Sustainable Cold Research Articles

Recovery of protein-rich biomass from surimi rinsing wastewater by using a sustainable cold plasma treatment

Surimi rinsing wastewater is typically discarded, causing waste of protein resources and environmental pollution. This study investigated the technology of a cold atmospheric plasma jet (CAPJ) for the recovery of protein-rich biomass (PRB), including myofibrillar proteins (MPs) and sarcoplasmic proteins (SPs), from surimi rinsing wastewater. The protein recovery yield was up to 59.84 %. CAPJ induced an increase in carbonyl and decreased sulfhydryl in protein content. Furthermore, the secondary structure of the protein was unfolded, particularly the transition from α-helix to β-sheet. The formation of disulfide bonds and increased hydrophobic interactions promoted protein aggregation (the particle size from 185.76 nm to 1869.07 nm, P < 0.05) and reduced solubility. The proteomic results indicated that CAPJ increased the expression level of antioxidant enzymes. Overall, the CAPJ technology could recover proteins from surimi rinsing wastewater for industrial application, which will promote the sustainable development of the surimi industry.

A Review of the Energy-Saving Potential of Phase Change Material-Based Cascaded Refrigeration Systems in Chinese Food Cold Chain Industry

As the global demand for food increases, the efficiency and environmental sustainability of refrigeration systems have become increasingly critical issues. Cascaded refrigeration systems (CRSs) are widely used in the Chinese food cold chain due to their capacity to meet a wide range of temperature requirements. However, energy consumption of these systems is always high. If phase change materials (PCMs) are combined with the refrigeration systems, the energy-saving effect is remarkable. The paper reviews the integration of PCMs within CRS, focusing on their potential to reduce energy consumption, thereby improving food safety and reducing reliance on conventional, electricity-intensive refrigeration methods. The study categorizes and explores the low-temperature applications of PCMs in CRS, providing novel insights into enhancing energy efficiency in food cold chain logistics. Despite most PCM research focusing on single-stage systems, this review innovates by introducing PCM integration in multistage cascade systems, which is particularly relevant for low-temperature requirements. The discussion encompasses the structure, working fluids, and applications of CRSs in the cold chain, emphasizing the role of PCMs in sustainable cold chain management. The review concludes by highlighting the need for further research on PCMs in CRS, especially regarding their economic viability and large-scale implementation potential.

An innovative sustainable multi-generation energy system (electricity, heat, cold, and potable water) based on green hydrogen-fueled engine and dryer

Increasing renewables' portion in energy matrix around the world has made the scientists to propose innovative techniques for recovering the available waste heat of energy systems to produce excess energies in the Waste-to-X framework. This study proposes a green sustainable multi-generation energy system (MES), producing power, heat, cold, and potable water, driven by a hydrogen-fueled gas engine. The engine's heating potential is recovered to run some bottoming systems comprising proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEME), absorption/electrical chiller cycles (ACC/ECC), organic Rankine cycle (ORC), dryer unit, heat pump cycle (HPC), and reverse osmosis desalination unit. The combination of ACC with dryer and HPC is an innovative idea which utilized to produce heating load in this study. A detailed sustainability evaluation framework (technical and eco-environment) is derived to approve performance of the MES. The construction feasibility of the MES in different climatic conditions is sought by considering 5 case study cities around the world. Afterwards, best working fluid of the ECC/HPC and ORC is selected and then the sensitivity of the MES performance to design variables is investigated trough a comprehensive parametric study. Results illustrated that the MES shows the best performance in the city of Willington in which the emission of 84.8 tons of CO2 is prevented annually which is equivalent to saving of 16,291.6 m3 natural gas. The working fluid selection outputs proved that considering R22 and R123 for ECC/HPC and ORC leads the best techno-economic performance. The sensitivity study demonstrated that the highest and lowest influence of the MES's techno-economic performance is related to the ECC evaporator and ORC turbine temperatures, respectively. So that, increasing ECC evaporator temperature led to a relative variation of 8.2%, 4.5%, and 7.5% in energy recovery factor, exergy efficiency, and levelized cost of productions, respectively.

CO2-equivalent emissions and quality evaluation of chilled and frozen Atlantic salmon transported from Norway to Japan

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is the top imported fish in Japan. It is usually shipped in chilled form by air cargo to preserve its freshness but posts a high environmental impact. As a sustainable alternative, ocean freight can be implemented if the salmon is frozen. However, the question arises as to whether the quality of the frozen and thawed salmon is comparable. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact and quality of Norwegian Atlantic salmon in chilled and frozen form. The CO2 equivalent emissions of the key life-cycle stages were calculated, and the quality assessment was carried out by colorimetry and sensory evaluation with careful preparation and execution. The results showed that the CO2 equivalent emissions of the packaging, transport, and overall cycle of the frozen salmon were 35 %, 90 %, and 60 % lower than those of the chilled salmon. Color measurements using digital imaging show that the frozen salmon is slightly redder, with a higher a* value and a lower b* value. Panelist ratings indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in perceived color, glossiness, fishy smell, texture, umami, and juiciness between chilled and frozen salmon. The study provides preliminary results that demonstrate the potential of frozen seafood and ocean freight transportation as a sustainable cold chain solution.

Renewable energy integration for sustainable cold storage: Designing a solar PV operated thermoelectric cool chamber

Thermoelectric coolers utilizing peltier effect offer a promising solution for cooling applications. This study elaborates the design and optimization of a TEC-operated cool chamber and evaluation of developed thermoelectric cool chamber. A number of elements need to be carefully considered during the design process, including heat load assessment, TEC module selection and effective heat dissipation techniques. Appropriate TEC modules are chosen based on estimated cooling load, temperature difference achieved, power consumption, maximum cooling capacity of each TEC and heatsink. The solar photovoltaic operated thermoelectric cool chamber comprises essential components such as SPV Panel, solar charger controller, battery, PWM controller, TEC module with heat sink, and insulated box (TCC unit). The design considerations involve estimating total power consumption and determining the number and ratings of solar panels, batteries, and power conditioning devices to ensure reliable electricity supply. The system operates on SPV-generated power, utilizing MPPT charge controllers to maximize power output. Pulsed width modulation (PWM) systems efficiently regulate power distribution to thermoelectric modules, optimizing performance. The thermoelectric cool chamber was developed of 40 L water capacity. It was observed that, the chamber and water temperature in developed thermoelectric cool chamber was reduced from initial temperature by 11.85°C and 11.56°C, respectively after 24 hours. The chamber and water temperature after 24 hours were 13.31°C and 13.49°C, respectively. The performance evaluation showed that the chamber’s cooling efficiency was influenced by factors such as cooling load and water volume. This comprehensive approach enables the development of an effective and sustainable thermoelectric cooling system suitable for various applications.

Practices to Improve the Sustainability of Australian Cold Storage Facilities

With the ever-increasing threat of climate change and global warming, ways to make energy intensive buildings, such as cold storage warehouses essential for food preservation, more sustainable need to be found. Some refrigerated warehouse owners may be unaware or unsure of the benefits obtainable from implementing sustainable practices and technologies. To search for innovations that could inform the owners and managers of cold storage warehouses about how to enhance their sustainability, convergent interviewing of subject matter experts was conducted. The resulting practices and processes were organized into a hierarchy that ranged from essential to best practices that can be implemented to improve the sustainability of refrigerated warehouses. Examples of these practices and technologies include ideal refrigeration systems, racking methods, and insulation types. To encourage the use of sustainable practices and technologies, more reporting on successful or unsuccessful applications of practices and technologies needs to be communicated. Applying change diagnostic tools such as convergent interviewing enables a practical and industry focused set of outcomes to be determined that can help drive change towards more sustainable cold storage warehouses in Australia.

Enhanced Heat Transfer in Thermoelectric Generator Heat Exchanger for Sustainable Cold Chain Logistics: Entropy and Exergy Analysis

This study investigates the application of thermoelectric power generation devices in conjunction with cold chain logistics transport vehicles, focusing on their efficiency and performance. Our experimental results highlight the impact of thermoelectric module characteristics, such as thermal conductivity and the filling thickness of copper foam, on the energy utilization efficiency of the system. The specific experimental setup involved a simulated logistics cold chain transport vehicle exhaust waste heat recovery thermoelectric power generation system, consisting of a high-temperature exhaust heat exchanger channel and two side cooling water tanks. Thermoelectric modules (TEMs) were installed between the heat exchanger and the water tanks to use the temperature difference and convert heat energy into electrical energy. The analysis demonstrates that using high-performance thermoelectric modules with a lower thermal conductivity results in better utilization of the temperature difference for power generation. Additionally, the insertion of porous metal copper foam within the heat exchanger channel enhances convective heat transfer, leading to an improved performance. Furthermore, the study examines the concepts of exergy and entropy generation, providing insights into the system energy conversion processes and efficiency. Overall, this research offers valuable insights for optimizing the design and operation of thermoelectric generators in cold chain logistics transport vehicles to enhance energy utilization and sustainability.

High capacitance sustainable low-cost cold plasma exposed activated carbon electrode derived from orange peel waste to eco-friendly technique

High capacitance sustainable low-cost cold plasma exposed activated carbon electrode derived from orange peel waste to eco-friendly technique

Sustainable cold supply chain design for livestock and perishable products using data-driven robust optimization

ABSTRACT Food products are a critical part of everyday life. To increase the efficiency of the food supply chain, designing a comprehensive mathematical is necessary. This study tries to optimize a protein supply chain. This supply chain is divided into livestock and perishable products. The integration of these two supply chain echelons has been applied to create an extensive model. Moreover, sustainability has been considered as a competitive advantage in the chain. Perishable products are temperature-sensitive. Hence, a cold supply chain has been considered. The model has three objective functions: maximizing the total profit, minimizing the storage cost in the cold chain, minimizing the health risk. In dealing with uncertainty, a data-driven robust optimization method has been used. Therefore, this paper used machine learning to construct the uncertainty sets from historical data. The Torabi-Hassini method has been implemented to solve the multi-objective model. Finally, to show the applicability and efficiency of the proposed approach, a real-world case study on the poultry supply chain, including abattoirs, breeding centers, slaughtering, and selling branches, has been applied. The result shows that this methodology significantly influences total profits and improves the environmental criteria in a real-world case study. Moreover, different sensitivity analyses have been prepared to help managers make a trade-off between the robustness of the model and objective function value with various weights and calculate the influence of supply chain integration on objective functions.

Assessing and selecting sustainable refrigerated road vehicles in food logistics using a novel multi-criteria group decision-making model

In recent years, food loss and waste (FLW) have become an essential issue at the top of the international community's agenda. Since more people are afflicted by this problem every day, the global population would be forced into poverty and starvation without finding an immediate solution. Therefore, in order to decrease FLW, well-designed and sustainable food and cold supply chains (FCSCs) are needed. Additionally, refrigerated transportation systems can be crucial in developing sustainable supply chains. According to some empirical research, the technological capabilities of reefer vehicles or trailers differ significantly. Thus, selecting the reefer vehicle is a complex decision-making problem and selecting appropriate reefer vehicles may have a critical role in constructing successful supply chain systems and reducing food waste and loss. The current research proposes an efficient, robust and practical decision-making framework that can overcome uncertainties to tackle this decision-making problem. The managerial and strategic implications of the study also aid in decreasing FLW and restructuring FSC for industrial context and support to the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs). Later, an exhaustive sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the developed model's validity and application, confirming the model's robustness and dependability.

Evaluation of sustainable cold chain suppliers using a combined multi-criteria group decision-making framework under fuzzy ZE-numbers

Health 4.0 actively focuses on cold supply chains (CSCs) due to digital transformation and technological advancements in refrigeration. With the ill effects of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, countries globally seek sustainable supply chain management. In this context, integrating sustainability with CSCs becomes crucial. Health sectors actively consider CSC for their activities. In this context, to gain potential suppliers for healthcare management, the present work focuses on grading suppliers from the CSC with sustainability factors. Previous related studies on sustainable cold chain supplier selection (CSSS) (i) have not modeled uncertainty effectively, and (ii) have yet to use any approach under fuzzy Z-numbers information. Therefore, this paper developed an integrated framework, including the Logarithm Methodology of Additive Weights (LMAW) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods based on extended fuzzy Z-numbers. The practicality of the framework is exemplified via a case example within the Indian health sector, and results indicate that job creation, value price, and productivity via renewable resources are the most critical factors. Moreover, regarding the findings, the economic dimension is the foremost pillar for effective selection. Sensitivity and comparison analyses are performed to understand the efficacy of the integrated framework as well. The proposed framework could contribute to the relevant literature due to its capacity to cope with complex decision-making problems and find many application areas in engineering.

Performance of cold chain logistics service providers in the fast-moving consumer goods industry in Nigeria: a systematic review

The operations of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) businesses in Nigeria rely on the efficiency and efficacy of cold chain service providers for quality storage and optimal safety of perishable goods. However, the sector faces obstacles such as inadequate technology, unskilled labour, insufficient funds, weak regulation, and a poor regulatory policy framework, all of which impede the business’s growth and performance. The goal of this study is to systematically review the issues that restrict cold chain logistics service providers’ performance in Nigeria’s highly perishable food business. This study employs PRISMA procedure and the systematic literature review technique to extract articles and emphasize the importance of employing cold chain services to increase efficiency, quality service delivery, and consumer fulfilment. The study’s findings demonstrate that achieving quality service delivery, service effectiveness, cost savings, and customer satisfaction is hampered by a lack of proper synergy between cold chain logistics service providers and cold chain major stakeholders such as regulators, as well as an absence of skilled personnel, policy, funding, infrastructure, and technologies for monitoring and tracking product movement and condition. By remedying these difficulties, Nigeria’s FMCGS sectors could potentially improve their performance and contribute to the development of a robust, sustainable cold chain logistics industry. As a result, the quality and safety of FMCG goods would be enhanced, driving the expansion of the FMCG sector in Nigeria. Future research findings should focus on the cold chain logistics performance leverages on economic growth and development in Africa.

Sustainable fresh food cold supply chain (SFC) from a state-of-art literature review to a conceptual framework

Sustainable fresh food cold supply chain (SFC) from a state-of-art literature review to a conceptual framework

The role of supply chains for the sustainability transformation of global food systems: A large‐scale, systematic review of food cold chains

AbstractGlobal food systems need an urgent transformation to be compatible with sustainable development. While much of the recent academic discussion has focused on food production and consumption, food supply chains have received considerably less attention. Here, we conduct a large‐scale, systematic literature review of 48,014 academic articles to assess the links between the food cold chain literature and sustainable development. We find a multitude of deep links between food cooling and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also identify underexplored areas of sustainable food cooling research regarding its (1) goals, (2) analytical depth, and (3) context specificity: There is a limited understanding how several relevant synergies between SDGs can be captured, how to best design sustainable food cold chains across multiple value chain stages, and how to scale sustainable cold chains in low‐income and lower‐middle‐income country contexts. We recommend to explicitly consider the salient interconnections between SDGs, increase the analytical depth by deploying more system‐level approaches across entire value chains, and focus on localized solutions in contexts where food supply chains are most underdeveloped.

New technologies of ice roads construction to maintain the sustainable cold chain of supply in the northern regions of Russia

The article reviews the current state of winter ice roads (winter glacial roads) and presents data that confirm the necessity of their service life extension in order to maintain the uninterrupted cold chain of supply in the northern regions of Russia. The regulatory documents that regulate the design engineering and construction of winter ice roads are analyzed. The existing methods and technologies of winter roads construction have been analyzed. The possibility of using the geosynthetic materials for ice roads reinforcement is considered, as well as possible challenges arising from their use are exposed for consideration. The use of chemical modifiers for the creation of structural materials based on water ice is shown to be prospective and promising, especially in combination with the reinforcement of ice blocks. Modern approaches to choice of ice modifying compounds and materials for ice reinforcing are described, as well as criteria achieved on the basis of their application. The scientific studies confirming the possibility of a significant increase in the bearing capacity of glacial coverage and, as a result, an earlier start of their operation is carried out. It is shown that the combined use of reinforcement and ice modifiers allowed the ice sample to maintain its integrity even under exposure to significant deformation loads. The technical possibility of additional reinforcement of ice transport routes as a result of optimizing the modal parameters of their formation, depending on weather conditions, is also described.

Advanced Material Design and Engineering for Water-Based Evaporative Cooling.

Water-based evaporative cooling is emerging as a promising technology to provide sustainable and low-cost cold to alleviate the rising global cooling demand. Given the significant and fast progress made in recent years, this review aims to provide a timely overview on the state-of-the-art material design and engineering in water-based evaporative cooling. The fundamental mechanisms and major components of three water-based evaporative cooling processes are introduced, including direct evaporative cooling, cyclic sorption-driven liquid water evaporative cooling (CSD-LWEC), and atmospheric water harvesting-based evaporative cooling (AWH-EC). The distinctive requirements on the sorbent materials in CSD-LWEC and AWH-EC are highlighted, which helps synthesize the literature information on the advanced material design and engineering for the purpose of improving cooling performance. The challenges and future outlooks on further improving the water-based evaporative cooling performance are also provided.

Laboratories for the future

Research laboratories are gaining attention in the global sustainability rhetoric, as many overseas institutes attempt to improve the historically consumptive practices of research. Life science laboratories are estimated to contribute up to 2% of annual global plastic waste, and compared to other academic spaces, laboratories consume as much as 3 to 6 times more energy. Addressing laboratory sustainability is essential in the University of Otago achieving its Net Carbon Zero goal more readily. This research has investigated key factors of laboratory sustainability at the University of Otago, utilizing an observational case-study laboratory and survey to assess current research sustainability standards. The research laboratory case-study in the University of Otago department of Biochemistry shows keen engagement with sustainability principles in areas such as sustainable purchasing practices, resource management and cold storage, while areas such as energy usage exhibit room for improvement. A voluntary survey completed by members of the Biochemistry department indicated that researchers believed changes to waste reduction &amp; recycling, community engagement &amp; understanding, and purchasing practices would be the most impactful in improving laboratory sustainability. Implementing strategies such as purchasing takeback schemes, promoting participation in laboratory sustainability initiatives, and reducing consumption of disposable resources will be paramount in improving laboratory sustainability. Supervised by: Ray O'Brien, Sustainability Office, University of OtagoScholarship funded by: Waste Management NZ

Smartly Packaged

Smartly Packaged

A two-stage decision-support approach for improving sustainable last-mile cold chain logistics operations of COVID-19 vaccines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global health and humanitarian crisis that catastrophically affects many industries. To control the disease spread and restore normal lives, mass vaccination is considered the most effective way. However, the sustainable last-mile cold chain logistics operations of COVID-19 vaccines is a complex short-term planning problem that faces many practical challenges, e.g., low-temperature storage and transportation, supply uncertainty at the early stage, etc. To tackle these challenges, a two-stage decision-support approach is proposed in this paper, which integrates both route optimization and advanced simulation to improve the sustainable performance of last-mile vaccine cold chain logistics operations. Through a real-world case study in Norway during December 2020 and March 2021, the analytical results revealed that the logistics network structure, fleet size, and the composition of heterogeneous vehicles might yield significant impacts on the service level, transportation cost, and CO2 emissions of last-mile vaccine cold chain logistics operations.

A Sustainable Cold Mix Asphalt Mixture Comprising Paper Sludge Ash and Cement Kiln Dust

Concerns about the environment, the cost of energy, and safety mean that low-energy cold-mix asphalt materials are very interesting as a potential replacement for present-day hot mix asphalt. The main disadvantage of cold bituminous emulsion mixtures is their poor early life strength, meaning they require a long time to achieve mature strength. This research work aims to study the protentional utilization of waste and by-product materials as a filler in cold emulsion mixtures with mechanical properties comparable to those of traditional hot mix asphalt. Accordingly, cold mix asphalt was prepared to utilize paper sludge ash (PSA) and cement kiln dust (CKD) as a substitution for conventional mineral filler with percentages ranging from 0–6% and 0–4%, respectively. Test results have shown that the incorporation of such waste materials reflected a significant improvement in the mixture’s stiffness and strength evolution. The cementitious reactivity of PSA produces bonding inside the mixtures, while CKD is used as an additive to activate the hydration process of PSA. Therefore, based on the results, it will be easier to build cold mixtures by shortening the amount of time needed to reach full curing conditions.