The US Department of Energy lists farm equipment, materials handling, spraying of crops and dairy machines as compressed air uses in agriculture, and the Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue names oxygenation of hydroponic nutrient solutions, pneumatic automation, climate control and fertigation in greenhouses. For dosing, partner brand Thomas lists peristaltic pumps for agricultural nutrient management; Ultra Controlo also makes the ULTRAOX VSA oxygen plant, whose datasheet does not list hydroponics among its applications.
The US Department of Energy lists the farm uses; the Ultra Controlo catalogue names the greenhouse uses, and a university greenhouse shows two of them at work.
At the Rutgers University FH greenhouse, oxygen gas is forced through a porous stainless steel sparger into the recirculating nutrient solution of each pond.
In the same greenhouse, the fertigation station pumps A and B stock solutions and nitric acid into the nutrient solution stream.
Pneumatic automation, named by the Ultra Controlo catalogue among greenhouse uses of air.
Climate control, also named by the catalogue; the DOE places climate control at the instrument air quality level.
Spraying of crops, listed by the DOE among compressed air uses in agriculture.
Farm equipment, materials handling and dairy machines, also listed by the DOE for agriculture.
Sources: US DOE and Compressed Air Challenge, Improving Compressed Air System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry, third edition (2016), Table 1.2 and Fact Sheet 1; Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, p. 6; Rutgers University, FH Greenhouse, Environment Control (web page).
Greenhouses that grow in nutrient solution manage its dissolved oxygen. A university greenhouse and a 1996 study describe how, and how much.
The sparger releases tiny bubbles of oxygen that dissolve quickly into the nutrient solution as it is pumped around; a flow meter in the oxygen supply line of each pond adjusts the oxygen flow.
Source: Rutgers University, FH Greenhouse, Environment Control.
The same greenhouse maintains a dissolved oxygen concentration of 4 to 8 mg/L in the nutrient solution.
Source: Rutgers University, FH Greenhouse, Environment Control.
A study of lettuce in floating hydroponics, using pure oxygen and nitrogen to control dissolved oxygen, found no significant difference in fresh weight or dry weights between 2.1 and 16.8 mg/L, and considered the critical level lower than 2.1 mg/L.
Source: Goto, Both, Albright, Langhans and Leed, Acta Horticulturae 440 (1996), pp. 205–210.
Compressed air can also aerate liquids: the DOE sourcebook (2016) lists sparging, aerating or oxygenating a liquid with compressed air, among potentially inappropriate uses, with low-pressure blowers and mixers as alternatives.
What the Ultra Controlo catalogue and datasheets, and a partner maker, tie to greenhouses and agriculture.
75% to 95% oxygen at 50 kPa, on a skid or in a container. The catalogue names oxygen solutions for greenhouses without naming a product; the ULTRAOX VSA datasheet does not list hydroponics or greenhouses among its seven applications, which include aquaculture and wastewater treatment.
ULTRAOX VSAThomas lists aiding agricultural nutrient management among the uses of its peristaltic pumps; Ultra Controlo distributes and services the brand.
ThomasThe catalogue names air and oxygen solutions sized for continuous operation in high-yield greenhouses; Ultra Controlo designs and builds its own compressors and dryers.
Industrial overviewSources: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 6, 15 and 16; ULTRAOX VSA datasheet; Thomas, peristaltic pumps page.
Ultra Controlo is a Portuguese manufacturer of compressed air, vacuum and technical gas systems, with 40 years of experience. We design, assemble and test our own compressors, dryers and carbon towers in Portugal, and supply and service five partner brands.
ULTRASCREW compressors, ULTRASEC and ULTRADRY dryers and ULTRAK activated carbon towers.
Gardner Denver, Elmo Rietschle, Thomas, Speck Pumpen (Circutec) and Speck Triplex.
Preventive and corrective maintenance, original spare parts and emergency support, by our own team.
Source: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 3, 10, 16, 17 and 22.
The US Department of Energy sourcebook (2016) lists farm equipment, materials handling, spraying of crops and dairy machines as example compressed air uses in agriculture, which it counts among non-manufacturing sectors.
The Rutgers University FH greenhouse maintains 4 to 8 mg/L by forcing oxygen gas through a sparger. A 1996 lettuce study in Acta Horticulturae found no significant growth difference between 2.1 and 16.8 mg/L.
The DOE sourcebook (2016) lists sparging, which is aerating, agitating, oxygenating or percolating a liquid with compressed air, among potentially inappropriate uses of compressed air, and names low-pressure blowers and mixers as alternatives.
The Industrial 2026 catalogue names air and oxygen solutions for greenhouses, including oxygenation of hydroponic nutrient solutions. The ULTRAOX VSA plant delivers 75% to 95% oxygen at 50 kPa, but its datasheet does not list hydroponics or greenhouses among its applications, which include aquaculture and wastewater treatment.
The crop, the growing system, the area and the air or oxygen you need. We reply with the equipment that fits.
