DISEÑO DEL SISTEMA DE CONTROL DIFUSO DE UNA MÁQUINA SECADORA DE CAFÉ QUE EMPLEA ENERGÍA SOLAR

Abstract

Abstract This project shows the development of a diffused control system for the desired temperature and humidity conditions of the air used for drying coffee. The system allows the input and output of air into the heating chamber. By using a parabolic cylindrical solar collector, which converges into the chamber, the air is heated up until it reaches temperatures above 160°C, guaranteeing that the air that comes out has a temperature between 60°C and 65°C and a relative humidity of 12%, conditions that are ideal for a good drying process of the product. The integration of the system is carried out by the LabVIEW Software. Through an acquisition data card the communication between the sensors that monitor the behavior of the variables (temperature, pressure and humidity) and the algorithm of the control applied for starting the valves that let the input and output of the air takes place. The design of the control system for the coffee drying machine was used as an alternative taking into account that this drying process is a complex system where lots of variables are involved. In addition it was necessary to consider the easiness and flexibility that are typical of the diffused control system in comparison with other control systems. The results obtained depict that the air reached the adequate conditions to be used in the coffee drying process, proving that the algorithm used for diffused logic responds to the dynamics of the process whose parameters are adjustable to the required conditions by the system.