From idea to technology to product
Modular and Expandable Refrigeration Capacity for Efficient Preservation of Perishable Goods
11TH Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (Hybrid) In person at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA And partially online virtual via Zoom and Whova
Lack of cold chain access forces small growers of fresh produce and other perishables into low‑value markets, undermines their economic viability, and drives food waste that can exceed 50% of potential harvests in some developing regions. This talk introduces an integrated precooling, transport, and storage solution — mini-containers — designed to close this gap for small farmers and a wide range of other applications. Mini-containers are 4 × 4 × 4 ft3, stackable, insulated, and environmentally controlled units that function as cyber-enabled, Lego-like building blocks. Each unit can operate independently or be incrementally connected to others to create the exact volume and environmental conditions required for heterogeneous, small, or mixed loads. By enabling shared capacity across multiple growers — each with different products, temperature needs, origins, and destinations — mini-containers support safe consolidation without cross‑contamination. They also allow any dry vehicle to be converted into a partially or fully refrigerated carrier with minimal capital investment, expanding cold chain access where it has historically been out of reach. Some technical challenges still need to be resolved before mini-containers can reach their full operational efficiency. This talk offers a preview of those challenges and how they are being addressed.
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