Suppose I had a small green house about 100 sq ft. Could a moderate sized compost pile be used to generate enough CO2 that would closely simulate a commercial greenhouse that feeds CO2 from tanks?
Compost releases CO2, but quantifying it is going to be difficult because it’s going to depend on what you’re adding, the bugs living in it, moisture, temperature, and gas transfer.
My (very low) understanding is that commercial greenhouses don’t add CO2 constantly, i.e. there are more optimum times of day to do it. But maybe that’s just to minimize waste. If you’re composting anyway, might as well grab a CO2 sensor and see what happens.
I actually quit composting over 20 years ago but have always been intrigued by the idea of developing the perfect composting station for home use. Here I was just looking at a possible bi product of compost that might be useful in the garden.
If it’s in a contained area you could rig up a few 2l pop bottles filled with sugar water and yeast as CO[sub]2[/sub] generators. Distribute them around the greenhouse but to be honest I have no idea if the amounts would be any use at all. I’d suspect not
I used to make wine and beer and your right it generates very small amounts.
I would worry about the fire risk from an enclosed compost heap. Less dramatically, bug infestations. Not that a compost heap can’t be a good idea, but outdoors, well-ventilated, clearly separated from the garden, etc., all good things.
I was thinking in terms out inlet air and outlet air and just venting the outlet air into the greenhouse. I would also be warm and moist
What are the rough dimensions of your greenhouse? I feel like playing with some arithmetic.
Can’t visualize trapping warm moist CO2 off a compost heap without enclosing it to a dangerous degree. Doesn’t mean I’m right; but it does mean that I’m no help. Good luck to you.
Forget the compost heap, just use some yeast and sugar and a couple of soda bottles. Lots of instructions online and on youtube. The gas from brewing or wine making will also work; just run a tube to release the C02 above the plants.
Search for CO2 generator.
I checked on this, the risk of fire is listed as almost non existent. If moisture levels are managed it is considered a non risk. Very large commercial size heaps can have hot pockets and dry pockets which increase the risk somewhat.
Composting is the primary objective, CO2 is more of an after thought I thought might be a useful bi-product.
I’ve mixed up yeast & sugar water solutions for aquarium plants and it’s a pain in the ass, and doubtful you’d get useful amounts of CO2 in a small greenhouse that isn’t hermetically sealed. Might as well just hang out there and exhale. Sugar gets expensive when you start using large amounts like that too.
Build a small coal power plant in your greenhouse.