Ajax has upgraded a passive environmental monitoring system into an active control system with alarm generation and reporting for a Turkish mushroom farm.
The mushroom farm is located in the Turkish city of Bolu. Mushrooms are cultivated in special grow tents with an area of 120 sq m each, and the total area of the farm is 4,560 sq m. There are 38 such greenhouses. The temperature outside the greenhouses varies throughout the year, from -9°C in winter to +31°C in summer. But in hermetic greenhouses, a stable temperature and humidity level is maintained.
The facility wanted to provide comprehensive protection of its greenhouses against intrusion and theft where farm security service can be immediately notified of any hint of unwanted intrusion.
The second goal was to provide action automation and a notification system. On a mushroom farm, continuously monitoring climate indicators in the greenhouses is extremely important because even a slight deviation can ruin the harvest.
The problem is that specialised agricultural detectors do not instantly notify about an indicator deviation from the norm. The technical service of the farm does not receive notifications centrally, and the system does not automate actions to normalise the climate.
Opening detectors, motion detectors and street sirens from Ajax were used with the aim to protect the greenhouses from intrusion. 38 kits of Ajax devices were used for the 38 greenhouses: Hub, MotionProtect, DoorProtect, and StreetSiren.
The DoorProtect opening detectors were installed on the entrance doors of the greenhouses. The detector is designed to identify the first signs of intrusion, and the farm security team is ‘immediately’ notified. It detects opening with the help of a reed switch, which works together with a magnet and reacts to magnetic field changes.
Behind the first door to the greenhouse, a MotionProtect motion detector is ‘waiting’ for the intruder, designed to confirm the intrusion if it takes place. It is attached to the wall opposite the entrance door and notifies the farm security team when it detects the first signs of movement.
The detector is located in the part of the greenhouse that is not isolated from the outside temperature. Still, MotionProtect is designed to detect movement ‘without any errors’, even in temperatures from -10°C to +40°C. The detector automatically adjusts the sensor to detect motion in heat and cold.
Loud StreetSiren is also activated in case of alarm. The siren has the IP54 enclosure protection class and is designed to operate in temperatures from -25°C to +50°C.
In addition, guards receive notifications on their smartphones via the Ajax Security System mobile app for iOS and Android. They ‘immediately’ see which detector has been triggered and which greenhouse should be checked.
Hub controls the operation of connected devices. The control panel is installed in a radiotransparent plastic box inside the greenhouse. It communicates with devices via the Jeweller radio protocol, aiming to collect encrypted information about detector operation, and transfers the system to backup frequencies and channels in case of jamming.
Ali Çalik, CEO of Ensa Technology and Security Systems LTD said: “The main customer requirement was not just security devices. They wanted to build a complete farm management system with automation scenarios and measurements. Environmental monitoring solutions are passive — they measure and store data but do not alert users of critical situations.
“So, we combined two systems — the microclimate control system and Ajax. Thus, passive monitoring has become proactive.
“Ajax has given us an immersive experience. It is not just a security system but a unique integration platform for any system where you want to implement notifications and use automation scenarios.”
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