Catalytic Generators Unveils Wireless SmartRipe for Remote Ethylene Monitoring and Control in Fruit Ripening

Catalytic Generators is launching a new wireless generation of SmartRipe, its connected ethylene monitoring and control solution, designed to give commercial fruit ripeners real-time visibility and remote control over ethylene application. The system will be available worldwide in early 2027.

From physical checks to a single remote interface

Ethylene plays a key role in the commercial ripening of bananas, avocados, and other tropical fruits. Until now, operators using Catalytic Generators equipment had to walk to a ripening room to confirm that a generator was operating correctly by checking its status light, and to verify an empty Ethy-Gen II reservoir 24 hours after starting the generator to confirm the process had completed as expected.

SmartRipe consolidates that information digitally. Through a secure cloud-based platform accessible via a smartphone app or web browser, operators can:

• view generator operating status and settings in real time;
• confirm when ethylene application starts, ends, or is interrupted;
• check Ethy-Gen II reservoir levels and current ethylene conversion rates;
• receive alerts via app, text, or email if a problem occurs;
• change a generator's ethylene production rate remotely;
• see which ripening room a generator is in — the system automatically detects and reports a location change if a unit is moved between rooms.

A single SmartRipe app or web platform can manage all compatible Catalytic Generators units within a facility, providing an overview of ethylene application without the need to visit each ripening room individually.

Greg Akins, President and CEO of Catalytic Generators, noted that ripeners should not have to physically check a ripening room to know that ethylene application is on target. He added that SmartRipe gives operators that visibility wherever they are, removing uncertainty from a critical part of the ripening process and giving them one less thing to worry about.

LoRa wireless built for ripening-room conditions

At the heart of the new SmartRipe is a circuit board with wireless communication capabilities designed specifically for the conditions found in commercial ripening facilities. The previous SmartRipe technology relied on hardwired connections, which limited its practicality because many ripening rooms do not have Ethernet connectivity.

The new system uses advanced sub-GHz LoRa technology to transmit and receive generator information wirelessly through ripening-room walls and other obstacles commonly found in warehouse environments. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi, which struggles to penetrate the dense insulation and metal barriers of cold storage, LoRa's longer wavelengths are designed to pass through these structures to maintain a reliable, uninterrupted connection.

Akins stated that now that the system is wireless, the company has been able to develop every feature it believes would benefit a ripener with remote access to its equipment.

Compatibility and integration

SmartRipe will be available across Catalytic Generators' full generator range, including Easy-Ripe, Auto-Ripe, Centralized Ripening System (CRS), and the company's specialized Citrus Ethylene Generator. This covers applications ranging from standard fruit ripening rooms to large multi-room operations and low-level ethylene applications for citrus degreening.

The technology can also be retrofitted to older Catalytic Generators units, although the company recommends newer units to obtain the maximum benefit.

SmartRipe provides visibility of generator operation and ethylene application without requiring an ethylene sensor. Catalytic Generators can also work with ripening-room builders and control-system integrators to incorporate SmartRipe generator information into existing room controls. Where a facility uses reliable ethylene sensors, the integration can include automation of the generator's ethylene production rate to help maintain the required ethylene level.

Akins added that the company's goal is to make ripening as easy as possible, with its role centred on ethylene application. SmartRipe takes that philosophy into a connected environment, he said, giving ripeners remote visibility, control, and alerts while also allowing integration with modern ripening-room control systems.

About Catalytic Generators

With over 50 years of experience, Catalytic Generators is a family-owned company based in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, dedicated exclusively to ethylene application systems. It operates globally, supplying fresh produce companies, grocery distribution centres, and growers with tools to ripen avocados, bananas, tomatoes, and other produce.

Source: Postharvest: Cooling and CA.