Importance

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Abstract

The invention relates to a control system of a ripening (store) room for fruit and/or vegetables, and more particularly for bananas, and a device(s) for carrying out that method. The invention relates to the construction of said room to provide the most symmetrical distribution of heat across the load stacked in room space during ripening/store periods, due to periodically switching ON and OFF of heating, cooling and process air fans, as well as due to a suitable process control method. The new process control system is designed for the most efficient operation and energy consumption of said system during ripening (storage) time.According to the invention, the air (which also includes fluid circulating inside the ripening/store room (for example during Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage) is cooled (or heated) and guided across the fruit (vegetables) by circulation through the load placed in boxes and loaded on the pallets in the manner most suitable for the actual biological and biochemical activity of said load. The air fans blow the process air through the load as well as cooling and heating elements, not always at full performance (nominal capacity) level. In order to achieve the optimal level, work needs to be modulated so as to keep all three elements, air flow, cooling and heating in a stable balance with a load stacked in the room so as to compensate for differences in loading (full load vs. part load) and in bio-activity of load during the ripening (store) process.

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First Claim