Journal of Scientific Research and Reports

Heat stress is a major constraint to poultry production, particularly in hot and dry climatic conditions, where maintaining a suitable microclimate is essential for bird comfort, health, and productivity. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate a solar-powered sensor-based cooling system for a poultry house. The system was developed at the College of Agricultural Engineering, Raichur, Karnataka, using an AHT10 temperature sensor, ATmega328P microcontroller, solar photovoltaic panel, battery, DC diaphragm pump, and fogger nozzles. Three temperature sensors, namely AHT10, AHT25, and DHT11, were evaluated under room-temperature and cool environmental conditions. The AHT10 showed the best performance, recording a mean absolute error of 0.00–0.01°C and accuracy of 99.96–100.00%, and was therefore selected for automatic temperature monitoring and control. The developed system used a 100 Wp solar panel with a maximum current generation of 5.68 A and a 12 V, 8 Ah lithium-ion battery. The estimated daily energy requirement was 81 Wh, with an estimated continuous pump operating time of approximately 4.74 hours or 0.948 days of backup under the specified daily operating schedule. Four foggers required a maximum of 32.04 L of water per day under the specified operating conditions. The total development and installation cost of the sensor-based cooling system was ₹20,000. The developed system demonstrated an energy-efficient, automated, and relatively affordable approach for temperature management in poultry houses using renewable solar energy.