About the Biotron

Last changed: 10 July 2024

The Biotron is a facility for research where climatized rooms are demanded with respect to high precision and accuracy on the regulation of climate factors such as temperature, humidity, light and CO₂. The facility is primarily designed for plant research, but can be used also for other areas of research with demands on access to climatized rooms which allow a high degree of control and sanity.

Security

Large parts of the facility meet the standards for research requiring containment to prevent contamination of the environment. Access is granted only to users/customers who have operations in the facility and to personnel associated with it, as well as service and emergency personnel. The entire facility is equipped with an alarm system to prevent unauthorized entry.

What does the facility consist of?

The Biotron comprises of, in total, 24 different rooms of four different types of rooms with varying demands on climatization.

There are:
12 climatized rooms with artificial light (KK),
4 climatized rooms with daylight, supplemented with artificial light (DK),
4 growth chambers (OK) and
4 greenhouse chambers (VK).

All rooms are individual and there is no influence between chambers. They are split in two different zones, separated from each other completely as regards impenetrability and access. The zones are accessed through an air lock.

A considerable part of the Biotron meets the standards required for research in enclosed facilities, avoiding contamination of other facilities or the environment. All rooms and chambers have surveillance of climate and alarm functions. If there is an alarm, technical staff will always take measures to correct. There is staff on duty outside normal working hours.

The use of energy for the entire facility is optimised by recovery of excess heat. This, however, does not apply to the greenhouse chambers (VK), which are ventilated with traditional wall and roof ventilation openings.

The technical description and operational conditions for the different types of climatised rooms and chambers will allow a wide scope of research.

There will also be increased possibilities to accommodate the choice of room or chamber to the actual specific technical needs and other requirements, i e enclosed cultivation of GMO plants, than in the present facility.

These features will make the new Biotron even more attractive for plant research than the present facility.