The Use of CFD to Improve the Performance of a Partially Loaded Cold Store

Abstract

A transient three‐dimensional computational fluid dynamics model was developed to investigate the cooling performance of a partially loaded cold store in cooling process. The model accounted for turbulence by means of the standard k‐ε model with standard wall profiles. The model was validated successfully in cooling experiments with a mean error of 0.36 m/s and 1.4C for the air velocity in a refrigerated room and the temperature of the product, respectively. Based on the model, we studied the effect of different loading patterns of corrugated fiberboard containers filled with products in a cold store on cooling effectiveness. As a result, flat loading with air gaps was the optimal configuration to achieve high uniformity of temperature and rapid cooling. The findings of this study can help to elucidate and improve the cooling performance of refrigerated rooms for storing agricultural products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The developed model is used to assess the cooling performance of partially loaded store. In this study, we have investigated how to stack the product in cold store to achieve uniform and rapid cooling. In order to extend the shelf life of fresh produce, it is very important to investigate the effect of loaded pattern on the cooling performance. The developed cooling model with 48 loaded corrugated fiberboard containers was based on one container cooling model. The approach presented in this paper can be used to design the loading pattern of agricultural products in a cold store.

Numerical modelling and experimental validation of a cold store ambient factors

“…Anahtar Kelimeler: Hesaplamalı akışkanlar dinamiği (HAD); Soğuk depo; Sıcaklık; Bağıl nem; Elma © Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Ta r ı m B i l i m l e r i D e r g i s i -J o u r n a l o f A g r i c u l t u r a l S c i e n c e s 21 (2015) 606-619 air conditioning systems was adopted and used by Tanaka et al (2012) and Xie et al (2006). Their results clearly indicate the strong influence of design parameters on the distribution of air velocity and air temperature inside the cold store facilities.…”

“…air conditioning systems was adopted and used by Tanaka et al (2012) and Xie et al (2006). Their results clearly indicate the strong influence of design parameters on the distribution of air velocity and air temperature inside the cold store facilities.…”

“…Martins et al (2011) used a CFD model with a true apple shape in order to study the cooling of apple fruits in overleaf arrangements on trays. The cooling performance of a partially loaded cold store was numerically investigated and experimentally validated by Tanaka et al (2012) with the aim of a transient 3D CFD model. A multiscale approach for analysing air velocity distribution cold store facilities was used by Delele et al (2009).…”

Heat transfer analyses using computational fluid dynamics in the air blast freezing of guava pulp in large containers

“…Proper methods of cooling may ensure the temperature uniformity of products stacked in a cold store and improve the heat transfer efficiency between the products and air (Tanaka et al, 2012). To improve the cooling performance of cold stores, number of studies modeling the airflow pattern and temperature distribution have demonstrated the effectiveness of various methods (Nahor et al, 2005;Chourasia and Goswami, 2007;Konishi et al, 2009).…”

“…To improve the cooling performance of cold stores, number of studies modeling the airflow pattern and temperature distribution have demonstrated the effectiveness of various methods (Nahor et al, 2005;Chourasia and Goswami, 2007;Konishi et al, 2009). Tanaka et al (2012) developed a transient threedimensional computational fluid dynamics model to investigate the cooling performance of a partially loaded cold store in the cooling process. The model accounted for turbulence by means of the standard k-ε model with standard wall profiles (Ghasemi and Hosseini, 2012).…”