Measuring CO2 In Cold Storage Applications With Robust Performance Instrumentation

Food is an essential of life. The food industry is a crucial sector for the balance of an economy, especially in our modern world. However, the production of food also impacts on our environment. Refrigeration plays an important role in retail stores to maintain the food at the required temperature, but in doing so, it significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions both directly and indirectly. It is used in all stages of the chain, from food processing, to distribution, retail and final consumption in the home. The food industry employs both chilling and freezing processes where the food is cooled from ambient to temperatures above 0°C in the former and between 18°C and 35°C in the latter to slow the physical, microbiological and chemical activities that cause deterioration in foods.

You deal with fresh, easily spoilt goods every day. The quality of the products must always be immaculate so that inferior goods are not brought into circulation. But how can you ensure that the environmental conditions at all relevant locations always fulfill the requirements? The use of advanced instrumentation and sensors in the food industry has led to continuing improvement in food quality control, safety, and process optimization. Measuring instruments and monitoring systems from Dpstar support you in these tasks. Dpstar is a leading provider of industrial measurement and instrumentation solutions for the food and beverage industries. We have over 30-years’ experience in providing reliable, high-quality instruments and can help you achieve efficiency and sustainability with accurate, high-precision control and monitoring equipment that complies with the strictest hygiene requirements.

The Purpose Of Refrigeration

Today‘s consumers place high demands on food quality. This begins with the optical appearance of the foods, whether vegetables, meat, and sausages, poultry, or dairy products. Everything needs to look fresh and appetizing, or it will not go into the shopping cart. In order to eliminate risk factors, food retailers must follow the HACCP concept. Among other things, this concept prescribes adherence to the cold chain. The purpose of refrigeration is to keep the temperature of the refrigerated goods at the designated level so as to slow down the rate of deterioration of perishable food or to keep cold beverages chilled. A refrigeration system utilises the evaporation and condensation of refrigerants to achieve the transfer of heat from the refrigerated space (low temperature) to a heat sink (high temperature), which is normally the air outside the building. Most of the energy consumption by refrigeration systems lies on refrigeration packs (racks of compressors) and is mainly influenced by two aspects: the amount of heat gained in cabinets and the rate of heat rejected at condensers. The first one is affected by the designated cabinet temperature requirement, the rate of product replacement, cabinet aisle temperature, and indoor humidity. The second one is dependent on the surface area of the condensers, the rate of airflow, and outdoor air temperature. Foods must be stored continuously at defined temperature limit values, typically at least -18 °C for deep-frozen goods and +4 °C to +8 °C in the refrigerated range. If refrigeration temperatures are not adhered to, leading to the sale of spoilt foods, there is a threat of considerable damage to the reputation. As there are several refrigerated sites in every supermarket, their monitoring and documentation involve a great deal of effort for the dealer.

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Our CO2 measurement devices are based on our unique, second-generation CARBOCAP® technology, which ensures exceptional stability, and are delivered with a NIST traceable calibration certificate. They are easy to use, require little maintenance, and have a low total cost of ownership. Meet the goals of your gas detection program with personalized guidance from our team of experts.