PRODUCE RIPENING CHAMBER

摘要

A produce ripening chamber is described which comprises an air conditioning system for circulating air through the chamber and regulating the air temperature and a doping system for regulating the concentration of a ripening agent in the recirculated air. The chamber 10 has a floor 12, a ceiling 14 and side walls 16 extending between the floor 12 and the ceiling 14. At least one kerb 20 is arranged on the floor for spacing a pallet 24 resting on the floor 12 from a side wall 16 and a duct 18 arranged is at the ceiling end of the latter side wall 16 to seal against the side facing the latter side wall of an upper produce box supported by the pallet. In this way, an air flow channel 30, 32 is defined between the boxes 20 stacked on the pallet 24 and the side wall 16. An air blower 42 and a heat exchanger 40 of the air conditioning system are housed within the duct 18 to force air at a controlled temperature to circulate through the air flow channel 30, 32, through the produce boxes 20 supported by the pallet 24 and through a clearance volume 36 lying between the stack of boxes and the ceiling of the chamber. The ripening chamber is divided along its length into two or more mutually isolated ripening compartments by at least one partition that extends across the entire width of the chamber and the air conditioning systems and doping systems in the individual ripening compartments are controllable independently of one another.

主权项

1. A ripening chamber comprising an air conditioning system for circulating air through the chamber and regulating the air temperature and a doping system for regulating the concentration of a ripening agent in the circulated air, wherein the chamber (10) is elongate and of rectangular cross section defined by a floor (12), a ceiling (14) and side walls (16) extending between the floor (12) and the ceiling (16), the chamber (10) having at least one kerb (20) on the floor for spacing a pallet (24) resting on the floor from a side wall (16) and a duct (18) arranged at the ceiling end of the latter side wall (16) and operative to seal against the side facing the latter side wall of an upper produce box (22a) supported by the pallet (24) so as to define an air flow channel (32) between the boxes (22) stacked on the pallet (24) and the side wall (16), wherein at least an air blower (42) and a heat exchanger (40) of the air conditioning system are housed within the duct (18) to force air at a controlled temperature to circulate through the air flow channel (32), the produce boxes (22) being supported by the pallet (24) and there being a clearance volume (36) between the stack of boxes (22) and the ceiling (14) of the chamber (10) whereby the circulation takes place in a plane perpendicular to the length of the chamber (10), and wherein the chamber (10) is divided along its length into two or more mutually isolated ripening compartments (54) by at least one partition (50) that extends across the entire width of the chamber (10), the air conditioning systems and doping systems in the individual ripening compartments being controllable independently of one another.