Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2023, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (12): 3720-3729.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2023.0384

• Special issue on composite thermal storage • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Development and system application of phase change material for cold storage of fruits and vegetables

Zhaofeng DAI1(), Zhu JIANG1,2, Dongliang ZHAO1,2, Zhiyuan ZHANG1, Xiaosong ZHANG1,2()   

  1. 1.School of Energy & Environment Southeast University
    2.Engineering Research Centre of Building Equipment, Energy, and Environment, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210096, Jiangsu, China
  • Received:2023-06-05 Revised:2023-06-20 Online:2023-12-05 Published:2023-12-09
  • Contact: Xiaosong ZHANG E-mail:zhaof_dai@seu.edu.cn;rachpe@seu.edu.cn

Abstract:

With the continuous increase in the demand for high-quality fruits and vegetables, the cost of cold storage operations has become a significant concern owing to its high energy consumption. To address this issue, phase-change storage technology has been integrated with traditional cold storage to reduce operational costs. Specifically, the cold storage material is charged during off-peak hours using valley power, thereby permitting power-free operation during peak hours. To ensure high quality and safety standards for the preservation process, a low-temperature phase change material with an adjustable phase change temperature is developed. In addition, the effects of the arrangement of cold storage panels and placement of goods on the storage temperature are investigated using numerical simulations, and a cold storage system capable of operating without electricity for 16 hours is designed. The results demonstrate the potential of phase-change storage technology to significantly reduce the energy consumption and costs associated with cold storage operations for preserving fruits and vegetables while simultaneously maintaining product quality and safety.

Key words: phase change materials, cold storage, power-free operation

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