What is a Reefer Container?

For many within the industry, the word reefer is not unheard of, but to guide our readers, a reefer is the industrial abbreviated term for refrigerated containers.

We’ve all seen ships, trucks and even trains lugging containers that spark to mind how far industrialisation has come.

Reefers look almost identical to regular containers (mostly painted white) but operate as large fridges that can control the temperature of the cargo within.

Refrigerated containers are used for goods that need to be temperature controlled during transportation. They come equipped with a refrigerated unit that can be seamlessly connected to a power supply. Crystal Group specialises in these Plug-and-Play connectivity based Reefers.?

To know more about Crystal Group’s offers and solution-based services, Contact us here.

What goes in a reefer container?

Fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, milk and dairy products, medicines, pharmaceuticals, test samples, blood plasma, flowers, juices and concentrates and chocolates and icecreams, are some of the common goods transported and stored in reefer containers.?

How a reefer container works

Reefers focus on ensuring constant values across 3 aspects - Temperature, Humidity and Atmosphere. They are designed to maintain and stabilize these factors whilst in transit and even as storage options.?

Going into the nitty-grittier details, 4 settings are considered when transporting reefer cargo: Temperature, Ventilation, Humidity and Drainage.

Temperature: All standard reefer containers are built to maintain a temperature ranging between -25C to +25C for chilled and frozen cargo. Crystal Group goes a step further and offers solutions for temperature ranges from -70C to +30C.

These ranges that go as low as -40C or even -70C (Super Freezers and Blast Freezers) are innovative methods ensuring specific cargo or wares can be stored without impacting the integrity of the cargo.

Ventilation: We’ve all been in situations where we walk into a room and felt stuffy, and our instinct is to try and open doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate and take away the heat. This concept of airflow is a simplified way to explain ventilation. A reefer too requires airflow within the container to ensure heat and gases are removed. For fruits and vegetables, fresh air ventilation is required, but for frozen good air is circulated around the goods. Hence whilst stacking a reefer, large gaps between the cargo, the walls and cargo itself are avoided.?

Humidity: There are everyday products that benefit immensely from lower levels of humidity in the air. A reefer unit comes equipped with a dehumidification function which can lower moisture levels in the air within the container. Newer reefers can maintain a 50% humidity level, but standards are set between 60% and 85% relative humidity (RH).

Drainage: Reefers are designed to ensure excess water that may accumulate within its walls are drained without the need to compromise temperature or other factors inside. These designs even prevent water or insects and dust to enter the container. Hence, reefers are the best method of ensuring goods are kept intact and safe.

Crystal Group’s Plug-and-Play

?The control unit on the container allows for the setting and adjustment of parameters such as temperature, humidity, ventilation and atmosphere. The settings used will vary depending on the type of cargo being transported.?

Controlling the CO2 and O2 levels in a unit containing fruit can substantially lengthen the ripening process, allowing it to be kept fresher for longer (Shelf-life longevity). Many types of fruits require no humidity control, but most will need to be stored at very specific temperatures.

Reefers have refrigeration units that need a power source. Whilst in a loading dock or on the vessel, these devices can be easily plugged into an electrical source. Ont eh off chance a source is unavailable, a Genset (Portable Generators) can be used to power the reefer. The number of Gensets and the current load requirement will depend on the use and type of reefer in question. More on Gensets and power in coming articles.

Within the container is a microprocessor, which acts as the electronic temperature recorder. This device stores all sorts of data, such as supply air and return air temperatures, remote cargo probe temperatures, defrost activity, power on and off times, etc.?

A refrigeration unit is built to maintain a certain temperature, so the cargo is precooled to a setpoint prior to loading. But, Crystal Group’s blast Freezers can freeze cargo down to a staggering -40C within an extremely short span of time- Rapid cooling. Rapid cooling minimizes loss from evaporation compared to a normal cool process (like within a basic household refrigerator). Especially for fresh fruits and veggies, reducing the temperature after harvest to the optimal transport temperature is crucial to guarantee good quality and ensure the best possible shelf life.

Stay tuned for Reefer container dimensions, sizes and specifications.?

The Benefits of a Reefer Container

• The cargo transported in a reefer, often don’t need to be put into cold storage upon arrival at their destination as they are self-contained refrigerated units.?
• Refrigerated containers are available in a variety of dimensions, which makes them suitable for road, sea, and air transportation.
• They can be partitioned to create different departments at different temperatures. This allows for the storage of both frozen and chilled goods in the same container.
• They are durable and can remain operational in harsh environmental conditions.
• They can be transported by diversified carriers, which offers greater financial security and a faster return on investment than specialised reefer ships.
• They can prevent products from ripening too quickly and ensure a longer shelf-life by circulating cool air.

From this simplified list of benefits, reefers are undoubtedly changing and helping the world reach further distances and improve connectivity. Despite their many benefits, there are still certain challenges facing the reefer container industry. What do you think are the current and future challenges faced within this industry. Join Crystal Group’s upcoming posts about the future of reefer tech and industry.