Abstract
Based on the results of the fundamental experiments in laboratory described in the previous paper, CA plant of semi-practical scale was designed and installed. The pilot equipment is composed of a storeroom, a tower, an aerator, a pump and a pool.
The storeroom is equipped with a unit for the cooling of stored materials and a fun for the circulation of the storage atmosphere, individually. The tower is used for the scrubbing of atmosphere by means of water. The aerator is used for the renewing of water.
With this CA system, there are used a large amount of water than conventional water-scrubber. The storage atmosphere that was scrubbed by means of circulated water was maintenance stably proper O2 and CO2 levels. A part of current water that was pumped up was bypassed to the tower and a part of it was bypassed to the aerator.
The atmosphere was circulated between the tower and the storeroom.
At first in operation of the equipment, N2 gas was introduced into the storeroom to reduce the O2 content. The respiration rate of the products was reduced as a result. The most part of CO2 produced by their respiration was removed by water in the tower. The O2 of their respiration in the storeroom during the storage was supplied from current water in the tower, simultaneously.
Tests on prolonging of the storage lives of the fruits were carried out by using this equipment. It was found that O2 and CO2 concentration within atmospheric gases in the storeroom were maintained stably during the storage and the products were kept long and safely.
It is assumed that this closed CA system by means of water and nitrogen is able to be applied to commercial storage.
