Air Quality Control System

1. Reword to : #3 and#4 to %O2 Mass? and %CO2 Mass? in the Chamber's [Gas +Water Vapor Atmosphere]. Correct this by sampling + Controlling once ?every Hour?
2. Correct Relative Humidity(corresponding to That preset Temp.)---by desiccating or by adding steam/water mist: Soon after #1 above
3. Correct the Temp. Soon after #2 above -by chilled water flowing in Coil --or using electric Radiant heater

Thanks for reply MukulMahant,

CO2, needs to be controlled to less than 500ppm by injecting clean filtered 27ºC.

Humidity to be kept at 75-80% by adding humid clean filtered air @ 27ºC ,as inside chamber air is drying continuously due to air being continuously conditioned.

Would you go for cool/heat single air conditioner, or separate cooler/heater units? about O2 content my idea was to measure air density. and total oxygen. What do you think of that?

Wangito

My 2¢ worth, there are tradeoffs in the heat/cool system. A single unit (heat pump) is simpler, normally reliable. With separate units, maintenance & monitoring is doubled, and 2 thermostats will likely be needed. Thermostats may be tricky, I don't know what the %accuracy is of modern commercial units, but +/- 3 degrees F used to be typical.

Do you have a line on your CO₂ and O₂ monitoring instruments yet? Humidity meters are commonly available.

You probably also need some number (X) of air changes in a given period. Also ... Given the nature of the facility. What to do with any discharged atmosphere. Do you need to sterilize before venting? My company has an insect rearing facility located in another state. I will see if I can obtain some information.

First thanks to you and the others who put their brains in motion for taking the time to answer my thread...

Let me add:

The insects to be grown are Bumble Bees, (Bombus Terrestris) as polenizers.

There are 4 modules of 2000 cubic feet ea. the modules are already built and they are windowless with single 5" thick metal/Styrofoam sandwich. The idea of building a small scale model appeals to me and I may do it, even though it might be a bit difficult to scale it down exactly. The tolerances given, were given by the entomologist in-charge and are not negotiable.

Are you in the business of designing such systems? we will most probably ask for detailed design quotes. (for fees of course) will you be interested?

Wangito.

Hi Wangito!

¿Are you growing Bumble bees because of loss of Honey Bees? I'm very curious about the rumors of a connection between bee loss and cellphone towers and/or a virus. Since Chile is so isolated (not so much now with such large scale exports,as it used to be) it might be a great test location to help solve the riddle...

Dick

Hello Dick.

No, These bumble Bees are not honey producers. they are being grown for the sole purpose of fertilizing fruits and vegetables.

BTW: I haven't heard anything about the connection between loss of honey bees and RF generation, or a new virus. Where did you hear about this? can you give me links?

Wangito.

Hello Wangito

I know that bumble bees are not honey producers...

Here in the United States for the last several years there have been major problems with honey bees dying off. There is a fairly major industry of beekeepers who move their bees to whichever crop location needs pollinating at the time. The growers pay the beekeepers, and the honey could be considered a byproduct. One rumored cause for the loss of bees has been the radiation from cellphone towers disrupting the ability of the bees to find their way back to the hive.

Here are a few links: www.hcn.org/silence_of_the_bees/, www.hcn.org/silence_of_the_bees/, www.dvorak.org/blog/, www.chaosscenario.com/main/2007/04/

I suspect that some of the northern valleys of Chile that do grow fruit may not yet have cellphone service except in the immediate vicinity of the larger towns. If so, it might be a good test case to prove or disprove the cell tower theory.

If the problem is a virus, the relative isolation of Chile, again especially in the northern region, migh help prove or disprove that!

Dick

Nothing is exact in scaling down, nor it is needed to be. The purpose of the "tabletop" model is to explore ideas, and test them cheaply and quickly.

For example, commercial thermostats have built-in hysteresis for home and room heating purposes, so they do not turn on and off at crazy speeds. You need precision, so to keep that you need an analog proportional temperature control. Luckily, that is well known and explored in electronics, like in keeping the temperature of a quartz crystal exactly, and precisely the same.

If I would be in your place, I would dispense with any commercial airconditioning for temperature purposes, and go with the water chiller / electric heater combination. If the room is well insulated (1-2 inch foam on walls and ceiling) you are in control of heat movement in / out except the floor. To dampen problems with local hot / cold spots, a set of fans will be needed to mix air to an average temperature. You will have an interesting problem of balancing you needs with the insect experts, who want a very low air speed to allow the bumblebees to fly.

The tabletop setup is still the best to screw up while trying out ideas and not costing much in time or money.

Keep us posted.