Safepod DCA
The SafePodTM regularly tests a 70kg of sample fruit within a CA room to measure both the respiration and the Respiration Quotient (RQ) which can then be used to adjust the room atmosphere to its optimal value.
The SafePodTM is a hermetically sealed enclosure with a stainless steel base and a clear molded cover that sits in a water trough for perfect sealing. A pair of motorised valves and a circulation fan are normally open to maintain the atmosphere within the SafePodTM at the same concentration as the surrounding CA room.
Periodically, under computer control, the valves are closed and the respiration of the fruit consumes oxygen and produces CO2 within the sealed SafePodTM. Gas analyser sensors with very high resolution are built into the SafePodTM and measure the changes in the gas composition over a fixed period of time. The computer then calculates the respiration rate and RQ value.
It is also possible in the isolated mode to reduce the oxygen in the SafePodTM before carrying out the RQ test, thus preventing exposure of the rest of the stored produce to potentially anaerobic conditions.
The ability to store fruit at lower oxygen levels than recommended in the traditional “menu” systems can result in improved fruit quality, reduced scald and a significant reduction in refrigeration power consumption.
The SafePodTM uses a much larger sample of fruit than some alternative methods and does not require new CA equipment or extremely leak tight rooms.
Up to 32 pods can be connected to a single PLC based controller or they can be integrated into an existing SCS6000 CA monitoring and control system.
