4. Insulation materials
Insulation materials for cold storage also affect the cost of construction. There are two types of insulation materials: polyurethane foam boards, which are durable and have good insulation properties, and foam boards, which are cheaper but have poor insulation properties and can easily deform over time, so they are generally only used in cold storage above 0 degrees. Therefore, the quality of insulation materials used by cold storage manufacturers will directly impact the construction costs of cold storage facilities.
Common thermal insulation materials include: soft ceramic thermal insulation, alumina silicate thermal insulation, phenolic foam materials, expanded vitreous microspheres, adhesive polystyrene particles, extruded boards, polystyrene boards, rubber-foam thermal insulation materials, loose thermal insulation materials (glass wool thermal insulation, rock wool blanket), and porous thermal insulation materials (foamed cement).
A cold storage facility for preservation is not just a simple cold room. A professional preservation cold storage can store products according to the merchant's operations, allowing for greater and better benefits during the appropriate period of operation. For instance, cabbage, which is a vegetable with high storage and consumption during the autumn and winter seasons in our lives, prefers a cool, moist environment for storage. Since the freezing point of cabbage is around -1°C, the ideal storage temperature in the preservation cold storage is between -0.5°C and 0.5°C, with a relative humidity of 90% to 95%. Properly controlling the temperature and humidity in the preservation process of cabbage not only ensures effective preservation but also minimizes its losses.
Cabbage storage coolers not only serve for storage but can also be used for other vegetables and fruits. To better preserve cabbage, consider installing a gas regulation system during the setup of a regular preservation cooler. By utilizing the controlled atmosphere system in the cooler, you can manage gas composition, maintaining oxygen levels between 2% to 5% and carbon dioxide between 2% to 5%, which helps retain the original quality of the cabbage. When installing the preservation cooler, it's also advisable to choose a strategic location: typically, fruit and vegetable preservation coolers are installed in areas with concentrated cultivation, which not only facilitates the storage of large quantities of produce and prevents idleness of the coolers but also, by being situated near a concentration of produce, allows for the use of the coolers to store and sell during peak pricing periods for better profits!
Refrigerated storage
The primary principle of preserving cold storage is to inhibit the activity of microorganisms and enzymes, a type of storage for extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, such as Huizhou cold storage, thereby achieving preservation effects. The preservation temperature range for fruits and vegetables is between 0℃ and 15℃, with different temperatures for various fruits and vegetables. They should be stored separately based on temperature. For instance, cabbage, carrots, grapes, and apples should be stored at 0℃ to 2℃; tomatoes, cucumbers, lichees, etc., at around 10℃; while bananas, lemons, pumpkins, and other fruits and vegetables are best stored at 13~15℃.
In summary, excessive storage temperatures accelerate the aging of fruits and vegetables, while low temperatures can lead to chilling and freezing damage. Additionally, the humidity of the cold storage should also be considered.
