Analysis of refrigeration load in potato cold storage under practical operating conditions

Abstract:

The poor performance of commercial potato cold storage units could be attributed mainly to inconsistency in operating parameters (loading rate, cool-down time, actual storage capacity, etc.). The refrigeration system, designed on the basis of common refrigeration load calculation practice, seems to be unable to cope up with these variable operating conditions which resulted in uncontrolled storage air conditions during the loading period. Therefore, attempts have been made in the present work to estimate the refrigeration load under the practical loading conditions corresponding to the prescribed cooling rates. In this study, the combinations of two loading patterns with two cooling rates, were considered to predict the refrigeration load of the potato cold storage unit having the storage capacity 18600 metric ton. The effect of operating parameters on total refrigeration load was presented during the transient cooling period. For prevalent irregular loading rates, the estimated transient total refrigeration load during the cool-down period was found to be uneven (as compared to smooth trend with constant conditions of loading and cooling) and strictly followed the trend of loading pattern. The peak refrigeration load value was about 20% higher for actual irregular loading pattern in comparison to constant loading rate as considered in common cooling load calculation practice.