Dryer Master

Dryer Master
510 Controller

The DM510 is the industry leading drying control system for continuous flow grain dryers.  Designed to help you take the guesswork out of drying, it can be installed when you are putting up a new dryer or as a retrofit to your existing dryer.

 

The Components:

 

  • The operator control panel (installed indoors)

  • A real-time moisture sensor to measure grain moisture entering the dryer

  • A real-time moisture sensor to measure the moisture of grain exiting the dryer

  • A sensor or signal converter to monitor the current drying air temperature.

  • An outlet moisture sensor chute with a rotary feed (to provide a consistent flow of grain past the sensor)

  • A calibration push button to make moisture sensor calibration a snap.

  • DM Mobile for remote access on your phone, tablet or PC.

  • An optional printer is also available.

The DM510 panel interfaces with the dryer through the motor speed control. From the DM510 control panel the dryer operator can choose to let the Dryer Master make discharge rate decisions automatically in AUTOMATIC mode, or choose to set the discharge rate themselves in MANUAL mode.

Dryer Master 510 Controller product photo

 


 

The 3 Key Advantages:

 

  1. Real time moisture information: You get continuous real time product moisture and temperature information from the inlet and the outlet to the dryer. Now you can see the moisture without having to go out and take a sample.
     
  2. Remote Access: With DM MOBILE®, Dryer Master’s advanced remote access feature, you can monitor and make changes to your drying from your smartphone or computer. When you are on site, the DM510 panel can be located at a convenient indoor location that lets you keep an eye on your drying without having to go out to the dryer to make rate adjustments. 
  3. Advanced Control: The DM510 uses the moisture information to build a model of how your dryer is drying. As inlet moistures and drying conditions change throughout the day, the Dryer Master continuously calculates and automatically adjusts to use the best discharge rate for the current situation. This not only optimizes drying performance but also frees the operator from having to continually monitor and adjust the dryer discharge rate.

Bypass rotary feed chuteFin type moisture sensor


 

Customer Experiences:

 

To give you a better idea of what the DM510 can do for your drying operations we asked a number of our customers to share a little about their experiences with Dryer Master. We have profiled their responses here.

 


 

Related LinksDM510 User's guide

 

DM510 Manuals 

 

DM510 Videos

 

DM510 Customer Experiences

 

 


 

The Most Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Can I use the DM510 to see/control my grain drying on my smartphone?

The key question these days! Yes, simply connect the DM510 to an internet router and you can view your drying on line in any web browser, no app required. (You can also use a WAP - Wireless Access Point, or cellular hot spot as long as it can provide a wired connection to the DM510). You can even make changes to drying set-points. The data you see is live and you also have access to several days worth of historical information and real time graphing.

 

Will it work on my grain dryer?

The DM510 can be used on almost all continuous flow grain dryers. So whether you have a screen dryer or a mixed flow dryer or a farm dryer or a tower dryer, the DM510 can be a valuable upgrade. The DM510 is not designed to work on in bin dryers or batch dryers.

 

How can it work on all brands and sizes of grain dryers?

The beauty of the Dryer Master technology is that each system is easily configured to your specific dryer. Once the configuration is complete the DM510 learns about your drying process, building a model for your dryer and drying conditions.

 

Can I use it to dry more than corn?

Certainly. The DM510 comes preconfigured to be used on up to 8 different products (corn, wheat, soybeans, etc.).

 

Why are grain dryers so hard to control? (or more specifically why do other drying controllers have so many problems?) 

Grain drying takes place outdoors which means sun direction, wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity can all impact drying rates. Add in the variations in incoming moistures and the amount of time the grain sits in the dryer before it comes out, and it is obvious that there are lots of variables that make the process tough to control. We know that some drying controllers can do ok if the conditions are stable. But we also know that conditions are rarely very stable for very long, and that when conditions do change is when the trouble starts.  Dryer Master’s unique control approach overcomes the obstacles of changing conditions (see below for more)

 

Does it control the drying temperature?

No. The DM510 only controls the discharge rate (or unload rate). Our research has shown that trying to control two parameters (for example, speed and temperature) on a process with so many variables, leads to more problems than it solves. The DM510 does though monitor the drying air temperature, and if the operator changes the temperature setting, the DM510 will make an appropriate adjustment to the discharge rate while in Auto mode.

 

How does Dryer Master automatic control work?

The DM510 uses its real time moisture sensors to build a profile of all the grain in the dryer. It then uses its model of how the dryer is drying to determine what is the best rate to be running the dryer. Then as incoming moistures change and drying conditions change throughout the day it keeps updating its model and its profile of what is in the dryer, and keeps on determining the best unload rate to use.

 

If something were to go wrong with the DM510 can I still run my dryer as I used to?

Definitely. The DM510 is designed to connect to your dryer only through the unload rate. By switching to local mode your grain dryer can be run exactly as it was run before the DM510 was added.

 

Will all my grain come out at the moisture setpoint?

Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Physics just does not allow it. Drying in a continuous flow dryer means that if for example you put wet grain followed by drier grain followed by wetter grain into the dryer there is no way all the grain can come out at the same moisture. Some will be more dried and some less dried. The DM510 will try to reduce the variation and center the moisture around the set point so that once the grain goes to storage it can temper to the average moisture.

 

What do you mean by “moisture setpoint”?

The “moisture set-point” is the average moisture you would like to see exiting the dryer. It is important to realize that the value is an “average” and that to get an average there will be as much product above the average as below it.

 

How do I calibrate the outlet moisture sensor?

We have tried to make calibration as simple as possible. Just go to the outlet sensor, push the calibration push button. A green light will flash for 30 seconds. During the 30 seconds take a gradual manual sample. Then test your sample in your bench top (an average of three results is best). Then go to the DM510 panel and enter your reading. The DM510 will have already calculated its moisture reading for the 30 seconds that the light was flashing. The DM510 will then adjust its readings to reflect the new moisture sample results.

 

Can I put the outlet sensor in the bottom of an auger?

No. Our 30 years of experience with the Dryer Master moisture sensors has taught us what will and what will not work. In general Dryer Master sensors need to be installed vertically in compacted grain flowing at less than 1 inch per second. A Dryer Master project engineer will be happy to go over the situation at your facility and help you select the best installation option.

 

How is the DM510 different than other moisture controllers on the market?

There are 3 key differences. The first difference is that the DM510 builds a model of how your particular dryer is drying. It does not rely on charts or other “hypothetical” information. It does not care if you are in Michigan or Kansas, or anywhere else in the world; it doesn’t care if you have a farm dryer or a commercial dryer; it doesn’t care if you have a screen dryer or a dryer without screens; it doesn’t care if you are taking out 10 points of moisture or two points; and it doesn’t care if it is 90°F (32°C) or 15°F degrees (-10°C). The model looks at your drying situation and makes adjustments to your situation as conditions change.

 

The second difference is that the DM510 uses its model and its inlet moisture sensor to make changes to your drying as new product enters the dryer (exactly when you want it to adjust). It also allows the DM510 to maintain a complete picture of all the grain in the dryer. If you only use an outlet moisture sensor, any changes you make will be after the fact (too late).

 

The third difference is that Dryer Master moisture sensors measure moisture, using similar technology to what your bench-top tester uses. They are not using grain temperatures in the columns to “infer” moisture.

 

Where I can learn more about the DM510?

All of our product guides (user guide, installation guide and commissioning guide) are available on our Manuals page. There are also  informational and training videos on our Videos page. 

 

Where can I buy a DM510?

You can buy from us directly, or from one of our authorized dealers. To find the dealer in your area go to the Dealer Listing or you can call us at 1-800-265-2757 or (519) 725-4700.

 

What if I need help?

At Dryer Master we have a Customer Support Center with staff available to answer your questions. In North America you can call us toll free 1-888-318-0009 and from overseas you can call the Support Center at 1-519-725-4700.