HortiMaX launches

CO2 Optimizer

The CO2 Optimizer software calculates the economic optimum level of CO2 enrichment at any point during the day. HortiMaX developed this control software for the MultiMa climate computer in co-operation with Wageningen UR - Greenhouse Horticulture .

CO2 enrichment is one of the main methods used to stimulate growth in commercial greenhouses. CO2 is generally a free by-product obtained while burning natural gas to produce heat. However, as a result of energy-saving measures and the use of alternative heat sources, growers have less free CO2 at their disposal.

In order to make sure that enough CO2 is available for enrichment purposes, growers have turned to burning additional natural gas or using alternative CO2 sources. Since both of these methods entail higher costs, maximizing the return from CO2 enrichment depends on accurately weighing the costs of additional CO2 enrichment against the additional profits of increased production.

The additional yields gained through CO2 enrichment are determined to a great extent by the actual increase in CO2 concentration and the crop's absorption of CO2. Both these factors are affected by certain variables. The increase in CO2 concentration depends on the rate of ventilation and crop's absorption of CO2 rises as it receives more light. Since these variables are constantly changing, so does the optimum level of CO2 enrichment.

In current climate controllers, various individual factors influence CO2 enrichment, but it is up to the grower to determine the extent of these influences. It is practically impossible to set these influences so the economic optimum level of CO2 is applied under any conditions.

The CO2 Optimizer calculates the optimum level of CO2 enrichment using the KASPRO simulation model. This model is the result of many years of research at Wageningen UR - Greenhouse Horticulture and is the most comprehensive simulation model of the greenhouse climate ever developed. The KASPRO model calculates various values, such as CO2 losses through ventilation and the crop's absorption of CO2. When calculating the optimum level of CO2 enrichment, the CO2 Optimizer also takes into account other limiting factors, such as the remaining buffer capacity for heat storage or a contracted daily volume of pure CO2 .