Transforming India's legacy cold storage infrastructure: A study of energy, economic and environmental impact

Abstract

India's extensive cold storage infrastructure, integral to its horticultural supply chain, is predominantly outdated, necessitating the adoption of advanced technologies to enhance energy efficiency and operational reliability. Modernizing these facilities is crucial to meet rising energy demands, comply with strict environmental regulations, and enhance storage efficiency. Outdated systems suffer from poor energy performance and inadequate control, limiting their effectiveness. Implementing advanced technologies like improved thermal insulation, high-efficiency refrigeration, and smart energy management is essential for optimizing energy consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring regulatory compliance. This study evaluates the modernization of aged potato cold storages in India, focusing on energy efficiency improvements, economic viability, and environmental impact mitigation. This study encompasses detailed energy audits conducted in major potato-producing regions to identify opportunities for performance enhancement and energy optimization. The proposed system, featuring economizer subcooling and an evaporative condenser, is evaluated to determine the impact of these changes on existing facilities. Results show substantial energy savings, reducing compressor work by up to 43 % with improved insulation and adoption of modern screw compressor with economizer subcooling. Additionally, adopting an evaporative cooling arrangement leads to significant water savings, while replacing conventional bunker coil evaporators with fin-tube evaporators reduces refrigerant charge by 86 %.