Cold Rooms for food storage

Food storage uses various procedures that vary based on duration:

• Refrigeration, if the food must be stored for a short period of time (0…7 °C).

• Freezing, deep freezing and lyophilisation (freeze drying) if it must be stored for long periods.

When deep freezing the product it must reach a temperature of -18 °C in less than 4 hours while for regular freezing the product can take more than 4 hours to reach -18 °C. During lyophilisation the product is dried following a forced evaporation of the water component of the product.

In the food industry, refrigeration is one of the most delicate and complex applications because food requires treatment at different temperatures depending upon the processing phase.

Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria on food. The technique is based on the extremely quick and intense action performed by the cold temperature that allows the organoleptic qualities of the food to be kept intact, prolonging storage time.

Systems designed and installed on an industrial scale as well as those for large consumption are based on standard procedures and techniques. The chiller system is only one part of a more complex system that allows the evaporator to define the ideal heat exchanger and thus maintain the food.

Cold rooms are a key point in the cold chain.

Proper management has positive impact on both the quality of the stored product and on the environment in terms of energy savings.

Often the contents of a cold room is of great monetary value and therefore requires serious and reliable technological solutions.

Depending upon the type of food or system, the cold rooms can be classified as:

- Normal temperature (>0 °C, for storing fruits and vegetables for example)

- Low temperature (<0 °C, for storing meat for example)

- Stand-along (with on-board motocondensing unit)

- With remote motocondensing unit or monoblock controlled

- Centralised (without on-board compressor, with remote chiller control unit).

Typically, cold rooms with on-board motocondensing units or monoblock are located in small sales locations while cold rooms with chillers contro lunits are found in supermarkets and distribution centres.

The main elements which must typically be managed by an electronic controller are:

- Probes for detecting the room temperature and for defrosting (if included)

- Compressor

- Defrosting resistors

- Evaporation fans

- Lights

- Door switch

- Alarms

- Condensation fans

CAREL offers its customers various types of electrical panels based on advanced controllers that are easy to use and extremely flexible.