NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, USA – Catalytic Generators today announced they will be showcasing a newly redesigned Easy-Ripe® Ethylene Generator for fruit ripening and degreening at Fruit Logistica, February 6-8, 2019 at Hall 26/F-01.
The redesigned Easy-Ripe® Generator features a clean, white coating and produces consistent, non-pressurized and safe ethylene levels for uniform ripening and degreening. No mixture with inert gas is needed, making the system inherently safe. An adjustable ethylene output allows for adaption to any ethylene PPM requirement or room size. With the specially formulated liquid Ethy-Gen® II, the Easy-Ripe® easily makes only as much ethylene as needed for a target room, eliminating the need to store large quantities of compressed gas on site.
Ethy-Gen® II is the efficient and clean way to create ethylene. Lot-coded for traceability and tamper-evident sealed for safety and purity, Ethy-Gen® II consists of an all-natural, grain-based, GMO-free active ingredient and is permitted for use on organic tropical fruits, including bananas. When used in the Easy-Ripe®, it will create enough ethylene to ripen thousands of boxes of fruit.
A new feature of the redesigned generator: Ethylene monitoring and control. “Over the years, our generators have always provided dependable ethylene output in the range required by the user, but we wanted to provide even better accuracy by connecting devices equipped with ethylene sensors and control modules. So, we’ve given the generator the ability to be connected and controlled by industrial control systems,” stated Greg Akins, President & CEO of Catalytic Generators.
The new Easy-Ripe can connect to most any PLC that exists on today’s modern ripening rooms. If the room is equipped with a dependable, calibrated ethylene sensor, then the PLC can be programmed to control the generator’s ethylene production. However, dependable ethylene sensors are hard to find. “That’s why we partnered with Felix Instruments to develop two revolutionary new products that will provide ripeners with the ability to have exact ethylene control via setpoint. These products are driven by an ethylene sensing system based on technology that improves sensor accuracy and dependability”, said Akins. The two products are the Ethylene Management Controller and improved SmartRipe® Ethylene Generator Controller, which monitor and control ethylene levels in ripening rooms, degreening rooms, and storage rooms.
The SmartRipe® Ethylene Generator Controller features a touch screen that can be mounted in or out of ripening rooms and a high range ethylene sensor with a setpoint range from 50-1000ppm. The system works by simply entering a setpoint, and the controller will automatically regulate the ethylene production of our generators. If ripening room doors are opened, the controller senses it and adjusts the ethylene level. Similarly, when the setpoint is reached, the controller takes notice and slows ethylene production to ensure the setpoint is maintained.
The Ethylene Management Controller (EMC) differs from the SmartRipe®; it has a low range ethylene sensor (setpoint range 1-10ppm). Low range sensing ability makes the EMC an excellent choice for tomato greenhouses, citrus degreening, storage areas for ethylene-sensitive produce, and more.
Both products feature an automatic zeroing system for better accuracy and easy to replace sensor pods. “The newfound technology of our redesigned Easy-Ripe Ethylene Generator, SmartRipe® Ethylene Generator Controller, and Ethylene Management Controller offer an affordable solution to ripeners looking to improve the efficiency and accuracy of their ethylene application systems,” said Akins.
These products are now available for pre-order and will be on display at Catalytic Generator’s booth at Fruit Logistica in Berlin at Hall 26/F-01, February 6-8, 2019.
About Catalytic Generators, LLC
The process of producing ethylene in ripening rooms was invented and patented by Catalytic Generators in 1973. The system consists of a catalytic-type generator that converts a liquid concentrate, called Ethy-Gen® II, into safe levels of ethylene, which is a natural plant hormone produced by many fruits, including bananas, tomatoes, avocados, mangos, and pears. With a strategic distribution network, Catalytic Generators offers its customers timely service and delivery across the globe.
