Using CO2 Sensors for Mushroom Cultivation Projects

Precision Control for Stable and High Yields: The Core Value of CO₂ Sensors in Smart Mushroom Cultivation 

Abstract: Decoding the "Breathing" Code of Mushroom Growth 

> Core Insight: Mushroom cultivation is a quintessential "environment-sensitive" form of precision agriculture, with CO₂ concentration being a critical factor affecting yield and quality. Traditional empirical ventilation management is inefficient and energy-intensive. CO₂ sensors, utilizing NDIR infrared technology, address measurement challenges in high-humidity environments and establish a closed-loop system of "monitoring-warning-automatic ventilation." They serve as the "invisible hand" driving mushroom cultivation toward precision and industrialization, significantly enhancing commercial viability and economic benefits. 

 I. Dedicated CO₂Sensors: Tackling High-Humidity Challenges 

Mushroom cultivation environments are characterized by high humidity (85%-95% RH) and high CO₂ concentrations (up to 8,000 ppm). Dedicated sensors are designed to meet these extreme conditions. 

 1. Core Technical Parameters and Adaptability 

  2. Moisture Resistance and Data Transmission Design

- Extreme Moisture Resistance: Enclosures use IP65-rated waterproof materials.

- Temperature Compensation: Built-in temperature compensation modules ensure measurement accuracy within the 15°C–25°C range typical of mushroom houses.

- Smart Integration: Supports RS485 or wireless transmission for integration with central control systems. Most critically, it features "threshold alarm + automatic control," enabling automatic activation of ventilation fans or CO₂generators when concentrations exceed limits, achieving "unmanned" automated regulation. 

 II. Working Principle: Scientific Application of NDIR Infrared Absorption 

The mainstream NDIR (Non-Dispersive Infrared) sensors used in mushroom cultivation measure CO₂ by leveraging its selective absorption of specific infrared wavelengths. 

1. Infrared Light Emission: An infrared source emits broadband light, filtered through a 4.26 μm narrowband filter to isolate the wavelength absorbed by CO₂.

2. Gas Sampling and Absorption: Mushroom house air enters the detection chamber via a diffusion sampling port. Higher CO₂ concentrations absorb more infrared light, reducing the remaining light intensity.

3. Photoelectric Conversion and Compensation: A detector converts the remaining light intensity into an electrical signal, amplified and converted to a digital signal via ADC. A temperature compensation module corrects for temperature fluctuations to ensure accuracy.

4. Data Output and Integration: Digital signals are transmitted to the control system in real time. If CO₂ levels exceed preset thresholds (e.g., >1,500 ppm during the fruiting body stage for button mushrooms), the system triggers a switch signal to activate ventilation fans until levels return to the safe range, with a response time of ≤1 minute. 

 III. Core Application Value: Data-Driven Stable and High Yields 

CO₂ Sensors are catalysts for transforming mushroom cultivation from "empirical" to "precision-driven," significantly boosting economic benefits and product competitiveness. 

 1. Precise CO₂Threshold Control, Yield Increases Up to 40% 

 2. Reducing Inefficient Ventilation, Cutting Energy and Labor Costs

- Energy Savings: Replaces "timed ventilation" with "on-demand ventilation." A shiitake shed reduced daily ventilation time from 3 hours to 1 hour, saving 48% on annual electricity costs. In winter, precise ventilation cut heating equipment runtime by 50%, significantly lowering coal or gas expenses.

- Labor Efficiency: Automated alarms and integrated equipment allow one worker to manage 7,500 m², up from 2,500 m², tripling management efficiency. 

 3. Stabilizing Environments, Reducing Pests and Pesticide Risks

- Pest Control: Proper ventilation stabilizes CO₂ levels and improves air circulation, reducing relative humidity in mushroom houses (from 95% to below 90%).

- Case Study: An oyster mushroom farm reduced green mold contamination from 15% to 3% and cut fungicide use by 70%, ensuring food safety and supporting green cultivation. 

 4. Data-Driven Management and AI Empowerment: Standardized and Efficient Production

- Standardization: Historical CO₂ concentration curves provide a scientific basis for optimizing cultivation protocols. A cooperative standardized CO₂ control, reducing yield variance across sheds to ≤5%.

- AI Empowerment and Efficiency: In industrial cultivation, CO₂ data integrates with temperature, humidity, and O₂data to form a "multi-parameter management system." By optimizing synergies, an enoki mushroom factory shortened its production cycle from 10 days to 7 days, boosting annual capacity by 43%. 

Conclusion: The Cornerstone of the Smart Mushroom Industry 

CO₂ Sensors are critical technical equipment for achieving high-quality, high-efficiency mushroom cultivation. They transform environmental risks into controllable data, addressing the challenges of "blind ventilation" and "empirical reliance" in traditional methods. 

With the rise of smart agriculture and the Internet of Things (IoT), CO₂ Sensors will become the foundation for building "AI cultivation models." In the future, these systems will leverage real-time environmental data, growth stages, and varietal characteristics through cloud-based big data analytics to provide personalized, predictive control recommendations, propelling the edible mushroom industry toward higher quality and efficiency.

Carbon dioxide sensor(CO2 sensor) data sheet：

NBL-W-CO2-Carbon-Dioxide-Sensor-Instruction-Manual-2000ppm.pdf

NBL-W-CO2 Carbon-Dioxide-Sensor-Instruction-Manual-5000ppm.pdf

NBL-W-THPLC-5in1-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure-Illumination-CO2-Sensor-data-sheet.pdf