The characteristics of cargo temperature rising in reefer container under refrigeration-failure condition

Abstract Marine cold transportation plays an important role in international refrigerated transportation. Reefer container is a significant device in marine cold chain. However, affected by the variable sea environmental conditions and other ocean-going factors, the refrigeration system of reefer container may sometimes suddenly fail. If so, the internal cargo temperature cannot maintain at the setting range, and the cargo will be easily ruined. In order to analyze the influence of unit failure on the chilled/refrigerated cargo, and investigate the trend and reason of temperature rise of cargo, a simulation model is created and an experimental setup is established. Through the simulation and experimental methods, the interior temperature change of cargo stacks at different positions in reefer container is monitored and studied. Meanwhile, the distribution of air flow field and its influence on the temperature change of cargo stacks is analyzed. The results show that, the temperature of cargo stacks closed to the air inlet and outlet will rise relatively fast, as the stronger intensity of surface heat transfer and amount of heat permeation from outside. Moreover, the temperature change rate of cargo in different positions within the same stack is also different.