What Is Industrial Refrigeration?

Industrial refrigeration encompasses a wide temperature range, from 7 degrees Celsius above zero for air conditioning to 70 degrees Celsius below zero for cold storage and freezing tunnels. Beyond this range, in the cryogenic industry, extremely low temperatures around 200 degrees Celsius below zero are utilized, primarily with liquid nitrogen, natural gas, and carbon dioxide. This field finds application in various industries, including food processing, chemical, and oil and gas.

Application of industrial refrigeration

Industrial refrigeration finds diverse applications, including cold storage for protein products as depicted. Moreover, it serves manufacturing and laboratory sectors demanding specialized conditions, notably low temperatures. Heat pumping, transferring heat from higher to lower temperature spaces (e.g., cooling in steel industries), also falls under industrial refrigeration. Subsequently, we’ll explore its pivotal role in food processing and storage.

Maximizing Food Shelf Life through Refrigeration

Refrigeration extends the shelf life of food by slowing microbial growth and spoilage. Lower temperatures delay microorganism activity, enabling prolonged consumption, with some products remaining viable for over a year under optimal conditions.

Storage Of Fruits and Vegetables in Cold Room

Certain fruits and vegetables, like bananas and apples, require storage temperatures above freezing to maintain quality. For instance, bananas, apples, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, and onions are stored between 1 to 14 degrees Celsius. Each product has specific storage requirements, including temperature, humidity, and respiration rate, which can be adjusted in cold rooms. Some fruits can tolerate temperatures slightly below freezing due to dissolved sugars lowering their freezing point.

Storage of Protein-based Food in the Cold Room

Protein-based foods, including dairy, meat, poultry, and seafood products, have specific storage requirements. Dairy products, excluding certain items like ice cream, are typically stored slightly above freezing. Meat products maintain quality at super chilled temperatures around -1 degree Celsius for short-term storage, while long-term storage requires temperatures between -18 and -25 degrees Celsius.

Atlas Refrigeration Company, a pioneer in industrial refrigeration, offers comprehensive services, including designing and constructing various cold storage facilities, blast freezers, IQF systems, ice makers, and gas distillation systems.