ACR storage system measures and controls itself

The Advanced Control of Respiration storage system by Van Amerongen CA Technology will see a grand introduction in the fruit sector in the upcoming storage season. The 'smart' ARC technology measures the respiration values of the apples through sensors in the cold store, and adjusts these itself if necessary. Niels Remmelink of Van Amerongen in the NFO Fruit newsletter: "We measure all apples based on respiration, that is the RQ value (CO2 production divided by O2 intake)."

Then the system makes automatic adjustments. "With other systems, only a warning follows." Of course the grower/cooler is also notified when settings are adjusted. According to growers and Van Amerongen, better firmness and shelf life is thus achieved, and users of the system report energy savings of about 25 percent.

Will SmartFresh become redundant? Time will tell. The system can be realized reasonably simply in existing, gas-tight cold stores, since it concerns the installation of the base station, and the installation of the sensors. Soon, Van Amerongen starts with the integration of the system at forty cold store at Belgian cooperative BelOrta.

Source: NFO Fruit