Carbon Dioxide Measurements

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.

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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 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.

Learn about CARBOCAP technology

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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.

Watch webinar on how and why to measure CO2 accurately

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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.

Read why measuring CO2 is important

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

Stability & long lifetime

The unique design of CARBOCAP® results in recommended calibration intervals of up to 5 years.

Its microglow light source is rated for 15+ years of stable light output providing many years of trouble free use.

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.

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.

Carbon dioxide measurement related products

Indigo500 Series Transmitters

The Vaisala Indigo500 series transmitters are host devices for Vaisala Indigo-compatible, stand-alone smart probes. The Indigo500 series include multi-functional Indigo520 transmitter and Indigo510 transmitter with basic features.

Indigo200 Series Transmitters for Vaisala smart probes

Vaisala Indigo200 series transmitters are host devices for displaying measurement values from Vaisala's Smart Humidity, Temperature, Dew Point, Moisture in Oil, CO 2 and H 2 O 2 Probes.

Multigas CO2 instrument MGP241

The new MGP241 is the smartest solution for heavy-duty CO2 measurement, from carbon capture to general industrial use.

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP231 is a CO2 meter for incubator manufacturers needing reliable incubator CO2 sensor.

CO₂ Probe GMP231

The Vaisala CARBOCAP ® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP231 is designed to provide incubator manufacturers with accurate and reliable carbon dioxide measurements and sterilization durability at high temperatures, up to 180 °C

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP251 is an intelligent, stand-alone, %-level probe for stable and accurate CO2 measurements.

CO₂ Probe GMP251

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP251 is an intelligent, stand-alone, %-level probe for measuring CO2 in life science incubators, cold storage facilities, fruit and vegetable transportation, and in all demanding applications where stable and accurate percentage-level CO2 measurements are needed.

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP252 is an intelligent, stand-alone, ppm-level probe for stable and accurate CO2 measurements.

CO₂ Probe GMP252

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP252 is an intelligent, stand-alone, ppm-level probe. It's intended for measuring CO2 in agriculture, refrigeration, greenhouses, demanding HVAC applications, and for plant growth chamber manufacturers.

CO₂ Probe GMP343

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide Probe GMP343 is an accurate and rugged probe-type instrument for ecological measurements. Typical applications include CO 2 soil respiration, ambient CO 2 monitoring, plant growth chambers, and OEM applications.

CO2, Humidity and Temperature Transmitter Series GMW80

Measuring CO2 is the most economical way to monitor both indoor air quality (IAQ) and human presence with one sensor.

Wall-mounted Vaisala GMW90 Series Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Humidity Transmitters are especially suited for green building projects and DCV.

CO2, Temperature and Humidity Transmitter Series GMW90

The wall-mounted Vaisala GMW90 Series CARBOCAP® Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Humidity Transmitters are especially suited for green building projects and demand controlled ventilation.

CO2 insight and materials

Customer case

Vaisala probes facilitate rollout of environmentally friendly refrigeration

Supermarkets all over Australia and New Zealand are benefiting from advanced carbon dioxide monitors as new natural refrigeration systems are installed in the fight against climate change. Woolworths, and its cold chain partner Emerson, therefore needed an accurate, reliable CO2 monitor that could fulfill this vital role as the Group expands the use of natural refrigerants in its stores.

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Application note

Know the Risks – Work Safely with CO2

At all places where CO2 gas or CO2 ice is used, produced, shipped or stored, the levels of CO2can rise dangerously high and the environment must be monitored with an appropriate sensor.

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Customer case

Infosys monitors indoor air with Vaisala’s HVAC sensors

HVAC system condition monitoring becomes a crucial requirement considering Infosys’s goal to provide best indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and to provide most productive work spaces in the world to its employees. IEQ has a direct impact on employee productivity.

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Blog

Why is measuring CO2 important?

Most of us know that CO₂ is a colorless, odorless gas that’s soluble in water and often seen as the bubbles in fizzy drinks. But it’s also a greenhouse gas, a by-product that’s released when we burn materials containing carbon, as well as a gas formed in the respiratory and metabolic processes of living organisms, which can also be considered slow burning reactions.

Webinar

Monitoring of CO2 in food and beverage industry

Accurate data on the CO₂ level enables better decision-making for more sustainable food production, storage, and logistics. In this webinar, we discuss how safety, productivity and quality of food products can be substantially improved with the help of reliable CO₂ measurement using a unique CARBOCAP^® technology.

Application note

Diffusion-Based Soil Respiration Measurements

Soil respiration, or surface CO2 efflux, is one of the two main mechanisms by which carbon is transferred from the soil to the atmosphere. The other is the human-contributed burning of fossil fuels.

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Webinar

Benefits of measuring CO2 reliably in cold storage applications

CO2 needs to be carefully controlled, for example, in vegetable storage facilities, fruit-ripening rooms, frozen foods, food transportation companies, supermarkets, industrial refrigerators, breweries, wineries, logistics hubs and terminals, and storage and transportation of dry ice.

Webinar

CO2 measurements in life science incubators

To make sure that your incubator works properly and maintains the desired CO2 concentration, CO2 must be measured and controlled with great precision. How can this be achieved? Our three experts, Juhani, Maria and Piritta, discuss CO2 measurements in cell-culture incubators.

Webinar

How to measure CO2 for improved energy efficiency in HVAC systems

Professionals in HVAC field often know the gains in using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a parameter in HVAC controls. What is sometimes overlooked, is that any type of CO2 measurement won't help to achieve better energy efficiency. There are few tips in using CO2 as a proxy measurement leading to cost savings and better conditions in all buildings every HVAC professional should know.