Publication: Automation of black tea oxidation process leveraging Internet of Things in Rwanda: Case of Rwanda Mountain Tea Factory LimitedNew Device Invention for Digital Platform

Black tea production at Rwanda Mountain Tea Factory relies on human sensory analysis to determine optimum oxidation levels to produce customer-desired tea-grade quality. This process is subject to errors of omission resulting from unpredictable human insensitivity and variability due to individualistic differentiations leading to inconsistency in produced tea quality. As a result, market prices fluctuate and thus unpredictable returns. This research has developed an Internet of Things (IoT) approach to supplement this process. This is accomplished by using low-power end-node sensor devices assembled to form an electronic nose (e-nose) comprising different gas, temperature and humidity sensors to detect variations in reactive components until pre-set optimum oxidation mean levels are realized. Data from the sensors is sent through a wireless gateway and transmitted to a database. A web-based visualization platform has been built to relay sensor data with the ability to provide real-time monitoring of considered reactive elements and compounds during the tea oxidation period. This ensures that there is monitoring, traceability, prediction, and actuation upon attainment of desired set values. This control results in improved consistency of black tea quality production which allows tea processors to earn predictable and consistent revenues from each bushel of tea harvested.