The Reefer Line-up

There are various makers/manufacturers of reefers, with the most common manufacturers being Thermo-king, Daikin and Carrier.?

The goal is to slow down the decaying process or completely cease bacteria impact and extend the shelf life of the products stored in temperature-controlled units. Refrigerated containers are no different from household refrigerators in this regard, with larger storage space; the only distinguishing factor is, one is for personal use and the other, industrial. Thereby, keeping cargo fresh for a longer duration and the capability of transporting it to further distances.?

Reefer containers are an innovation that has helped boom the export/import industry. By refrigerating commodities at various temperatures and sub-temperatures humankind has managed to extend the shelf-life of various commodities. In present times, reefers are used to transport or store commodities like fish, meat, dairy, fruits & vegetables, flowers, pharmaceuticals and more.?

To read about what are reefers, click here.

To give you an insight into the possibilities, the next time you visit a grocery store, walk towards the fruit aisle and notice how fresh, bright and tempting the fruits are. What many don’t realise is, fruits are seasonal and grown only in specific areas, yet, right there in that aisle the fruits look as fresh, as if you were picking them off the farm.?

This is possible due to reefer technology, temperature-controlled storage and transportation. Some of these fruits are harvested and boxed before they are ripened and then stored at pre-set and predetermined low temperatures to slow the ripening process. These intermodal containers (shipping containers) are transported, off-loaded, inspected and finally displayed across the aisle you are gazing upon.?

Various commodities require unimaginable temperatures and storage of varied conditions to transport them to distances. With innovation, reefer containers have evolved to accommodate and give precision that ensures the commodities stored in question are kept preserved until use. This gave rise to various reefers that help temperature ranges from +30 degrees to cryogenic temperatures of -150 degrees.

Crystal Group offers solutions and reefers across a wide range of temperatures. They provide the perfect mix of cold storage, portable cold storage and cold transport options with meticulous detail, analysis and efficiency bringing about immense savings to help transport temperature-sensitive wares and cargo.?

Crystal Group played a very important role during the pandemic by helping transport vaccines at -70 degrees using their super freezers. They have set up temperature-sensitive hubs with a portability option at airports too. The solutions and efficiency they offer mixed with their relentless passion to help their customers has helped them build a reputation in the market today.

Reefers still follow the basic dimensions of regular containers, or what the industry calls ‘Dry Containers’.

Across the size dimensions, the basic Reefers comes in 10 ft, 20 ft and 40 ft with a mix of high cube (HC/HQ - Normal container heights are 8’6” and HQ Containers are 9’6”). We’ll soon explain the dimensions and the sizes of containers in another article; stay tuned for updates.

Closed Reefer?

Closed reefers are the commonly used refrigerated containers. These containers come with an integral front wall with an all-electric heating and cooling unit to help with maintaining temperatures at the required level.

Common reefers ensure the ambient temperature is maintained, proper airflow is managed and drainage is diverted away from the goods. With the temperature range of 2C to 8C, these reefers help with the transportation of various edible commodities and packaged goods.?

Modified/ Controlled Atmosphere (MA/CA) Reefer Container

This type of reefer container uses insulation to maintain a constant atmosphere. This is achieved by replacing the consumed oxygen within its walls, using an air exchange system or air-flow management system. The system helps in controlling the atmosphere at equilibrium with the product’s deterioration rate. These insulated reefers help ensure the commodities that oxidise and those that speed-up deterioration can be curbed and achieve a longer shelf-life.

Automatic Fresh Air Management Containers (AFAM)

These are highly advanced reefer containers that use technology to regulate the airflow by automatically adjusting the rate of fresh air supply in the container.?

They work in a way similar to the modified or controlled atmosphere Reefer Containers in controlling the composition of oxygen (O2) carbon dioxide (CO2), and other gases. The controls for this reefer can be modified to extend the shelf life of the products and help transport these products to greater distances and even help store them.

Crystal Group helps their clients with portable cold storage solutions. Contact us to know more.?

?

Cryogenic Cooling Reefer Containers

Dry ice or liquid nitrogen is used for the cooling process. The cryogenically frozen gas (liquified gas) evaporates slowly, cools the container, and is then vented out into the atmosphere. On average, these containers can maintain their temperature range between 20 days to 30 days.

*source: https://bit.ly/32aBk1C?

Redundant Refrigeration Reefer Containers

When transporting highly valuable, temperature-sensitive, or hazardous cargo; the system's reliability is of utmost importance. Redundant Refrigeration Reefer Containers are used in such cases. These containers have a primary as well as a secondary backup refrigeration unit. Reefers can be customised with multiple refrigeration systems and run using a Genset or plugged into a source. This ensures that extreme temperature-sensitive products can be safely transported.?

Blast Freezers

Blast Freezers can freeze cargo up to -40C within 24 hours. This instant and quick freezing capability reduces the need for the cargo to be pre-frozen before loading. These containers are capable of Flash Freezing the cargo and thereby halting bacteria growth which aid in decomposition.?

These containers come in 10ft, 20ft and 40ft sizes and usually have doors on both ends. Whilst a 10ft Blast freezer can freeze 1000 Kgs of lean fish from +30C to -18C in around 5 to 6 hours, a 40ft Blast freezer can reach -18C in less than 2 hours. These containers can also help with tempering the cargo from -18C to +2C in less than 3 hours for one kilogram of meat.?

Blast Freezers are commonly used even as storage options inside or beside a manufacturing plant or store. Crystal Group specialises in providing blast freezers as part of their solution to help with cost-effective methods of bringing the client’s products to the market. Crystal Group even helps ensure optimised packing/stacking of goods to ensure proper airflow to give the best possible efficient use of the product. The main objective of the Blast Freeze technology is to bring the core temperature of the commodity to -18C.

Refrigerated or Cool Tank Containers

Designed to transport products like pharmaceuticals, milk, and general-purpose liquids. These tanks are cooled by circulating brine or synthetic oil around the external coils

Super Freezers?

Super freezers are the height of innovation freezing technology in the containers industry. These containers are capable of keeping goods stored up at a staggering -70C temperature. The recent pandemic brought the whole world to a stop and everybody turned towards their wait for vaccines. These vaccines needed to be stored at sub-zero temperatures to ensure they are kept intact and the composition and integrity of the vaccines are not compromised. Super freezers made it possible for vaccines to remain in good care before being transported via air, sea or land across the globe.

Super freezer can freeze up to -70C from ambient temperatures of -30C to +50C. Giving the possibility of moving cargo to great lengths. These containers have a strong connection within the pharma industry, but it does not stop there. The fish and meat industry uses super freezers at great volumes to store frozen produce.?

This is because a super freezer will help freeze the cargo and completely stop bacterial resultant decomposition. And is a solution that can be adopted at the very beginning of the cold chain.?

Crystal Group provides super freezers to the pharmaceutical industry, the marine and meat industry. For vaccines, plasmas and clinical lab trials within the Pharma industry or grade A-sushi, tuna processing units within the Marine Industry.?

Crystal Group have solutions to efficiently help streamline and upgrade the entire cold chain; from airport hubs to vaccine freight, Crystal Group has it all.?

Contact us and “Help Us Help You”.