UGT ECOCLIM Multi-Functional Plant Climate Chamber

Overview

The UGT ECOCLIM Multi-Functional Plant Climate Chamber is an engineered environmental simulation platform designed for controlled-environment plant physiology, ecophysiology, and high-throughput phenotyping studies. It operates on a dual-zone climate control architecture: the upper compartment serves as a precisely regulated plant growth environment, while the lower compartment accommodates up to six independent weighing lysimeters—enabling concurrent, real-time transpiration and water-use efficiency measurements under fully decoupled thermal conditions. The system integrates thermodynamic, hygric, and gaseous (CO₂) control with spectrally optimized solid-state lighting, allowing researchers to replicate diurnal cycles, stress gradients (e.g., drought, cold, elevated CO₂), and multi-factorial climate treatments with high reproducibility. Its modular design supports longitudinal experiments across developmental stages—from seedling establishment to reproductive maturity—while maintaining traceable environmental parameters essential for publication-grade data.

Key Features

• Dual independent climate zones: Upper growth chamber (−2 °C to +30 °C; 45–85 % RH; CO₂ controllable) and lower lysimeter zone (−10 °C to +40 °C), each with dedicated PID-controlled refrigeration, humidification, and air circulation systems.
• True Daylight PLUS LED illumination system featuring high-CRI (≥96) white spectra optimized for photosynthetic efficiency and photomorphogenic response; spectral output validated against CIE daylight standard D65.
• Fully addressable dimming: Each of multiple LED channels can be independently modulated from 1 % to 100 % intensity, enabling dynamic light regimes (e.g., ramped dawn/dusk transitions, shade simulations, or photoperiod manipulation).
• 12-inch industrial-grade capacitive touchscreen HMI with intuitive graphical interface for setting setpoints, scheduling profiles, viewing real-time sensor traces, and configuring alarm thresholds.
• Integrated digital alarm management: Configurable email and SMS notifications triggered by parameter deviations (e.g., temperature excursion > ±0.5 °C, RH drift > ±3 % RH, CO₂ deviation > ±50 ppm), supporting remote monitoring and intervention.
• Structural compatibility with standardized lysimeter systems: Six pre-aligned mounting interfaces (M6 threaded inserts) in the lower zone ensure mechanical stability and load-cell alignment for gravimetric water-loss measurement.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The ECOCLIM accommodates a broad range of plant species and growth formats—including Arabidopsis thaliana rosettes, cereal seedlings, Brassica crops, legumes, and small woody cuttings—within its standardized internal dimensions (W × D × H: 1200 × 700 × 1800 mm). Growth trays, pots (up to 15 cm diameter), and hydroponic modules are compatible with the chamber’s airflow distribution grid and lighting uniformity profile (±5 % irradiance variation across 80 % of active area). All control firmware and data logging comply with principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP); audit trails, user access levels, and electronic signature support align with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements when deployed with UGT’s optional LIMS-integrated software package. The system meets IEC 61000-6-3 (EMC) and IEC 61010-1 (safety) standards for laboratory equipment.

Software & Data Management

Control and data acquisition are managed via UGT’s proprietary ECOCLIM Control Suite, a Windows-based application supporting both local and networked operation. The software provides synchronized logging of all environmental parameters (temperature, RH, CO₂, light intensity, lysimeter mass) at user-defined intervals (1 s to 60 min resolution). Raw time-series data are stored in HDF5 format for interoperability with MATLAB, Python (Pandas/H5Py), and R environments. Export options include CSV, Excel, and XML for integration into ELN systems. Version-controlled experiment protocols can be saved, duplicated, and audited; all changes to setpoints or schedules are timestamped and attributed to operator ID. Optional cloud synchronization enables cross-site experiment replication and centralized metadata curation.

Applications

• Quantitative analysis of stomatal conductance and transpiration dynamics via coupled lysimetry and environmental control.
• Evaluation of genotype-by-environment (G×E) interactions under controlled drought, heat, or elevated CO₂ scenarios.
• Calibration and validation of remote-sensing vegetation indices using ground-truthed canopy reflectance and physiological metrics.
• Phenotyping of abiotic stress tolerance traits (e.g., wilting point, recovery capacity, root-shoot allocation shifts) under reproducible climatic gradients.
• Pre-acclimation studies prior to field trials, ensuring standardized physiological baselines across genotypes.
• Support for ISO 17025-accredited testing laboratories performing plant performance certification under defined environmental criteria.

FAQ

Can the upper and lower zones operate at significantly different temperatures simultaneously?
Yes—the two zones feature physically isolated air handling units and independent refrigeration circuits, enabling simultaneous operation at their full respective ranges (e.g., +25 °C/60 % RH in the upper zone while maintaining +4 °C in the lower zone for chilling-sensitive lysimeter calibration).
Is CO₂ concentration measured and controlled in real time?
Yes—integrated NDIR sensors provide continuous CO₂ monitoring with automatic feedback control via proportional solenoid injection and scrubbing, maintaining setpoint accuracy within ±30 ppm over 24 h.
What level of lighting uniformity is achieved across the growth area?
Irradiance uniformity (PPFD, 400–700 nm) is ±5 % across the central 80 % of the usable floor area, verified per ASTM E308-22 methodology using calibrated quantum sensors.
Does the system support automated data export to institutional LIMS platforms?
Yes—via OPC UA server interface (optional license), enabling secure, bidirectional communication with major LIMS vendors including LabWare, Thermo Fisher SampleManager, and STARLIMS.
Are service contracts and remote diagnostics available?
UGT offers global extended warranty packages and annual preventive maintenance agreements, including remote firmware updates, sensor recalibration verification, and diagnostic log analysis by certified field engineers.