CO2 Measurements
Carbon dioxide measurement is required in many applications from building automation and greenhouses to life science and safety. Many technologies are used to measure CO2. Infrared (IR) sensing is the most widely applied one.
Benefits of IR sensors over chemical sensors:
- stable and highly selective to the measured gas
- a long lifetime and
- they withstand high humidity, dust, dirt, and other harsh conditions.
How to Measure CO2?
CO2 is a colorless and odorless gas that is soluble in water. It is the bubbles in the fizzy drink, a greenhouse gas, a byproduct of burning reactions, and in the air we exhale. CO2 is itself non-combustible and inert gas, which makes reliable measurement challenging. The most dependable method for CO2 measurements is Vaisala CARBOCAP® carbon dioxide sensor, an optical infrared measurement with groundbreaking innovations. Learn more on how to measure CO2.
What Makes Vaisala’s CO2 Sensors Unique?
Vaisala uses a single-beam and dual-wavelength NDIR (Non-dispersive infrared) technology for measuring CO2. The patented CARBOCAP® technology is used in all its CO2 sensors. This technology incorporates a unique tunable band pass filter that was developed by Vaisala and is manufactured in our own state-of-the-art cleanroom.
Measurement Excellence
The CARBOCAP® sensor allows for measurement of both the CO2 absorption signal and a reference signal using a single set of components. Because of this, Vaisala is getting a real reference measurement in every measurement cycle. This eliminates the most common drift factors normally associated with all other NDIR sensors. The results of this breakthrough are excellent long-term stability, a long service life and the ability to function in the most demanding environments, including warm, humid, and dusty environments.
Typical Applications for CO2
Vaisala CARBOCAP® instruments are well suited to a wide range of applications, from ppm (parts per million) to percentage-level CO2 measurements. Since CO2 replaces oxygen, it can be harmful to people in very high concentrations. CO2 is present at percentage levels only within closed processes such as fermentation and controlled-atmosphere storage environments. Percentage-level measurements are also typical in life-science applications such as CO2 incubation.
Application Areas
- Life science incubators
- Cold storage facilities
- Food & beverage, fruit and vegetable transportation
- Fermentation & brewing
- Agriculture: greenhouses, mushroom farms, animal husbandry (hatchers, egg setters)
- Ecological measurements, for example, soil respiration and ambient CO2 measurement
- HVAC
- Packaging
Benefits of Vaisala’s CARBOCAP® sensors
Benefits of Vaisala’s CARBOCAP® sensors
Stability
The unique design of CARBOCAP® results in recommended calibration intervals of up to 5 years.
24/7 Occupation
Suitable for use in spaces occupied 24/7 as well as dusty and dirty industrial environments. CARBOCAP® does not rely on the assumption of CO2 concentrations dropping to background levels in order to make any drift compensations.
Long lifetime
Its microglow light source is rated for 15+ years of stable light output providing many years of trouble free use.
Out of the box performance
Shows correct values immediately after power-up because the CARBOCAP® does not need to “learn” its environment like other technologies do.
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