The full automation of grain elevators

The ACS TP and power supply of grain elevators 

The reliability and working capacity of the grain elevator control system is based on the quality of the developed control cabinets and experience of the developers of the automated control system, on selection of the components for development of ACS TP, which fully meets the customer’s requirements concerning project budget and equipment readiness level.

INFOCOM ASIA offers automation of the grain elevator and “turn-key” power supply of grain elevator based on the equipment produced by SIEMENS, Schneider Electric, Moeller/Eaton, ABB etc.

The block diagram of automation on the grain elevator (ACS TP of the grain elevator)

The grain elevator control system is usually based on the one controller and stations of the remote periphery.

The standard list of equipment for delivery

  • Cabinet for energy input and distribution;
  • Programmable logic controller cabinet (PLC-cabinet);
  • Cabinets of the remote periphery;
  • Automated operator workstation;
  • Instrumentation and control equipment (sensors, limit switches);
  • Local control panels;
  • motors

The description of functions of the delivered equipment

 Cabinet for energy input and distribution:

  • Energy input and distribution.

The main functions of the control cabinets are:

  1. Overload and short circuit protection of the electrical equipment;
  2. Equipment control (local, semi-automatic, automatic operating modes);
  3. Input/output of the digital and analog signals to the controller.

Main functions of the cabinets with the programmable logic controller (PLC-cabinet):

  1. Monitoring and operation control of the grain elevator mechanisms (transportation and manufacturing equipment);
  2. Blocking the on/off switching of the equipment according to the diagram of the grain elevator;
  3. Processing signals of the alarm indicator (speed, backflow sensors, run-off switches, circuit disconnection fault sensors);
  4. Processing signals of the material level indicator;
  5. Processing the emergency situations;
  6. Auxiliary (for example, aspiration equipment) equipment control (preliminary run of the aspirating manufacturing equipment when starting, its shutdown after switching off);
  7. Control of the grain supply into the grain dryer according to the level sensors;
  8. The graceful shutdown of the complex equipment in case of emergency.

  Operator’s automated workstation and developed software

The example of the mnemonic diagram on the screen of the operator’s automated workstation:

Mnemoscheme 1 Mnemoscheme 2 Mnemoscheme 3 Mnemoscheme 4

Software functions for grain elevator control:

  1. Complex work visualization (work of the manufacturing and technological equipment, position of the reversing valves and gates, level sensor status;
  2. Control of the paternoster and conveyor current loading;
  3. Control of the manufacturing and technological equipment, reversing valves and gates;
  4. Automated route development by choosing the primary (“source”) and end (“receiver”) route element, start of the necessary transport elements and technological equipment in the necessary sequence and its shutdown on receiving the operator’s command or after the silo is filled;
  5. The sequential start of the route equipment for acceleration of the transport elements and reduction of load on the electric power system;
  6. The sequential shutdown of the route equipment for cleaning of the transport elements from the product;
  7. Multi-colored lighting of routes for easy visual monitoring of the route work;
  8. Software blocking of the start of the conflicting routes;
  9. Prestart alarm;
  10. Equipment failure warning alarm;
  11. Output of the alarm messages;
  12. Keeping a log file of events (equipment on/off switching, emergency situations and accidents);
  13. Delimitation of access rights for users;
  14. Possibility of the remote access to the server through the Internet;
  15. Control of operation time of mechanisms;
  16. Possibility of the indirect accounting of the product quantity in the silos of the grain elevators (while entering the data on receipt/expenditures from the inline, motor truck and/or railroad scales);
  17. Data output in the 1C Accounting.

The following high operating results of the software have been reached by our experts due to the broad experience in this field:

  • High fault tolerance and lack of operation failures;
  • High response of the ACS TP system is achieved by application of the modern programming technologies and innovative automation algorithms;
  • Intuitive interface;
  • Possibility of the regular monitoring of the product movement on the elevator;
  • Possibility of the remote complex equipment performance control.

Sensors, limit switches

Operational reliability of the whole complex depends on the termination devices (sensors, limit switches). Equipment safety and uninterrupted operation of the whole complex depend on correct selection and installation of the emergency sensors (speed, backflow, run-off switches and circuit disconnection fault sensors). Correct selection of the critical level sensors of the silos and bins (product characteristics, sensor installation place) is very important for the timely shutdown of the load routes, correct control of the routes of the product supply into the temporary storage bins and other tasks.

INFOCOM ASIA offers a wide range of sensors at different price and mode of operation (capacitive, inductive, vibration, rotary and other sensors). Selection of the sensor types and manufacturers depends on the specific task and Customer’s requirements. Our experts help you to select the necessary equipment for your complex according to the specific tasks and project budget.

 Operator’s automated workstation and developed software