Sea transport of bananas in containers – Parameter identification for a temperature model

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 115; no. 3; pp. 330 - 338
• Main Authors: Jedermann, Reiner, Geyer, Martin, Praeger, Ulrike, Lang, Walter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2013
• Subjects: Air flow; Bananas; Containers; Cooling; Emergence; Gap; Green life; Hot spot; Pallets; Parameter identification; Reefer; Sea transport; Temperature mapping; Temperature profiles; Sea transport; Air flow; Hot spot; Gap; Green life; Temperature mapping; Reefer
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2012.10.039

► Analyses of the spatial temperature profile of a banana container. ► Width of gaps between pallets as major influence on cooling performance. ► Mathematical model to analyze and predict temperature curves. ► Identification of locations that can develop a hot spot. Losses of product quality during the sea transport of bananas in containers are related to the emergence of hot spots. In order to analyze critical conditions, a spatial temperature profile was recorded ashore in a container loaded with banana pallets. The identification of a structured system model showed that it is possible to reduce the information on the measured temperature curves to a set of only two index values. These can be interpreted as factors for coupling to the air stream and for the amount of heat generated by biological processes per banana box. The width of gaps between pallets was identified as the major influence on the spatial temperature profile. Boxes from which the unwanted banana ripening heat cannot be channeled away by the cooling unit can be detected by the quotient of the index values.