Neuro-fuzzy humidity control for white oyster mushroom in a closed plant production system

Oyster mushrooms grow optimally in relative humidity of 80-90%. As a tropical country, Indonesia is very suitable for oyster mushroom cultivation, but relative humidity must be controlled. The usual effort is ineffective by spraying water to mushroom inside kumbung (mushroom cultivation building) every morning and evening. A building called a Closed Plant Production System (CPPS) equipped with a control system needs to be developed as a solution. The purpose of this study was to design and do a performance test of a neuro-fuzzy based relative humidity control system inside CPPS for white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation. The main components consist of Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller, SHT11 sensor, and diaphragm pump connects with mist nozzle as an actuator. The performance test was carried out by running neuro-fuzzy based control system and giving disturbance inside CPPS room. As a result, this control system was able to reach a steady-state condition within 5 minutes. The highest relative humidity error was 0.73%, and the lowest error was 0.09%—the recovery rate of relative humidity inside CPPS when disturbed was 2.25% per minute.

Hygrothermal simulation on effective dehumidification methods in a museum storage room

The hygrothermal environment must be controlled in facilities like museums and galleries to suitably conserve the stored cultural artifacts. The present study proposes a humidity control technique for a museum storage room in Kyoto, Japan. This method requires limited energy and no large-scale equipment or major building renovation. The relative humidity of the room measured during the preliminary field survey exceeded the range for the conservation of metal artifacts (under 45%RH) throughout the year, and dehumidification was experimentally performed. The possible range of humidity control and the energy are quantitatively evaluated in the present study by simulating varied ways of operating a dehumidifier in combination with the improvement of the room’s property of being airtight. The results of the study indicated that simple building modifications and operational improvements could improve the storage environment. For instance, measures to ameliorate airtightness and sensing control along with the addition of small-scale equipment such as a home-use compressor-type dehumidifier can yield long-term low humidity suitable for the conservation of metal cultural artifacts. Such measures are also considered advantageous in terms of energy and labor consumption.

Recent progress on hygroscopic materials for indoor moisture buffering

Once in contact with the indoor air, hygroscopic materials can moderate the indoor humidity fluctuation by adsorbing or releasing water vapour, and then improve the moisture regulation and thermal management of buildings. It is desirable to explore the characterized properties of these materials about moisture buffering behaviour. In this regard, we review various hygroscopic materials used for the built environment control. The hygrothermal properties of hygroscopic materials often can be characterized by some parameters, such as water vapour adsorption/desorption capacity, water vapour adsorption/desorption rate, water vapour diffusion coefficient, and so on. To provide an insight on the existing research on humidity control materials, different research studies and the recent progress on humidity control materials have been summarized. The materials include traditional and conventional building materials, some natural materials, and novel humidity control materials. Besides, the relevant parameters are considered as well as the improvement suggestions to enhance the application of humidity control materials in building environments. Finally, new multifunctional materials and intelligent moisture control materials together with the corresponding systems are collated to summarize the latest research trends. The overview of the application of hygroscopic materials can provide current and future researchers guidelines for the science-oriented design of moisture control systems for new energy-efficient buildings.