Original Articles
Vol. 47 No. 2 (2016)
https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2016.520

Testing and design of a passive container for the optimisation of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cold chain

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Received: 30 October 2015
Published: 10 June 2016
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Blueberry, quality, heat transfer modelling, finite elements method, heat field removal.
Agricultural Engineering

Authors

Roberto Beghi
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano, Italy.
Simone V. Marai
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano, Italy.
Valentina Giovenzana
valentina.giovenzana@unimi.it
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano, Italy.
Enrico Ferrari
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano, Italy.
Riccardo Guidetti
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano, Italy.
The aim of this work is to test a passive cooling system (PCS) on highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) to verify cooling performances soon after harvest. Based on experimental results the cooling trend was modelled and a dedicated system was designed for the optimisation of blueberries cold chain. The evolution of qualitative characteristics of stored fruits was evaluated analysing the percentage of damaged berries, the weight loss, the texture, the titratable acidity and the total soluble solids content. The analysis of temperature profiles during transport using PCS shows how this device is not fast enough in tearing down the blueberries field heat. A computer simulation, using finite elements method modelling, considering the thermo-physical properties of materials used and the boundary conditions arising from experimental data collected was carried out. Computer modelling has provided the characteristics of geometry, thickness, type and density of the material to obtain the desired cooling performance.

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Roberto Beghi, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy
Simone V. Marai, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy
Valentina Giovenzana, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy

Enrico Ferrari, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy
Riccardo Guidetti, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milano
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy

How to Cite



“Testing and design of a passive container for the optimisation of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cold chain” (2016) Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 47(2), pp. 111–117. doi:10.4081/jae.2016.520.

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