ENHANCEMENT OF MICROCLIMATE SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN POTATO STORE BUILDINGS

Abstract

When storing fruits and vegetables, vital processes (respiration, heat and carbon dioxide) are actively proceeding. These processes lead to loss of production, significantly affect the temperature, humidity and gas composition of the air in the storage. The optimal storage conditions for fruits and vegetables are rather low positive temperatures and rather high humidity with a sufficient oxygen content in the air. Achieving this difficult task is most effectively accomplished by using active ventilation systems in the storage. The article provides a comparative assessment of setting up air exchange by energy-efficient microclimate systems in potato storages. The results of field studies of air conditions during operation of active air distribution systems in a potato storage are presented. Studies have shown that intensive flow ventilation of products close to the supply duct leads to an increase in losses (shrinkage) of vegetables up to 15 %. Since a number of containers with products are adjacent to large supply air holes thus subjected to the most severe blowing, the quality of potatoes is bound to deteriorate. The use in the active ventilation system of a highly efficient regenerative rotary heat exchanger ( E ≥ 85-90 %) and electronically-switched EC fans allows saving heat and electric energy, as well as reducing the mass loss of products by 21-26 % with directional supply of treated air to the inter-container space and containers with products.