Grow beyond.

Conviron offers a portfolio of plant growth chambers, rooms and control systems. Our solutions precisely control temperature, lighting, airflow, humidity, CO2 and other environmental parameters for a wide range of scientific and commercial applications.

Argus Controls is a powerful plant-centric controls system solution ideal for controlling a wide variety of complex operations or when integrating your greenhouses, growth chambers and grow rooms into one unified view. 2

Plant scientists depend on plant growth chambers and rooms to deliver consistent, repeatable growing conditions to help drive the discovery process. Our expertise is to provide class leading solutions to those on the cutting edge at universities, research institutes, Fortune 500 companies, and the most advanced controlled environment agriculture facilities around the world.

John Proven

President & CEO

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Reach-in Plant Growth Chambers 5

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Conviron Model

Airflow

Growth Tiers

ECO1000

Horizontal

Single & Multi

GEN1000

Configurable

Single & Multi

GEN1000-GE

Horizontal

Up to 15 tiers

GEN2000

Configurable

Single & Multi

PGR15

Upward

Single

BDR16

Downward

Single

PGCFlex

Configurable

Single & Multi

Reach-in Growth Chambers For research applications requiring precise control of environmental parameter provided within flexible and footprint-efficient chamber designs.

Tall Plants

Short Plants Tissue Culture

Incubation

Germination

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GEN Series

Exterior Dimensions

41”W x 32½”D x 77”H (1040mmW x 825mmD x 1955mmH)

Exterior Dimensions

84”W x 32½”D x 77”H (2135mmW x 825mmD x 1955mmH)

Number of Units Worldwide

5000+

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With its unique ability to adapt to four different research applications, the GEN1000 and GEN2000 offer an economical and flexible solution.

Tall Plants

Short Plants

Tissue Culture

Incubation

The base chamber can be fitted with one of four specially configured kits each with airflow, lighting and shelving designed to suit specific plants and applications.

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Short Plant Kit Horizontal airflow over multiple shelves optimizes growth area for shorter plants, like Arabidopsis. Ideal for research in propagation, genetics, physiology and other moderate light experiments. For those wanting more growth space, an extra tier is available as an option.

Key Features

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Growth height:

Growth area:

inches, 510 mm

11.3

22.6

ft (1.05 m ) 2

ft2 (2.10 m2)

2

SIDE VIEW

Light intensity:

Lighting:

550

µmols/m2/sec

*Max loading:

10

20" (510 mm)

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow:

Horizontal

≈48

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

550 µmols/m2/sec

≈96

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

Tall Plant Kit Upward airflow, maximum growth height and light intensity for taller plants such as cereal crops, horticultural plants and silviculture.

Key Features

43.5

Growth height:

Growth area:

inches, 1105 mm

6.31

11.3

ft (0.58 m ) 2

ft2 (1.05 m2)

2

SIDE VIEW

700

Light intensity:

µmols/m2/sec

Lighting:

LED

700 µmols/m2/sec

Light emitting diode 43.5" (1105 mm)

Airflow: Vertical

*Max loading:

≈25

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

≈48

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

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Tissue Culture Kit Low light and multiple tiers to maximise space and provide upward airflow that minimises condensation in petri dishes and jars used in propagation and genetics experiments.

Key Features

6.5

Growth height:

Growth area:

Light intensity:

inches, 165 mm

22.6

45.2

ft (2.1 m ) 2

ft2 (4.2 m2)

2

275

SIDE VIEW

µmols/m /sec 2

275 µmols/m2/sec

Lighting:

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow: Vertical

*Max loading:

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≈200

Petri dishes 100 mm diameter

≈400

Petri dishes 100 mm diameter

6.5" (165 mm)

Incubation Kit Low light and multiple tiers for entomology and nurturing young seedlings into shorter plants.

Key Features

8.5

Growth height:

Growth area:

Light intensity:

inches, 216 mm

22.6

45.2

ft (2.1 m ) 2

ft2 (4.2 m2)

2

275

SIDE VIEW

µmols/m /sec 2

275 µmols/m2/sec

Lighting:

Airflow:

*Max loading:

LED

8.5" (216 mm)

Light emitting diode

Horizontal

≈384

Seed cells ~2”x2” (5 cm x 5 cm)

≈768

Seed cells ~2”x2” (5 cm x 5 cm)

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GEN 1000-GE Germinator The GEN1000-GE is specifically designed for gauging the health and performance of various seed lots under a wide range of environmental conditions. Applications include determining germination rates, vigor, seedling growth rates and other testing where tight environmental control is required. This chamber comes standard with exceptional temperature and light uniformity and high humidity control. The interior features a reflective white corrosion resistant design with five shelves on the base unit and up to 10 additional shelves as an option, to maximize capacity.

Key Features Growth area:

SIDE VIEW

5

ft2 (0.46 m2)/shelf

Light intensity:

11-22

Max shelves:

15

Lighting:

µmols/m2/sec

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow

Airflow: Horizontal

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Uniform airflow is introduced to the germination horizontally from a perforated rear wall plenum providing excellent uniformity throughout chamber volume for use of flats, blotter papers, containers, or similar research vessels.

Exterior Dimensions

41”W x 32.5”D x 77”H (1040mmW x 825mmD x 1960mmH)

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PGR15 The PGR15 is suitable for a range of applications including the growth of many tall plant species to full maturity. Shipped fully assembled, the PGR15 fits through standard doorways.

Key Features

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Growth height:

inches, 1470 mm

Growth area:

ft (1.5 m2)

Light intensity:

Lighting:

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2

1,000 µmols/m2/sec

LED

Light emitting diode

Exterior Dimensions

104”W x 35”D x 78”H (2640mmW x 890mmD x 1980mmH) SIDE VIEW

1,000 µmols/m2/sec

Airflow: Vertical

*Max loading:

≈65

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

Airflow Airflow for the PGR15 is distributed uniformly upward using Conviron’s innovative Unifloor air distribution plenum. 16

Extended heights available

58" (1470 mm)

BDR16 To achieve tight performance, this unit employs a constant temperature lamp bank, cooled by the refrigeration system, which results in a constant light intensity output regardless of operating temperature.

Key Features

65

Growth height:

inches, 1650 mm

Growth area:

16.2

Light intensity:

Lighting:

ft2 (1.5 m2)

800

µmols/m2/sec

FL&H/IN Fluorescent &

Halogen/Incandescent

Exterior Dimensions

105”W x 36”D x 89”H (2675mmW x 915mmD x 2260mmH) SIDE VIEW

800 µmols/m2/sec

Airflow: Vertical

*Max loading:

Extended heights available

≈65

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

Reach-In Growth Chambers

65" (1650 mm)

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PGC Flex The PGC FLEX offers the ultimate in flexibility. In its standard configuration, the chamber operates as a single-tier high light growth chamber with a counterbalanced light canopy and upward airflow. A simple conversion alters the chamber’s configuration to either a double or triple tier configuration with medium light intensity and horizontal airflow.

Number of Units Worldwide

970+

Exterior Dimensions

100”W x 35½”D x 101”H (2540mmW x 900mmD x 2565mmH)

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Extended heights available

Single Tier Mode In the standard, single-tier configuration airflow is distributed uniformly upward from Conviron’s Unifloor® plenum. SIDE VIEW

Key Features

59.75

Growth height:

inches, 1520 mm

Growth area:

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Unifloor

ft2 (1.8 m2)

1,125

Light intensity:

Lighting:

1,125 µmols/m2/sec

59.75" (1520 mm)

µmols/m2/sec

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow:

Vertical

≈82

*Max loading:

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

Plant materials, in pots or trays, are placed directly on the Unifloor® and do not need to be moved during the experiment. Excess irrigation water will drain into the drain pan below the Unifloor and be channelled out of the chamber to the floor drain.

Multi-Tier Mode When operating in either of the multi-tier configurations, air is distributed uniformly horizontally from a back wall air distribution plenum. The unit includes adjustable fresh air intake and exhaust ports. SIDE VIEW

Key Features

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Growth height:

inches, 635 mm

Growth area:

38

Light intensity:

Lighting:

Airflow:

*Max loading:

SIDE VIEW

Key Features

500 µmols/m2/sec

14

Growth height:

inches, 355 mm

ft2 (3.6 m2)

Growth area:

ft2 (5.2 m2)

µmols/m2/sec

500

Light intensity:

FL&H/IN

Lighting:

Fluorescent & Halogen/Incandescent

Horizontal

≈156

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

25" (635 mm)

Airflow:

*Max loading:

500 µmols/m2/sec

14" (355 mm)

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500

µmols/m2/sec

FL&H/IN

Fluorescent & Halogen/Incandescent

Horizontal

≈528

Pots, 6” (150 mm) diameter

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Walk-in Plant Growth Rooms

Walk-In Growth Rooms For larger scale, higher throughout applications that demand uniformity of environmental conditions throughout the room’s growth space.

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Conviron Model

Airflow

Growth Tiers

PGW40

Upward

Single

GR Series

Downward

Single

BDW Series

Downward

Single

EVO Series

Configurable

Single & Multi

EXO Series

Configurable

Single & Multi

Growth House

Downward

Single

TCR Series

Upward

Multi

Tall Plants

Short Plants Tissue Culture

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PGW40 The PGW40 equips the researcher with a walk-in environment accessible from two large doors on the front of the chamber. This model is ideally suited for research involving taller classified plants. The extended growth height ensures that most plants can be grown to full maturity with moderate to high light.

Key Features

76

Growth height:

inches, 1470 mm

Growth area:

ft2 (3.86 m2)

41.5

Light intensity:

1,400

Lighting:

LED

µmols/m2/sec

Light emitting diode

Airflow: Upward

*Max loading:

≈93

Pots, 8” (≈200 mm) diameter

Exterior Dimensions

140”W x 70”D x 102”H (3556mmW x 1780mmD x 2590mmH)

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PGV40 The PGV40 occupies the same growth area but has a vestibule and an interior walk-in work area adjacent to the plant bed, separated by roller blind curtain (in lieu of double doors).

FRONT VIEW

1400 µmols/m2/sec

76" (1930 mm)

Airflow Airflow for the PGW40 is distributed uniformly upward using Conviron’s innovative Unifloor® air distribution

Exterior Dimensions

140”W x 112”D x 102”H (3556mmW x 2864mmD x 2590mmH)

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GR Series The GR series of walk-in rooms features low to moderate level light intensities and a downward airflow design that is redirected up through the plants. GR rooms utilize the Lightright™ canopy that enables the researcher to easily raise and lower the lamps to the desired height and thereby grow plants at varying levels of maturity.

Key Features

80

Growth height:

inches, 2030 mm

Growth area:

48-192 ft2 (1.8-18 m2)

600

Light intensity:

µmols/m2/sec

Lighting:

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow: Downward

*Max loading:

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≈105-423 Pots, 8” (≈200 mm) diameter

Custom Sizes Available

FRONT VIEW

Airflow The airflow design directs air downward along the center aisle way. Air is then redirected returning upward between the plants and through the lamp canopies.

600 µmols/m2/sec

80" (2030 mm)

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BDW Series The BDW series walk-in chamber is based on a modular platform available in increments of 40ft² (3.7m²). These units offer a precise chamber environment typical of research involving C4 high-light plants grown to maturity.

Key Features Growth height:

Growth area:

95

inches, 2415 mm

40-162.2 ft2 (3.7-15.1 m2)

1000

Light intensity:

µmols/m2/sec

Lighting:

LED

Light emitting diode

Airflow: Downward

*Max loading:

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≈30-120

Pots, 10” (≈255 mm) diameter

Number of Units Worldwide

970+

Discrete Lamp Loft Using an independent ventilation and conditioning system for the lamp loft helps to reduce heat transfer to the chamber area. FRONT VIEW

Uniform Air Delivery Utilizing an innovative design, a top-down airflow pattern uniformly disperses conditioned air from the top of each plenum. The air is returned through conditioning coils located at the bottom of the chamber area.

1000 µmols/m2/sec

95" (2415 mm)

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EVO Series The EVO Series is a cost effective and energy efficient series of plant growth rooms, suitable for a wide range of short, medium or tall plants. EVO is available in the standard 3 tier configuration or as 1 or 2 tier.

Tall Plants (wheat, cereals)

Medium Plants (rice, wheat)

Short Plants (Arabidopsis)

EVO-4 EVO-6

) mm 240

m)

m ) ” (3 mm 700 7½ ” (4 870 5 5 ’ ( 10’ 15 3” 19’

EVO-8

Room dimensions can be scaled to meet your unique facility requirements.

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Air Delivery The airflow design directs conditioned air horizontally across the shelving from uniquely designed ducts on the side wall that reach from floor to ceiling. Air returns upward through circulating fans.

Custom Sizes Available

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EXO Series EXO provides precisely-controlled indoor growing environments in a lab-grade solution for any outdoor location. Combining customizable modular designs, ergonomic spaces, advanced LED lighting, and plant-centric HVAC and airflow solutions, EXO provides unmatched uniformity and control that optimizes outcomes and yields for a wide range of crops.

Modular Relocatable Insulated Weather Tight

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Modular Relocatable Insulated Weather Tight Room dimensions can be scaled to meet your unique facility requirements.

Custom Sizes Available

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TCR Series TCR walk-in rooms are ideal for large scale plant tissue culture research and are often used within large micropropagation programs. TCR rooms provide a multi-tier modular platform available in increments of 60ft².

Key Features

20

Growth height:

inches, 510 mm

Growth area:

60-180

Light intensity:

Lighting:

ft2 (5.6-16.7 m2)

200

µmols/m2/sec

FL

Fluorescent

Airflow: Upward

*Max loading:

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≈315-945 petri dishes 100 mm diameter

Air Delivery Tissue culture rooms are are designed specifically to minimize the formation of condensation inside the petri dishes and vessels used for tissue culture. Airflow directed upward through shelves at the underside of the dish ensures the lower zone of the vessel remains cooler than the upper zone. This internal temperature distribution minimizes condensation on the underside of the lid, thereby exposing the culture to a uniform amount of light.

Custom Sizes Available

FRONT VIEW

200 µmols/m2/sec

20" (510 mm)

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Growth Houses The Conviron Growth House™ offers the large growth capacity of a research greenhouse with the tight temperature, light and humidity controls of a reach-in chamber. Ideal for large scale plant propagation studies requiring a growth area anywhere from 300 ft² to 2000 ft² or above, the Conviron Growth House™ can be configured to fit a designated area inside your existing facility or installed outdoors as an adjacent or stand-alone structure.

FRONT VIEW

1000 µmols/m2/sec

95" (2415 mm)

Airflow Using an innovative design, a top-down airflow pattern uniformly disperses conditioned air from the top of each plenum and returns the air through conditioning coils located at the bottom of the chamber area. Filtered and adjustable fresh air intake and exhaust openings enable researchers to manage exchange air to the chamber. 36

Custom Sizes Available

Conviron Growth House™ with an integrated high capacity, high throughput plant phenotyping system to characterize how plants respond to different environments, treatments and genetics. Results include information related to plant growth, plant development, and plant stress responses.

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Options 39

This is a list of our most common preconfigured options. For our complete offering of options and customization, contact Conviron.

Programming

GH Extended growth and exterior heights.

ARGUS Argus Titan control system: designed to provide comprehensive monitoring and equipment automation throughout your facility.

RECP Electrical Receptacles, Type & Location: wall mounted convenience electrical receptacle within growth area

AUTOW Auto Watering System: hose bib connection controlled by programmable solenoid.

HEPA Exhaust HEPA filter: installed to the exhaust outlets.

AUX Auxiliary Circuits: programmable on/off output, provides an auxiliary switch, terminated in the control panel, for timed control of automatic watering, nutrient dosing, etc. Up to four switches available.

Refrigeration

UPS Controller UPS: surge protection and uninterrupted power supply, on controller only, for continuous operation of the controller during power interruptions.

Construction EFIS Ebb & Flow Irrigation System: automatic control of irrigation system controlled through the control system. EC Exhaust collar: allows connection to central exhaust system, measuring 4” (100mm). FA Fresh Air: filtered inlet G3 type, washable, 100 cfm (48 l/s) providing a constant 4x air changes per hour. 40

ACSC Air-Cooled Self-Contained Condensing Unit: cabinet is supplied with an air-cooled, selfcontained condensing unit with hot gas bypass system for continuous compressor operation and close temperature control. RAC Remote Outdoor Air-Cooled Condenser: comes complete with all-weather housing, low ambient operation controls and low noise level operation. OACU Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit: containing condenser, compressor, receiver, suction accumulator, control and pressure regulating valves and electrical disconnect. WC Water-Cooled Condensing Unit: cabinet is supplied with a water-cooled condensing unit with hot gas bypass system for continuous compressor operation, extended compressor life and close temperature control.

GLY Chilled Water/Glycol Heating/ Cooling: cooling system designed to work with a central chiller refrigeration system. CPC Phenolic Coated Refrigeration Coil: the evaporator coil is protected by a phenolic coating that is resistive to the corrosive effects of insect rearing.

Additive Humidity ASNH Assisted Spray Nozzle Humidification: additive humidity provided by siphon fed, air assisted atomizing spray nozzles. System requires reverse osmosis water. SNH Spray Nozzle Humidification: additive humidity through the use of spray nozzles. USH Ultrasonic Humidification uses an ultrasonic frequency to turn water into an airborne mist that is forced out into the air to raise humidity.

Dehumidification BDH Bypass Dehumidification: a precisely controlled volume of chamber air bypasses the heat exchanger by means of a proportionally controlled air damper. CD Dehumidification by Chemical Dryer: chamber air is passed over a desiccant to remove moisture. SCD Separate Coil Dehumidification: mounted externally, draws air from the growth area through a cooling coil to remove the moisture by condensation.

Carbon Dioxide CO2 CO2 Additive Control: package includes gas analyzer, CO2 regulator (NA only), control valve and injection system. CO2 tank not included.

SCRUB CO2 Scrubber: allows for controlling CO2 concentration levels below resultant conditions

Lighting HID High Intensity Discharge: using metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps. HL High light Intensity. LED Various LED spectrum available allowing for a wide range of intensities. Dimming optional. LMMCL Lamps Incorporate dimming ballasts Multi-Tier Operation Multi-tier shelving assemblies provide a maximum light intensity of 500 micromoles/m²/s each.

Temperature FSC Circulation Fan Speed Control: programmable or manual fan speed control on conditioning unit, from 50% to maximum. LT Low Temperature Operation: enables the chamber to be operated with lights ON to +2°C (No fresh air below 4°C.) A defrost cycle will occur resulting in a temperature increase (spike) for temperatures set below +8°C lights ON/OFF. ULT Ultra Low Temperature Operation: enables the chamber to be operated with lights ON to-10°C (No fresh air below 4°C.) A defrost cycle will occur resulting in a temperature increase (spike) for temperatures set below +8°C lights ON/OFF. SDF Sequential Defrost: multiple cooling coils with a sequenced defrost cycle to eliminate the temperature spike experienced with the standard defrost method.

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Control Systems 43

CMP6060 For researchers requiring the highest level of control in their plant growth chambers and rooms, the CMP6060 provides the most advanced solution for programming environments and monitoring experimental data - all accessible from an externally mounted full-color touchscreen interface.

Intuitive Interface

Easy Programming

Seven inch (17.8cm) full-color, high resolution touchscreen with intuitive graphic interface for easy navigation. Display is replicated on Central Management, which eases remote access, training and trouble-shooting.

Extended visibility of multiple timelines and processes.

At-a-Glance Monitoring Historical trend graphs, vibrant alarm status, and easy-to-track alarm history

CMP6060 home screen provides an easy-viewing dashboard for set points and actual conditions and quick access to other control features. 44

Conviron Central Management™ With Conviron Central Management™, researchers and facility managers can operate a single chamber or manage an entire fleet of plant growth environments from a central workstation and from remote devices connected through LAN or Internet.

Real-Time Connectivity

Supervisory Dashboard

Users have complete control of all chambers from any connected PC or mobile device with Internet access, including creating/editing programs and changing operating tolerances.

An easy-to read dashboard displays the status of all chambers at a glance.

Alarms and Notifications A secure TLS connection to email systems provide real-time alerts and alarm notifications to PC or mobile devices. Central Management (CM) can also interface with building management systems.

User-Friendly Interface For chambers with CMP6060 controllers, CM provides remote access through an interface that replicates the CMP6060 controller exactly, which eases training and trouble-shooting.

Data Protection Experiment data is protected with automatic backup and restore functions including system protection, disaster recovery and file restoration.

Data Management CM stores all experimental data and alarms on its hard drive and allows for complete access, extensive filtering and flexible extraction of data for analysis and reporting.

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Argus Titan For demanding applications and complete controls system integration of plant growth chambers, rooms, greenhouses and other facility operations. Argus Controls is our most advanced controls system ever that enables centralized control and integration of climate, irrigation, nutrient management and more.

Control everything. Heating

Cooling

Lighting

H20

Fertigation

Humidity

Airflow

CO2

Other variables

Equipment Optimization

Comprehensive Data Acquisition

• Monitored activity of devices: on/off cycles, total running times, maintenance reminders

• Extensive data logging and graphing capabilities

• Monitored usage of energy and water relative to targets

• Quickly review and analyze your data with integrated multi-overlay graphing tools

Constant Contact

Control & Automate

• 24/7 alarm monitoring of all critical conditions with quick detection of any deviations

• Precision climate control

• Automatic voice and email alerts

• Tracking for system security and audits

• Multiple alarm conditions and custom intelligent alarm models

• Advanced irrigation and fertigation

• Custom monitoring solutions 46

• Data channels can be recorded at high resolutions with prefiltering options

• Intelligent lighting control

• Argus hardware and software has GMP approval

Titan 900 Software The Titan 900 software offers an enhanced user experience with innovative visual controls and value added features such as enhanced graphs, API, and smart reporting. The refreshed user interface uses colour and layout strategies that can be customized to suit individuals’ need for style and information. Our software is designed to de-clutter the interface, optimize visualization of your facility’s data, and focus your attention on what is important to you.

Argus LIVE With a live view of your operation, you can monitor, analyze, and run your facility in real time, giving you full control whether you’re at your desk or on the move. It is a safe, secure, and powerful enhancement to the most advanced environmental control system on the market.

Smart & Interactive Dashboard Customize your Argus LIVE dashboard to ensure you can access the most essential information of your operation.

Personalized Settings Completely customize Argus LIVE to suit the needs of your operation, from personalizing the interface to controlling your facility’s settings to keep your operation running smoothly.

Customizable Display Argus LIVE can be used on tablets, phones, and PC

Configure each section to prioritize the information you want to see and select how you want your data to be displayed through visual tools like graphs, tables, dials, and gauges. 47

Argus FOCUS When you’re looking for consistency, repeatability, higher quality and greater yield, focus is everything. Argus FOCUS, an innovative software solution for cultivation optimization that provides you the information and tools you need to plan and then steer your crops to better outcomes.

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Create a Plan

Monitor & Steer

Analyze & Improve

With Argus FOCUS, you can create your own cultivation recipes to guide growing of every batch. You can plan your environmental set points and production events, like plant movements, irrigation and crop treatments, over the entire batch lifecycle. And, develop a library of plans that can be reliably repeated.

With an intuitive and customizable dashboard of your production metrics, combined with environmental data pulled directly from your Argus system, Argus FOCUS makes it easy to monitor progress against your plan so you can respond in real-time to variations.

With Argus FOCUS, you can analyze your results – batch by batch – with an integrated view of lifecycle cultivation data and your production metrics. Then, develop actionable insights to improve future outcomes or replicate previous results.

The success of my research depends on knowing exactly what my plants experienced when they move from the growth chamber to the greenhouse.

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Technical Guides 51

Lighting More and more, plant scientists are integrating LEDs into their research programs to meet their needs for a specific light spectrum and to reduce the operational cost of their controlled growth environments. Integrating best of breed technologies, Conviron offers preconfigured LED lighting options and we work extensively with clients to develop customized solutions to suit specific research requirements.

Light Source LEDs can serve as a primary source of light, or to supplement other light sources with blue or red/far-red wavelengths.

Spectrum Narrow band or continuous wide spectrum LEDs can be used to deliver a unique light spectrum to plants.

Adjustability Fixed spectrum LEDs can be used in combinations of fixtures to create a blended spectrum within a controlled environment. Variable spectrum LED systems allow the researcher to control spectral composition by adjusting the intensity of individual LED color channels within the fixture.

Intensity LEDs retain their spectral profiles when dimmed, providing consistency in spectrum as researchers adjust intensities throughout the light cycle. 52

Retrofits & Upgrades to Existing Chambers Chambers and rooms manufactured by Conviron and other suppliers can be retrofitted with a custom-designed LED lighting system.

Metal Halide & Incandesent

High Pressure Sodium

Ceramic Metal Halide

Fluorescent & Incandescent

Fluorescent vs LED

LED

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Cooling Systems for Plant Growth Chambers There are many issues and factors to consider before deciding on a cooling solution for a plant growth chamber.

Self-Contained Air-cooled ACSC Option

In this method, often referred as a “Packaged DX System”, the refrigeration system and all its components are situated at the chamber. Due to this location, the heat rejected is growth chambers, incubators, and monitoring and equipment germinators usually have this type of condenser as a standard since they do not reject a great deal of heat and are passed into building area where the chamber’s placed. Small plant economical to operate. However, when a group of these smaller chambers, or even one large chamber equipped with this type of condenser share the same space, a great deal of heat can be generated.

Remote Air-cooled

RAC Option In this method, the compressor, and other refrigeration components remain in the cabinet machine compartment The condensers are located away from the chamber usually on the outside roof of the building or outside adjacent to the building. The advantage of the remote condenser is the heat rejects to an external location; however, noise from the compressor is still expelled into the occupying room. 54

Self-Contained Air-cooled

Remote Air-cooled

Water Cooled Direct Expansion

Direct Glycol/Liquid

Water Cooled Direct Expansion WC Option

Plant growth chambers supplied with a water-cooled hermetically sealed condensing unit use hot gas bypass for continuous compressor operation, extended compressor life and system close temperature control. The condensing units need connection to a building water supply. For reach-In chambers, the condensing unit is Located in the machine compartment and for Walk-in rooms typically on the roof of the room, or side mounted.

Direct Glycol/Liquid GLY Option

These types of systems are very attractive for large multi story buildings or in instances where there are large distances between the chilled water system and the cooling coils Hydronic systems, unlike DX systems, are not prone to pressure drop over longer distances due to chilled water (or glycol) is pumping at a very high pressure. However, this high pressure can cause the chilled water to heat up due to the friction of the flow and surrounding heat

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Cooling Systems for Plant Growth Chambers Both DX and Hydronic systems come with their advantages and disadvantages. These are some of the items to consider when deciding on what system is right for your plant growth chamber(s):

System Type Direct Expansion Water-cooled

• Most common system • Self-contained or mounted on side or roof of chamber

Direct Expansion Air-cooled

• Self-contained • Plug and play installation

Hydronic (water or glycol from external chiller)

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Advantages

• Reduces cost of chamber • Reduces maintenance and power consumption • Environmental friendly

Remote Condenser Air-cooled

• Heat is expelled to external location

Outdoor Air-cooled

• All heat and noise from the refrigeration system is expelled to external location

Considerations

• Need Chiller or Cooling Tower

• Heat and noise expelled to ambient room • Building HVAC must compensate

• The minimum operating temperature is dictated by the supply water temperature

• Noise is still rejected to the ambient room • Requires some additional installation: refrigeration lines required to be extended to the remote condensing unit and also supply of an additional electrical service. • Requires some additional installation work: refrigeration lines required to be extended to the remote unit and also supply of an additional electrical service.

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Considerations When Controlling Humidity Humidity level affects transpiration and other gas exchanges of plants of all varieties both in highly varied growth conditions in the field and under tightly monitored and controlled conditions such as in a growth chamber or room. The balance of water loss by transpiration and gain by root absorption determine plant water status at any given time. Since relative humidity (RH) levels influence transpiration and thus plant growth, measurement and control of RH in controlled environments can be important to ensure consistent plant response and subsequent interpretation of experimental results.

It is important to note that humidity is not controlled in chambers that are not equipped with the optional humidification and/ or dehumidification devices. The resulting internal humidity will be a combination of the ambient conditions and internal conditions.

Psychometric Chart A Psychometric Chart graphically represents the relationship between dry air and water vapour.

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Conviron employs a variety of different additive & dehumidification methods

Assisted Spray Nozzle Humidification

Separate Coil Dehumidification

Ultrasonic Humidification

Employs a separate coil, chamber air and/or fresh air is drawn through the cooled coil to remove moisture by condensation, then returned to the chamber.

Uses an ultrasonic frequency to turn water into an airborne mist that is forced out into the air to raise humidity.

Bypass Dehumidification

Separate Coil Dehumidification

Chemical Dehumidification

Uses the main cooling coil and a bypass damper reroutes warm air around the cooling coil. The coil becomes much cooler to compensate, which causes the moisture in the air passing through the coil to condense and drain off.

Employs a separate coil, chamber air and/or fresh air is drawn through the cooled coil to remove moisture by condensation, then returned to the chamber.

Uses a chemical drier. Chamber air is drawn through a desiccant disc to absorb moisture, then returned to the chamber. Chemical dehumidification offers the greatest degree of dehumidification

Additive humidity provided by combining liquid and compressed air to create a mist of finely atomized spray. System requires reverse osmosis water.

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Low Temperature Operation Each chamber comes with a standard temperature range, with optional low temperature operation available on many chambers.

Single Evaporator design With a single evaporator chamber design, whenever the chamber temperature set point is set below a pre-programmed threshold (typically factory set at 4°C) the refrigeration system begins a defrost cycle whereby the fans stop and the lights are turned off. The side effect of this defrost cycle is that there will be a ‘spike’ in Chamber temperature for a period of time. In this example on the left the researcher is looking to maintain a constant -10°C (purple setpoint line). Every 3 hours there is a temperature spike (blue actual temperature line) in the chamber during the defrost cycle, therefore the chamber is not suitable for constant -10°C experiments.

If you don’t need long term constant temperature the defrost threshold temperature and frequency within a single evaporator design may be engineered to accommodate your research requirements.

In this example on the right the researcher is looking to do a diurnal cycle with overnight low temperature and only looking to hold -4°C for ~6 hours before ramping up the temperature for the lights on during the. In this scenario the defrost ‘spike’ is able to be

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Multi-Evaporator design For experiments where a defrost spike is undesirable the Sequential defrost design is required. The design avoids the spike by sequentially defrosting the evaporator coils in stages. Sequential Defrost does not require the chamber lights to turn off during the defrost cycle.

In this example the researcher is looking to maintain low temperatures for an extended period of time and a ‘defrost spike’ is not desirable. This unit employs 6 evaporators, 5 are in use-whilst the 6th is in defrost mode.

The result is a constant low temperature operation within the chamber.

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