A multi-parameter approach to vent hole design for cartons packed with internal packaging

摘要

Forced-air cooling (FAC) is used to rapidly remove field heat from horticultural produce to preserve quality. Cartons are ventilated to promote uniform cooling of the packed produce and to minimise energy used by precooler fans. The resulting coolingefficiency is influenced by the design of the carton vent holes. However, the presence of vent holes also reduces carton compression strength. This study, therefore, assessed four carton designs using a multi-parameter evaluation approach based on computational fluid dynamics evaluations of cooling performance parameters and experimental quantification of carton compression strength. The results showed that the compression strength was dependant on vent hole design; however, the Edgevent and Multivent designs offered the largest compression resistance. For cartons packed using trays, the Multivent vent hole design significantly improved cooling performance and on average used 37% less FAC energy. In contrast, for cartons packed using liner bags, the Edgevent and Multivent vent hole design provided better airflow distribution around the liner bag and thus cooled fruit more efficiently, thereby reducing energy consumption by 49%, compared to the other designs. These results highlight the importance of appropriate vent hole design to ensure optimal performance of cartons used for handling fresh horticultural produce.