Application of an improved latent heat storage system in the food packaging

Abstract

The effect of improved latent heat storage systems using fins on the temperature fluctuations of foods in cold chain distribution has not been investigated yet. So the aim of this study is the development and validation of numerical models to study the effect of the heat sink on the melting process of the phase change material (PCM) in latent heat storage systems (LHSS) and the impact of such systems on the temperature fluctuations of model foods during cold chain storage. Two systems, one without the heat sink (LHSSB) and the other with the heat sink (LHSSI) as the improved system, were designed and constructed. Mushroom and tylose were selected as model foods and n-tetradecane was used as the PCM. Tetradecane, and mushroom and tylose were selected as the PCM and model foods, respectively. Results show that the developed model can predict the observed temperature with high accuracy (R2 > 0.97 and RMSE 0.3–0.82). In addition, the heat sink in the LHSSI decreases 700s of the PCM melting time in the phase change step in comparison with LHSSB. It increases the heat transfer rate of LHSSI. The measured temperature profiles show that the temperature stability of tylose and mushroom with LHSSI is, respectively, about 4.5 and 3.82 times that of LHSSB; therefore, LHSSI reduces 84% of mushroom browning during 4 days of storage.