Advancing Fumigation Monitoring | HAWK PH3 Monitor Grain Bunker Trial
Real-Time Fumigation Monitoring in Grain Storage – Improving fumigation visibility while minimising site visits in large-scale and remote grain bunkers.
Fumigation monitoring in grain bunkers or silo’s often relies on periodic manual sampling, providing snapshots of gas concentrations throughout the treatment period. This can make it difficult to identify concentration variations within the grain mass and verify that target fumigation levels are being maintained.
The Challenge
Traditional phosphine monitoring involves periodic sampling via drawn air lines, gas tubes, or meters, often at a handful of time points and locations.
This practice generally requires operators to visit the site periodically to collect manual gas samples, leaving them without real-time insight into internal conditions unless they are physically present to take measurements.
This intermittent approach during fumigation monitoring can miss temporal and spatial variability in gas concentration within the grain bunker.
The HAWK Solution
PH3 Fumigation Monitor Development
Aware, accurate gas monitoring is critical to grain storage and operational efficiency, Control Equipment developed a product to address the shortcomings of earlier fumigation monitoring devices.
The result of this development effort is the HAWK, a purpose-built gas-monitoring instrument designed for dependable, practical functionality.
The HAWK PH₃ real-time monitoring solution was engineered to improve sampling efficiency and provide automated, in situ phosphine concentration data throughout the fumigation process.
By combining internal sampling probes with cloud connectivity and analytical capabilities, the HAWK’s design enables the automatic collection and transmission of accurate, time-stamped gas concentration data without the need for frequent operator site visits.
Field Testing
In-Field Performance Testing
To validate the HAWK’s performance under realistic operational conditions, Control Equipment deployed the monitor inside a 6,000-tonne wheat bunker at a site approximately six hours west of Brisbane.
The field evaluation was structured to demonstrate the practicality of installation, data reliability, and remote monitoring capability over multiple days.
On-Site Installation
- The HAWK monitor was positioned within the grain bunker.
- The sampling probe was placed beneath the bunker cover (tarp) and in the grain.
Configuration & Initial Check
- Approximately 8 hours after setting up the monitor, the system was checked to confirm that the initial phosphine levels were within the target range before commencing extended monitoring.
Automated Monitoring Cycle
The HAWK was configured to take three automated sample readings per day throughout the test period.
At each scheduled interval, the monitor executed a programmed sequence that included:
- Sensor preparation and sampling: Measuring PH₃ concentration along with time and temperature.
- Data transmission: Streaming results to a secure cloud dashboard, including GPS-tagged and time-stamped records.
- Fresh air purge: Clearing residual gas from internal sampling lines to preserve sample integrity.
Fumigation Monitoring Performance
Fumigation Test Results
Over the eight-day test period, phosphine levels were tracked remotely as the HAWK repeatedly executed its purge → sample → report cycle, validating both the stability of internal measurements and the reliability of remote data delivery.
The fumigation monitoring results successfully confirmed the HAWK’s ability to directly address the operational challenges identified earlier — namely, the inability of manual and passive sampling methods to provide accurate, continuous data on internal gas concentrations during extended fumigation cycles.
The Outcome
The HAWK PH3 Monitor | Smarter Fumigation Monitoring
Featuring in-situ sampling, cloud connectivity, and analytics, the HAWK offers significant advantages in fumigation management. In practical terms, operators using the HAWK can reliably:
- Mitigate the risk of resistance by ensuring consistent dosing and adherence to best-practice fumigation protocols.
- Generate robust documentation for audits, compliance obligations, and internal quality systems.
- Optimise treatment outcomes by verifying that phosphine concentrations meet and maintain target thresholds throughout the fumigation monitoring period.
- Reduce operational costs by making fewer site visits and utilising resources more efficiently.
Overall, the HAWK PH3 monitoring supports grain fumigation management by delivering continuous, accurate internal gas data that earlier technologies did not provide, while directly improving safety, efficiency, and treatment confidence for operators.
Control Equipment is committed to delivering reliable, user-friendly gas sampling and detection solutions that meet the real-world needs of industry. For more information about the HAWK PH3 fumigation monitoring technology, contact our sales team.
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