Thermal storage material enhanced refrigerated display cabinet

Abstract

Food security and safety is one of the highest priorities for any government. Reduction of food waste and quality assurance of the same at affordable cost also makes business sense. Benefits of use of thermal Storage Material (TSM), especially Phase Change Materials (PCM) in refrigerated food storage and dispensing cabinets have attracted attention of researchers and developers world-wide. Optimum placement of PCM material inside refrigerated cabinets can ensure product temperature within acceptable range, thereby assuring food quality. It can also deliver a host of other benefits. There are also many challenges like selection of appropriate material, its quantity and placement within the compartment to derive maximum benefit. Abating food contamination due to PCM as well as avoiding degradation of properties of PCM due to exposure to food and moisture are other challenges. Engineering retrofits for existing refrigerated cabinet designs is need of the hour. The benefits derived from use of PCM material must also outweigh the initial investment and any enhancement in running cost for the same to be commercially successful. This manuscript traces research in use of PCM in refrigerated cabinets and also presents a simple calculator for assessment of pay-back period. Sensitivity of computed payback period on prominent variables are also analyzed.