What Is Mushroom House Air Conditioning?

Mushroom house air conditioning is an integrated environmental control device that combines cooling, heating, humidification, dehumidification, ventilation, and air filtration functions into one unit, specifically designed for climate control in mushroom cultivation rooms.

Mushroom cultivation consists of two core stages with different environmental requirements:

Incubation: Higher temperatures (24-28℃), higher humidity, strong CO₂ tolerance; the area required during this stage is typically 2-3 times the size of the fruiting room.

Fruiting: Lower temperatures (15-20℃), requiring a larger temperature difference and fresh air exchange.

Depending on climate conditions and investment budget, different technical solutions can be adopted for mushroom house air conditioning.

Option 1: Vapor compression refrigeration system (mainstream solution)

This is the most mature and widely used solution, suitable for mushroom factories of all sizes.

Working Principle:

The compressor compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas.

The condenser releases heat to the outside (or utilizes the heat for heating).

The evaporator cools the circulating air.

The expansion valve throttles and reduces pressure, controlling the refrigerant flow.

The control system comprehensively regulates compressor start/stop, fan speed, humidifier, etc.

Option 2: Evaporative Cooling System (Suitable for Hot and Dry Climates)

In hot and dry climates (such as Thailand), the Indirect-Direct Evaporative Cooling (IDEC) system can effectively reduce temperature.

Working Principle:

Outdoor air is first pre-cooled by an indirect evaporative cooler (water-air heat exchanger).

The pre-cooled air then passes through a direct evaporative cooling section (wet curtain/cellulose packing) for further cooling.

Two-stage cooling achieves over 100% cooling efficiency (outlet temperature can be lower than inlet wet-bulb temperature).

Research Data: In a mushroom cultivation experiment in Thailand's hot and humid climate, the IDEC system operated during the day and shut down at night, successfully maintaining the cultivation room temperature at 27-28℃ and relative humidity within a suitable range. After 100 days, the mushroom spawn bags almost completely turn brown, entering the fruiting stage.

Option 3: Ground Source Heat Pump/Total Heat Exchange System (Japan, etc.) In Japan, some modern mushroom cultivation rooms use an energy-saving solution combining a ground source heat exchange system and a total heat exchanger.

System Components:

Buried U-tube heat exchanger (7.5m deep)

Total heat exchange ventilation system (efficiency 65-70%)

Water mist humidifier

Automatic control system

Design Parameters: Cultivation room area 165.6㎡, 10,600 beds, air conditioning capacity 17.4kW (cooling)/22.4kW (heating) × 2 units, fresh air exchange rate approximately 1649 m³/h.

Mushroom house air conditioning is widely used in the industrial production of various edible fungi:

Low-temperature type - Shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms - Mycelium 24-27℃, fruiting temperature 15-18℃. Requires a large temperature difference to stimulate fruiting.

Medium-temperature type - King oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms - Mycelium 22-26℃, fruiting temperature 14-16℃. Mainstream varieties for industrial production.

High-temperature type - Straw mushrooms, abalone mushrooms - Mycelium 28-32℃, fruiting temperature 25-30℃. Suitable for tropical/subtropical regions.