VDH PROBA 50, Руководство пользователя

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VDH Products BV Document 951573 - Version 1.3 Blad: 4 of 26
1 Introduction
1.1 Setup of the PROBA ripening system
The PROBA 50 Ripening System provides a solution for the automated ripening of bananas. The system measures
and controls independently the temperature in the ripening room. Ventilation of the bananas is also controlled by the
system.
During a period of several days the system is capable of controlling one or more ripening rooms in such a way that
the fruit can be removed perfectly ripened from the rooms at the end of the ripening cycle.
The ripening room is fully controlled by the PROBA 50 computer. This steps through a ripening program
independently and can be controlled by the user via the front panel.
1.2 Operation of the PROBA ripening system
Bananas in the ripening room are ripened by means of ripening programs. In the PROBA ripening system the length
of these programs and the temperatures are adjusted each day. The ripener can make a choice from 10 different
ripening programs in each PROBA 50.
The course of the temperature is setup by means of temperature setpoints, one for each day. During the execution of
the program the temperature is checked and controlled by the
PROBA 50 in such a way that the fruit is ripened
according to the requirements of the user.
The PROBA 50 is also able to control the application of gas during the ripening program. The duration of the
gasification is adjustable. During this period the PROBA 50 will indicate that gas is present in the ripening room.
During the ripening process the bananas can be ventilated. The length and interval of the ventilation are adjustable.
During gassing periods the ventilation is blocked. The
PROBA 50 indicates when the room is being ventilated.
At the end of a ripening program the PROBA 50 switches over to the so-called STANDBY mode. The temperature
regulation continues on the STANDBY setpoint which ensures that the ripened product remains in a controlled
environment.
At any moment during the ripening program the temperature setpoint, which is used by the PROBA 50 at that
moment, can be changed (when the LED above the KEY button is on). The ripening program can also be changed
into STANDBY mode or stopped anytime by the user.
A ripening program can be displayed schematically as follows:
During a number of days (the length of the program, in this case is 4) a temperature setpoint is entered for each day.
On a given day, the
PROBA 50 regulates the temperature in the ripening room to be equal or close to that particular
value. The length of a ripening program can be varied from 4 to 8 days (fixed length program numbers 1 to 5) or from
1 to 9 days (the length of the programs 6 to 10 are fully adjustable).
After setting up and starting a program the PROBA 50 starts at day 1. In the example the temperature setpoint is
now 18.0

C, so the PROBA 50 regulates the temperature to become 18.0

C. At the end of each day (24 hours) the
temperature setpoint is changed into that of the next day of the program. After all days of the program are past, the
PROBA 50 goes to the STANDBY mode. The STANDBY temperature is also adjusted in the ripening program. The
STANDBY mode remains active until the user stops the ripening program or starts a new one.
Finally a warming-up phase can take place before the ripening program starts. For convenience this precursion time
is called day 0. The length of precursion time is variable.