comprehensive and concise reading. In this project thesis, the project is organized sequentially as follows:

Chapter one of this work is on the introduction to a digital incubator. In this chapter, the background, significance, objective limitation and problem of a digital incubator were discussed.

Chapter two is on literature review of a digital incubator. In this chapter, all the literature pertaining to this work was reviewed.

Chapter three is on design methodology. In this chapter all the method involved during the design and construction were discussed.

Chapter four is on testing analysis. All testing that result accurate functionality was analyzed.

Chapter five is on conclusion, recommendation and references.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1                                          CONCLUSION

It is a thing of joy that our dream of building a workable digital incubator expected to keep the surrounding of chicken at a required temperature by decreasing the resistance on the temperature increases and increasing the resistance when the temperature has falling beyond reference voltage.  This was made possible by the sleepless effort and indeed the combination and application of our knowledge in electronics.

The construction and works ability of a digital incubator of this kind would not be accomplished if the knowledge of courses like electrical/ electronic maintenance and repairs are not applied.  It is worthy to note at this juncture that some, construction works and of a fact project have failed to work because of certain constructional errors like:-

1. Wrong resistors or capacitors (mis –real colour codes)
2. Incorrect transistors connection or types.

• Vero board conductors not broken where required.

1. Switch wiring transposed or incorrectly interpreted.
2. Poor soldering or simple missed connections.

Also the study and application of some constructional technique like signal tracing is also important to mention here since it is a constructor guide to a complete perfect and indeed a workable project.

Finally, the digital incubator is specified as follows:-

1. VCC 5v
2. Reference voltage 25v
3. Supply voltage 220vac

N/B the temperatures are obtained by the selection of the switches at required level.