The use of physical simulation to evaluate thermal properties of food containers in cold chain logistics

Abstract

Cold chain logistics has gained significant attention among all stakeholders in the food and pharmaceutical delivery industries due to the stricter food safety enforcement and tighter quality assurance [1-3]. Most cold chain logistics providers seek to determine the right packaging that ensures temperature control delivery in order to gain and/or retain their competitive advantage in the market place. Nowadays, materials such as Polystyrene Foam (PS), Polyethylene-Nylon (PE-Nylon), and Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) are widely used in the construction of delivery boxes. The objective of this study is to use a physical simulation approach to determine which materials are most suitable for delivery boxes. First, three delivery boxes with different materials (PS, PE-Nylon and VIP) were used as test subjects in this study. Second, the cold chain delivery process was simulated for each box and the temperature at each critical point had been measured throughout the delivery process. Third, data analysis was performed by comparing the temperature pattern among all three subjects. The thermal conductivity data for each box was calculated by mathematic equations to help interpret the results. The result showed that the box made from VIP material showed the best thermal resistance. The application of this thermal conductivity estimation procedure might help guide food delivery related practitioners to determine the best materials for their delivery box equipment and the findings might help effectively and efficiently improve their delivery services.