Star Cool improves pull down time
For some respiring products, the pull down time to set point is
essential to prolonging the shelf life of the commodity.
Star Cool has strived to secure the best pull down times in the
reefer business - and with the latest edition of the Star Cool
controller software, this goal has been achieved. The latest
version of the Star Cool controller software delivers the rapid
pull down times that tropical fruit exporters expect from today's
reefer machines. Both the pull down time and the overall capacity
of the machine have been enhanced by fine tuning the performance to
suit the extreme conditions, although they may only prevail for a
short time.
Based on calculations and tests, the pull down time for bananas
in a 40' container stuffed in South America will be around 39
hours. With a transit period of 25 days, the pull down time
accounts for only 6 per cent of the transit period.
If we make the same comparison for an "extreme" commodity like
durian, Star Cool's pull down time will be around 92 hours. With a
transit period of 25 days, the pull down time will make up 15 per
cent of the transit period.
Although pull down is a relatively short contribution to the
total transit time of a respiring commodity, it is still important
to get the cargo to carriage temperature as soon as possible. To
ensure the fastest pull down time, it is important to secure a good
and stable power supply to the machine, avoid power off-periods
during the pull down, ensure minimal fresh air ventilation, and to
stuff the container correctly. Pre-cooling the commodity before
stuffing the container will reduce the pull down time
dramatically.
