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Enhancing supply chain efficiency for air transport of horticultural products by simplified heat and mass transfer modelling
(2026-08-01)
Jantapirak, Suveena
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Duret, Steven
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Denis, Alain
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Paviet Salomon, Yvanne
Maintaining temperature and quality stability of fresh horticultural products during air transportation is challenging due to highly variable thermal environments and limited airflow inside Unit Load Device (ULD) containers. This study developed a simplified three-dimensional heat and mass transfer model to predict product temperature and moisture evolution within a ULD container under realistic operating conditions. Plaster mangoes were used to avoid the variability of the real product properties. Convective heat transfer and three-directional thermal resistances were integrated into an unsteady heat balance model while the model parameters were calibrated using Monte Carlo simulation. A complementary mass transfer model, considering the ULD container as a closed moisture domain, was implemented to estimate product mass loss. Model performance was evaluated using cooling experiments under controlled conditions and field measurements in a ULD shipment from Bangkok to Paris by air transport. Simulated air and product temperatures showed good agreement with experimental data, with RMSE values below 3.5 °C. The model successfully captured the pronounced thermal load on top-layer boxes during tarmac exposure and the faster cooling of bottom boxes through conduction with the bottom wall during flight. Predicted mass loss (1.0-1.1%) also aligned with field data (1.1-1.2%). The model provides a practical tool for assessing the effects of operational and environmental conditions on fruit quality during air transport.
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Thermal performance evaluation of water-based gel packs and insulating covers: A case study on raw milk preservation for local transport
(2025-12-01)
Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Flick, Denis
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Duret, Steven
Maintaining the quality and safety of raw milk during transportation to collection centers poses significant challenges for small-scale producers, especially in regions with limited access to advanced refrigeration systems. This study proposes a cost-effective cooling system utilizing water-based phase change material (PCM) gel packs and UV-reflective covers. The thermal performance was evaluated using a tank filled with water, both with and without PCM, under constant and variable ambient temperature conditions. Results demonstrated that the tanks with PCM achieved a temperature reduction of 10–13 °C within an hour. Comparative analysis revealed similar thermal behaviors for milk and water, enabling the extrapolation of results. A simplified heat transfer model based on energy balance was developed to predict product temperature changes under different operational conditions. Some input parameters were adjusted using experimental data, and the model was subsequently validated against separate experimental datasets, showing reasonable accuracy (RMSE < 3.0 °C). The model could be used for application under comparable conditions. Furthermore, milk quality preservation was assessed through the enumeration of Escherichia coli and total coliforms in milk stored in tanks with and without PCM, as well as through predictive microbiological modeling. Both measured and predicted results suggested a moderate reduction in E. coli growth rates (1.1–1.3 times slower) in the tank with PCM, depending on initial microbial load. Based on these findings, the proposed system offers an effective and economical solution for small milk producers, enhancing cold-chain management and reducing spoilage.
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Evaporative cooling with a wet fabric blanket for non-refrigerated horticultural produce transport: An experimental study
(2024-12-01)
Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Supapvanich, Suriyan
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Flick, Denis
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Duret, Steven
Due to the high cost of mechanical refrigeration, Evaporative Cooling (EC) can be an alternative technology for small farmers in developing countries, such as Thailand. This study aimed to experimentally investigate the performance of EC using a wet fabric blanket. A real-scale cargo chamber, commonly used in Thailand, was constructed, and equipped with axial fans to simulate airflow during transportation. Two pallets of test products (hollow plastic balls) were loaded into the cargo and covered with the wet blanket. During the experiment, the inlet air velocities varied from 0.8 m s−1 to 3.6 m s−1 while the constant climate conditions were maintained (29–30 °C and 70–73 %RH). The air and product temperatures and air relative humidity were measured every minute for 3 h using thermocouples and hygrometers, respectively. The proposed EC method allowed the air temperature to decrease by approximately 3–4 °C. When the inlet air velocity decreased, a lower temperature reduction was observed. Simplified heat and mass transfer models were developed to interpret the load temperature evolution from the inlet to the outlet positions at different air velocities. The comparison between the measured and calculated data revealed a maximum mean relative error of 1.2 %. The quality preservation performance was also evaluated based on lettuce mass loss. Lower mass loss was observed for the product stored inside the cargo chamber (<6 %) compared to those outside (8–10 %). This study suggests the potential use of a wet blanket as an EC cooling medium for a short-distance transport to enhance the cold chain performance in Thailand.
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Dataset of air velocity and temperature fields inside an insulated box equipped with phase change material under several operating conditions
(2024-02-01)
Leungtongkum, Tanathep
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Flick, Denis
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Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Denis, Alain
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Laguerre, Onrawee
This article contains a description of protocol to measure air velocity field (by Particle Image Velocimetry - PIV) and temperature field (by T-type thermocouples) in an insulated box equipped with Phase Change Material (PCM) of melting point 0 °C. The influence of various conditions was studied: i) PCM position (at sidewall and at top), ii) aspect ratio of the box (height/width ∼ 1 and 1.7), iii) ambient temperature (10 °C, 20 °C and 30 °C), iv) test product initial temperature (4 °C and 10 °C) and vi) spacing beneath the load (0 mm and 20 mm). This article is related to a published research paper, it provides the dataset of all experiments which can be useful for experimenter to understand the phenomena and for expert in numerical model to validate the developed model e.g., by Computational Fluid Dynamic.
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Influence of use conditions on heat transfer in an insulated box equipped with a phase change material
(2023-11-01)
Leungtongkum, Tanathep
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Flick, Denis
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Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Denis, Alain
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Laguerre, Onrawee
An insulated box with Phase Change Material (PCM – ice, melting point ∼ 0 °C) and loaded by test product (Tylose) was investigated experimentally to study the effect of the PCM position, Aspect Ratio (AR = height/width) of box, ambient temperature, initial test product temperature and spacing beneath the test product. The temperature and the air velocity measured by thermocouples and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), respectively, were analyzed under stable conditions. The maximum product temperature was lower for PCM at the top (6.6 °C, AR ≈ 1) than for PCM on a sidewall (7.7 °C, AR ≈ 1) and increased with AR (9.9 °C, AR ≈ 1.7). A non-linear relation between ambient temperature and product temperature was observed with the maximum product temperature from 5.2 °C (10 °C ambient) to 9.1 °C (30 °C ambient). The influence of spacing beneath the product was negligible despite different airflow patterns. Simple equations were proposed to predict the maximum storage time and mean temperature in the box enabling us to study the influence of PCM and product mass, melting point, box insulation and ambient temperature.
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Experimental investigation of airflow and heat transfer by natural convection in an insulated box with a Phase Change Material using a Particle Image Velocimetry technique
(2023-01-01)
Leungtongkum, Tanathep
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Flick, Denis
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Denis, Alain
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Duret, Steven
Airflow and heat transfer via natural convection in an insulated box with Phase Change Material (PCM) were experimentally investigated using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and temperature measurements. The effects of PCM positions (side wall and lid) on flow pattern and temperature distribution were studied under empty and loaded conditions. Two loads were considered to study the obstacle effect and the influence of heat exchange with air. When PCM was either at the side wall or at the lid of the box, laminar flow was observed and the corresponding Rayleigh number was about 107. Upward flow was always observed near the side walls of the box. When PCM was on the side, downward flow occurred along the PCM; in the empty case, flow was almost 2D but became 3D when the load was added. When PCM was on the lid, the air cooled in contact with PCM, detached from it and flowed downwards. In the empty case, downward flow was unstable, and with the load, it followed preferential pathways. The type of load exerted little effect on flow patterns at thermal steady state. Thus, a simpler load (extruded polystyrene) can be used in the first approach. The maximum velocity was about 0.1 m s−1, so free convection cannot be neglected compared with conduction. Regarding temperature performance, PCM on the side and on the lid showed no substantial difference if gaps were left between the load and the walls or PCM.
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Dataset of experimental study investigation of airflow and heat transfer in an insulated box equipped with a phase change material
(2022-12-01)
Leungtongkum, Tanathep
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Flick, Denis
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Denis, Alain
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Duret, Steven
This article contains a detailed description of the experimental protocol of air velocity (by particle image velocimetry - PIV) and temperature measurement (by T-type thermocouples) in an insulated box equipped with a Phase Change Material (PCM). The study was conducted in an empty box and a loaded box with extruded polystyrene slabs (XPS) and methylcellulose slabs (test product). The measurement was conducted at the middle plane and lateral plane. This article contains a complete dataset along with the illustrated figures of conducted experiment. They lead to more understanding of phenomena inside a closed cavity with a cold source and can be useful for validating numerical models, e.g., the results computed by computational fluid dynamic.
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A simplified heat transfer model of a closed refrigerated display cabinet
(2020-06-01)
Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Flick, Denis
Installation of doors on open refrigerated display cabinets is one of the simple and effective methods to improve the cabinet performance because it can reduce the warm and humid air infiltration into the cabinets. However, the presence of doors can change airflow pattern, which in turn influences the heat transfer and product temperatures. It is, thus, necessary to understand these thermal phenomena. This study proposes a simplified heat transfer model developed based on a zonal approach to describe the evolution of air and product temperatures at different zones in the closed refrigerated display cabinet. For model validation, the predicted values were compared with measured air and load temperatures for three external air temperatures. Good agreement was found between the predicted and measured temperatures with the maximum difference of less than 0.5 °C for every studied position and the overall mean absolute error of 0.2 °C. The model was then used to predict the effect of the air infiltration through the door gaps on the performance of the closed display cabinet in both thermal and energy aspects. This developed model will be further used in the modeling of the cold chain, where several types of refrigeration equipment are used to keep products under low-temperature conditions from production to consumption. Through integration of quality and microbiological predictive models, this approach can be used as a numerical tool for an evaluation tool for consumer risk.
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Experimental and numerical characterization of airflow in a closed refrigerated display cabinet using PIV and CFD techniques
(2020-03-01)
Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Flick, Denis
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Denis, Alain
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Laguerre, Onrawee
Air velocity measurements were carried out using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique in a display cabinet under two configurations: closed and open doors. Two conditions (refrigeration system turned “on” and turned “off”) were studied in the closed configuration. The airflow pattern was almost the same for both conditions. The air curtain was quite stable. In the upper part of the cabinet, air recirculation occurred, and this phenomenon induces external air infiltration through the door gaps. The air curtain in the open configuration (refrigeration system turned “off”) was less stable than the closed configuration. Large unsteady eddies developed in the mixing layers, thereby promoting greater external air infiltration. A two-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (2D-CFD) model was developed and showed the ability to reproduce the main flow phenomena observed in the experiment. The trend of predicted product temperature profile was also in agreement with the experimental values, despite slight underestimation.
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Dynamic heat transfer modeling of a closed refrigerated display cabinet
(2019-10-01)
Chaomuang, Nattawut
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Laguerre, Onrawee
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Flick, Denis
This study proposes a simplified heat transfer model of a closed refrigerated display cabinet using a zonal approach. The dynamic model was developed and solved with a spectral method to predict the temperature fluctuations occurring with “on/off” compressor regulation. The equivalent load thickness in which the temperature fluctuations were of the same order as those at the load surface was estimated as a function of “on/off” compressor operating frequency. The air temperature fluctuations are dampened whenever the air exchanges heat with solid surfaces (e.g. walls, loads) and with the ambient air (e.g. through the doors). Despite exposure to large air temperature fluctuations (up to 5 °C), the load surface temperature showed only small fluctuations (ΔT<inf>l</inf> ≤ 0.5 °C). Good agreement was found between the predicted and the measured temperature fluctuations. The model can also be applied in order to predict air and load temperature increases during defrost operation.

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