A technology that is able to maintain a cold chain (low-temperature distribution) even when there is no power supply has been developed by a South Korean research institute.
The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI, President Na Hee-seung) announced on Tuesday that the institute has developed “battery hybrid smart high-heat insulation container”.
One of disadvantages of freezer containers is that they lose power supply during transshipment. This can result in damaged goods, and they cannot be used in areas where there is no power supply.
Container developed by the institute is a standard 20-foot freezer container that is operated based on refrigeration and air conditioning system that operates on battery or power. It is able to maintain a freezing condition even when power supply is cut off during transportation and transshipment. The institute already completed an insulation and refrigeration and air conditioning equipment performance test according to the International Organization for Standardization’s regulations on insulation container performance test and inspected the container’s safety and applicability through various tests.
The container is able to maintain a temperature down to -20°C through a built-in battery. During tests, the container was able to maintain performance at a room temperature for 72 hours when its temperature was set at 7°C. The institute has improved the container’s insulation ability by applying excellent vacuum insulation materials such as polyurethane that has eight times better insulation than regular insulating materials on the inner walls of container.
Another distinct feature of the container is that it has maximized improvement in refrigeration and air conditioning system through BLDC (Brushless DC) inverter compressor automatic control technology. This technology is able to operate air conditioning system differently based on situations and raises the system’s efficiency. As a result, the container can also be operated using a battery.
Japan Freight Railway Company’s freezer container is the only other container in the world aside from the container developed by the KRRI that utilizes a battery. Its container is able to maintain performance for about 40 hours and 30 hours in spring and summer respectively.
“Our battery hybrid smart high-heat insulation container is able to maintain refrigeration and freezing temperature for a long period of time through refrigeration and air conditioning system that operates on battery and power and high-insulation wall technology.” said Lee Seok who is the head of the KRRI’s Distribution Technology Research Team. “We are planning on test operation on railroads and roads for commercialization.”
President Na Hee-seung of the KRRI said that the institute has developed a safe and economic technology that is able to solve a lack of power supply issue that leads to damaged goods and that the technology will be able to make fresh food logistics that have not been made possible due to absence of power supply available even for transportation by railroads.
Staff Reporter Kim, Youngjoon | kyj85@etnews.com