Phytotron News
Greenhouse lighting | CO2 System Online | Chambers Re-named
Lighting being installed in two greenhouse units
Supplemental lighting is being installed in two greenhouse units in the Phytotron, replacing the existing photoperiod lights in these units. Twelve 1000 watt high pressure sodium lamps are being installed in each unit; these lamps should provide approximately 300 micromoles/m2/sec of PAR at plant level. Installation should be complete by the middle of November 2002. This marks the first time that supplemental lighting will be available in entire Phytotron greenhouse units.
CO2 System now online
Our new CO2 control system - which controls CO2 in all 48 growth chambers and six greenhouse units - is now in operation. The system has new, easier-to-service hardware and a completely new control program written in LabView. Some of the improvements over the old system include:
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better CO2 control - generally within 5% of setpoint or better
- the ability to look at data in real time
- multiple CO2 setpoints per day
- integrated scrubbing control for subambient CO2 treatments
- significantly improved management capabilities
Growth chambers receive new designations
All of the growth chambers in the Phytotron have been given new designations and/or numbers. The new designations are more informative than the old "A,B,C" system, and the new numbering standardizes the way chambers are numbered by their location. In the new system, the large walk-in "A" chambers are now "L" chambers, the small walk-in "B" chambers are now "S" chambers, and the reach-in "C" chambers are now "R" chambers. These new designations are reflected in the chamber map on the facilities page.
