Computational fluid dynamic study of thermal effects of open doors of refrigerated vehicles
Xiang Zhang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Search for more papers by this authorJia-Wei Han
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jian-Ping Qian
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Correspondence
Xin-Ting Yang, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Jian-Ping Qian, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorYi-Zhong Wang
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Search for more papers by this authorLin Wang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xin-Ting Yang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Correspondence
Xin-Ting Yang, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Jian-Ping Qian, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorXiang Zhang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Search for more papers by this authorJia-Wei Han
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jian-Ping Qian
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Correspondence
Xin-Ting Yang, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Jian-Ping Qian, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorYi-Zhong Wang
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Search for more papers by this authorLin Wang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
College of Electronic Information and Automation, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300222, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xin-Ting Yang
Department of Intelligent Systems, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
Laboratory of Cold Chain Environment simulation, National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-product Quality Traceability, Beijing 100097, China
Correspondence
Xin-Ting Yang, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Jian-Ping Qian, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: National Key R&D Program of China, Grant/Award Number: 2016YFD0401205; R&D Innovation Platform Program of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Grant/Award Number: KYCXPT201723
Abstract
In this work, we use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to compare the advantages and disadvantages of various door geometries by looking at how open doors of four different door geometries affect the stability of the temperature inside a refrigerated vehicle during unloading. The results show that, with opening D1 and D2, D3 and D4, D1, D4, the temperature increases from 4 °C to 22.34, 22.65, 20.39, and 21.32 °C after 4 min, respectively. The coefficients of temperature variation are .009, .011, .015, and .014, respectively. The volume infiltration flow rates are 2.202, 2.189, 0.983, and 0.961 m3/s, respectively. Comparing the coefficients shows that opening the D1D2 doors does not significantly perturb the temperature of the carriage, and opening the D1 door modifies the temperature less than opening the D4 door. The maximum root-mean-square error for volume mean temperature and wind speed is 1.21 °C and 0.27 m/s, respectively.
Practical applications
In urban cold-chain delivery and distribution, the main solution to maintain temperature stability on opening the doors is to limit the number of doors and their area relative to the volume of the refrigerated vehicle. As a result, it is very important to optimize the structural design of refrigerated vehicles to reduce energy consumption, enhance temperature stability inside the refrigerated compartment, and ensure the quality and safety of the perishable food stored within. In this study, the evaluation index is used with CFD technology to study how open doors of various sizes and at different locations affect the temperature inside the refrigerated vehicle. This research provides not only a more detailed understanding of flow distribution and temperature variations inside the carriage while opening the door of a refrigerated compartment but also a reliable theoretical basis for optimizing the design of refrigerated vehicles.
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