FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Refrigerated transport
– a matter of life and death
By Ilana Koegelenberg
A
while in transit, and also reduces shelf
life when delivered to the retailer. “Food
waste is aided by poor refrigeration,
increasing the cost unitarily to the
consumer,” says Swart.
Temperature fluctuations affect the
appearance and taste of fresh products
in a variety of ways. For instance, if ice
cream melts or fresh product is frozen, the
product will be ruined, Solomon explains.
A more serious issue arises when products
are stored at temperatures that are too
high. This is when illness-causing bacteria,
which exist naturally all around us, can
begin to grow more quickly.
“The risks include writing off of stock
that is not fit for consumption, returns
by customers (which leads to a loss of
earnings), and consumers possibly getting
ill, leading to damage to a brand’s
reputation,” explains Clinton Holcroft,
managing director of Serco.
"Perishable products do just that –
they perish!” says Cliff Marks, managing
director of SC Bodies. “The lifespan
of these products can be increased
by changing their temperatures and
keeping those temperatures constant.
Much research has been done
worldwide in this area, and it is fast
becoming law internationally to maintain
the cold chain.”
“I think the transport link is one of
the most important and most complex
links of the cold chain,” explains Kenan
Gröss, managing director of JAVGR
Refrigerated Transport Solutions. “Should
that link be broken, the food stands
a chance of being spoiled and thus
poisoning the consumer and causing
illness and even death.”
s we continue our exploration
of the various links of the
cold chain, we get to the
very important link that is transport
refrigeration. (If you haven’t done so
already, check out our preceding
features on the producer, retail, and
processing links in the chain.)
Refrigerated transport often comes
into the cold chain at more than one
point as the product gets moved from
producer to consumer. And it’s during
this link that the product gets exposed
to a variety of different elements
such as weather, road conditions,
and mechanical failures. All of these
have major contributing factors to the
successful delivery and sustainability of
the cold chain.
The refrigeration system is a
combination of the insulated body and
the refrigeration unit. Together the two
must maintain the cold chain for the
transporter. “The object is to keep the
product at the correct temperature from
point of loading to point of dispatch,”
explains Peter Solomon, managing
director of Transfrig (a Valeo brand).
But is refrigerated transport really that
important?
“Correct and proper refrigeration
and temperature control is important
as it prevents the ageing of the product
during transit,” explains Pieter Swart,
head of sales transport cooling – southern
and eastern Africa at GEA. This also stops
and slows the respiration of the product,
which produces more heat if not
maintained at the correct temperature.
Failure to keep the temperature
regulated causes premature ripening
It’s vital to select the right refrigeration unit for the truck.
We chat to local industry stakeholders to learn more about the very crucial transport link in the cold chain.
From standards to trends and even useful advice – we explore all things refrigerated transport.
It is important to partner with a reputable supplier who is knowledgeable about the options
available, as well as having a reliable after-sales service to support the product.
HORSES FOR COURSES
What types of refrigerated transport
options are available and what factors
should be considered when choosing
a solution?
There are commonly four types of
transport refrigeration systems available,
explains Solomon.
1. Direct drive: The refrigeration
compressor is driven directly off the
vehicle crankshaft and will therefore
only provide refrigeration while the
vehicle engine is running.
2. Diesel-electric: Units that have their
own diesel engines and electric
motors and are therefore totally self-
contained and independent of the
prime mover.
3. Eutectics: A holdover or latent heat
storage system. The completed unit
comprises a 220V single phase or 380V
three-phase condensing set coupled
to eutectic beams or plates mounted
internally to the roof of the body. The
system is plugged into an electrical
supply until the beams or plates have
reached the required temperature,
unplugged and the vehicle then used
for its delivery round.
4. Cryogenics: Liquid nitrogen is
stored in a tank under the truck
COLD LINK AFRICA • June 2019
or trailer. When a valve is opened
the nitrogen passes through pipes
in the side walls to evaporators
mounted in the roof. The system
is then used like a conventional
blower unit. The nitrogen is
discharged into the atmosphere.
CO 2 cryogenic systems are also
available.
There is also ongoing development of
solar and all electric unit options.
It is important to establish which type
of refrigeration system is best suited to the
customer’s needs, explains Solomon. “It
is essential that we understand precisely
what the user of the transport refrigeration
system requires and then provide the
correct solution.”
Typical information required:
1. The product that is to be transported.
2. The temperature required.
3. The loading temperature of the
product.
4. Body dimensions.
5. Insulation material and thickness.
6. Trip duration.
7. Number of door openings per trip.
8. The ambient temperature where the
vehicle is operating.
9. Pull-down period (Eutectics only)
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