OptiCure2000© Dryer Control System

for the 2007 Curing Season

The OptiCure2000© Dryer Control system was specifically designed to control and monitor up to 192 produce dryers. This can be used for drying peanuts, onions, or any number of other products.

The system is flexible in its operation and can be modified to control many applications based on a pre-measured temperature.

• System Description
• Specs and Requirements
• Opticure 2000 Software Manual
• Opticure 2000 Prices for the 2007 Season
• Pictures

What Does the Dryer Controller System do for You?

1. Reduced Fuel Consumption Because your dryers' set points are automatically adjusted according to ambient weather conditions. You will see the benefits in your mill-out prices. Studies have shown approx. 20-30% Fuel Savings! This also increases the quality of your peanuts.
2. Reduced Moisture Sampling to just two samples. This saves time and labor. Take your initial moisture sample and then one final sample approximately 3-7 hours before predicted completion for fine tuning.
3. User- Defined Settings gives you full control of the way you dry your produce to allow for special conditions.
4. Higher Shelled Prices With Peanuts "the ultimate benefit" thanks to higher quality, which offers up to $18.00* per metric ton for your mill-out prices. If you shell up  to 5000 tons, that's $90,000! This system can pay for itself in the first year! How many products do that?

*Based on research done by the National Peanuts Research Laboratory as published in the Peanut Science, volume 23, pages 86-90.

What's New Besides the Name?

1.0 Fiber Optic Lightning Protection

In the past, the Microtherm Dryer Control Unit has had problems due to lighting strikes. The harsh environment of peanut drying facilities is not hospitable to electronic equipment.

By using fiber optics for data transfer, we can limit damage caused by lightning from effecting other Dryers in the system. While one dryer may have been hit by lightning, the other dryers in the system are up and running normally.

The OptiCure2000© offers reliability at a reasonable price.

2.0 Indicator LEDs

The addition of the LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to the DCU circuit board serves to indicate proper communication and operation. LED's indicate start-up, power, fan or flame relay activation, two-way communication and micro-processor activity.

3.0 Dual Display for Dual or Twin Dryers

Now there is the convenience of having two displays for your temperature, one for each Dryer/Trailer.

System Description

1.0 Dryer Controller Unit

The Dryer Controller Unit (DCU) is a microprocessor based temperature controller used to the control fan power and temperature of a produce dryer for increased temperature accuracy. The unit maintains the desired set point within +/- 1.8 °F. Once the unit has been turned on and given a set point by the Dryer Control System Software it will regulate the temperature based on your settings until you change it or it is updated by the Ambient Temperature Plus feature.

2.0 Dual Dryer Controller Unit

The Dual Dryer Controller Unit (DDCU) performs the same functions as the single DCU but with the newly added ability to control two trailers on one dryer. Due of the nature of the dryer itself, fan stop is not feasible for separate trailers therefore fan stop is not included in this unit price.

3.0 Twin Dryer Controller Unit

The Twin Dryer Controller Unit (TDCU) performs the same functions as the single DCU but with the newly added ability to control two Dryers which are mounted on the same post

4.0 Stand-Alone Dryer Controller Unit

This model is for the farmer who needs quality but doesn’t want to bother with a computer or just for the small drying operation. Operated with a remote control, this self-contained system has most of the normal functions of a standard system and is fully upgradeable to the standard system. Functions  supported by the Stand-Alone system include; ambient temperature/+ set point calculation, fixed set point, and Flame control.

5.0 Optical Branch Controller

The Optical Branch Controller (OBC) is a microprocessor-based communication station. As the name suggests, it optically isolates the branch or network of DCUs by using the latest in fiber optic technology. It takes the communication from the OptiCure2000 Software and relays that information to the appropriate network. This allows the OptiCure2000 System to support up to 8 Networks of up to 24 DCUs (192 total). 

6.0 Weather Station

The Weather Station (WS) is a microprocessor-based temperature sensor that is used to monitor the ambient temperature and humidity of the air being supplied to the produce dryer. The OptiCure2000 Dryer Control System Software reads the temperature of the Weather Station when calculating the set point for the Dryer Controller Units.

7.0 Translator

The optical Translator converts the computer RS-232 protocol to fiber optic protocol for the transfer of data through the system. This offers protection of your dryer system from lightning surges.

Specifications and Requirements

System Requirements

• PC compatible 486 or higher compatible. A modem, and one free serial port.
• Windows 95 and up.
• Off-sight monitoring of system available using PCAnywhere© for Windows (not required)

System Specifications

• Temperature set point accuracy of +/-1.8 °F (+/-1.0 °C)
• Ambient temperature controlled set points (110 °F maximum)
• Individual set point control for each dryer (120 °F maximum)
• Three set point options: Fixed Temp., Ambient plus, Ambient Humidity/Temperature calculation
• Low and high temperature alarms
• Controls up to 192 dryers
• Log files of set points, ambient temperature, dryer temperature
• Log files exportable to database or spreadsheet
• Thermostat control can be independently configured for each Dryer Controller
• Fiber-Optic provides protection against lightning and power surges