Inteligistics, a Salinas, Calif.-based provider of cold chain product management solutions, shared findings from recent updates to its InteliCool automation system on Jan. 4.
“InteliCool was designed to convert existing precooling equipment into an automated system, with cycle times and temperatures controlled by the real-time temperature of products throughout the load,” says Gary Fleming, Inteligistics’ CEO.
The company notes that fast cooling of perishable crops such as berries, leafy greens and tree fruit is the most effective means of improving product quality and prolonging shelf life. Tunnels, tubes and MAC systems can quickly lower the ambient air temperature. However, reaching ideal core product temperature, especially on inner pallets, without damaging some product with under- or over-cooling is a cold chain challenge.
Intelgistics says cycle times are usually extended beyond what is necessary, resulting in excess power consumption and loss of productivity. The InteliCool system was created to address this challenge by fully automating the Start, Stop, Swap and Move stages of the precooling process. Eliminating the guesswork from the process with automation results in shorter cycle times, lower power consumption and increased throughput, it says.
“Recent updates to InteliCool now use artificial intelligence and machine learning to correlate ambient air, product core, and supply and return air temperatures to optimize cooler efficiency and preserve product quality,” Fleming adds.
“We’re seeing cycle time reductions in excess of 10 minutes, and overall efficiency gains of up to 33%,” says Eric Kithinji, vice president of operations and engineering. “InteliCool can be installed on virtually any tunnel, tube or MAC system. The ROI payback is averaging 4.8 months, and the increased throughput means some companies can delay or avoid CapEx costs for additional equipment.”
“While efficiency gains and cost savings in cooling operations are impressive, the real game-changer for growers, packers and shippers is having more high-quality product to sell,” Fleming says.
