Promising and Potential Applications of Phase Change Materials in the Cold Chain: A Systematic Review

Ilangovan, Adhiyaman; Hamdane, Samia; Silva, Pedro Dinho da; Gaspar, Pedro Dinis; Pires, Miguel

doi:10.3390/en15207683

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…The use of TES has already found application in many fields [16], and it has been shown that they can significantly increase the efficiency of energy systems, e.g., photovoltaic panels [17]. TES systems are also very promising in the cold chain industry [18]. Cold TES can either use latent heat mediums like phase change materials (PCM) or sensible heat mediums.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation-Based Sizing of a Secondary Loop Cooling System for a Refrigerated Vehicle

Lösch,

Fallmann,

Poks

et al. 2023

Energies

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Refrigerated transport by road is essential for the food industry but also contributes significantly to global energy consumption. In particular, last-mile transport, where the doors of the cooling chamber are opened frequently, puts a strain on energy efficiency and temperature control due to the high heat ingress from outside into the cooling chamber. These difficulties can be reduced by thermal energy storage systems, such as secondary loop refrigeration systems, if combined with a sophisticated control scheme. Although the storage capacity of such systems is critical for the overall performance of the cooling system, little research was performed regarding the sizing of the secondary loop thermal storage capacity. Therefore, this article examines the effect of the secondary loop thermal storage capacity on energy consumption and controller performance utilizing closed-loop simulations of a refrigerated vehicle model. Both a mixed-integer model predictive control scheme that can anticipate door openings and a conventional temperature controller are analyzed. An optimal thermal storage capacity of the secondary loop is found with the model predictive controller, whereas the conventional controller cannot exploit the secondary loop and thus shows significantly inferior performance. By using a dimensionless parameter for the thermal storage capacity of the secondary loop, the optimum found can be easily applied to refrigerated vehicles with various cooling chamber dimensions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation-Based Sizing of a Secondary Loop Cooling System for a Refrigerated Vehicle

Lösch,

Fallmann,

Poks

et al. 2023

Energies

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“…This is where phase change materials (PCMs) come into play. Thermochemical storage, although having the highest energy storage capacity, grapples with long-term stability issues in controlled environments and has a complex and costly development process [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While this type of PCM has its applications, the solid-liquid class is most frequently employed due to its significantly higher latent heat of fusion. This facilitates greater energy storage and release during the phase transition process [15]. Prior studies indicate that temperature fluctuations during food transportation [8] and storage [12][13][14] can be detrimental to food quality and shelf life.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While this type of PCM has its applications, the solid-liquid class is most frequently employed due to its significantly higher latent heat of fusion. This facilitates greater energy storage and release during the phase transition process [15]. Solid-liquid PCMs can be further bifurcated into organic, inorganic, and eutectic categories, each with unique characteristics and applications [20,21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal Management of Short-Range Distribution of Perishable Food Products Using Phase Change Materials in Packaging: Real-Time Field Data Acquisition

2023

Self Cite

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Maintaining a stable temperature is critical in ensuring the longevity of perishable foods, and frequent fluctuations due to short-range distribution conditions can negatively affect this stability. To mitigate these variations, an innovative modular packaging system utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) was employed in the transport and storage of horticultural products. This study’s real-time thermal condition data, collected using a wireless data acquisition system inserted in the packaging, demonstrated the efficacy of PCM in increasing temperature stability within the crates of horticultural products. The field tests conducted over 8 hours showed that PCM-equipped packaging boxes exhibited a temperature variation of less than 1 °C, compared to non-PCM boxes, which saw variations up to 3 °C. This marked reduction in temperature fluctuation signifies the potential of PCM in improving thermal and logistics management in food conservation, thus reducing food waste. However, it is essential to implement a system for PCM alveoli reuse to avoid adverse environmental impacts. Future research should focus on the PCM alveoli autonomy and quantity requirements for specific conditions, and integrate sensors to monitor transport dynamics to enhance the understanding of temperature stability in perishable food transportation.

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Phase Change Materials in Food Packaging: A Review

Bahrami,

Sablani

2024

Food Bioprocess Technol

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Promising and Potential Applications of Phase Change Materials in the Cold Chain: A Systematic Review

Cited by 13 publications

References 98 publications

Simulation-Based Sizing of a Secondary Loop Cooling System for a Refrigerated Vehicle

Simulation-Based Sizing of a Secondary Loop Cooling System for a Refrigerated Vehicle

Thermal Management of Short-Range Distribution of Perishable Food Products Using Phase Change Materials in Packaging: Real-Time Field Data Acquisition

Phase Change Materials in Food Packaging: A Review

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