Browsing by Author "Chung, SH"

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    Designing integrated corrugated paperboard packaging systems for enhanced cold treatments.
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02) Chung, SH; Coetzee, CJ; Berry, TM; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is the world's second-largest citrus exporter, and heavily relies on citrus packaging for efficient transportation, protection, and cooling of its produce across the global supply chain. Currently, the South African citrus industry is grappling with stringent phytosanitary cooling regulations, which are exerting considerable pressure on its cold storage infrastructure. The effectiveness of cooling processes is deeply influenced by the design of packaging systems. However, there is a notable lack of a simple, systematic approach to characterising these packaging designs. In response to this challenge, this study introduces a robust method to evaluate airflow resistance in fruit packaging systems, incorporating a circuit model perspective. This innovative approach, which assesses both the overall system and its individual components, offers a practical tool for industry stakeholders. It allows for the effective evaluation and comparison of new packaging designs against existing on(S and provides detailed insights into the impact of each component, within the packaging. This circuit model-based method meets the citrus industry's need for a measurable parameter that helps select market-specific packaging. This packaging must not only adhere to the unique phytosanitary and cold treatment standards for export but also alleviate the stress on the limited cold storage facilities. The circuitry model approach was applied using numerical simulations on a conceptual basis and validated using experimental data. The process then followed experimental characterisations. A survey of the industry was performed, whereafter the pallet stack is described in terms of its ventilation to capture the effect of changing the design quantitatively and resistance to airflow. New carton designs were recommended based on their lower resistance to airflow values, which would allow fruit to cool faster, and increase the throughput of the fruit. It was found that the circuitry model could be adequately used to predict the performance of a full pallet based on the comprised components, such as using the resistance of a layer of the pallet stack. This innovative method could be used in the future to rapidly develop new designs that could optimise the performance testing, and performance of a pallet stack in terms of its resistance to airflow (RTA). The RTA was found to be a good metric for which the standardisation of the performance of pallet stacks using common packaging designs could be found. In addition, the RTA was found to be favourable in terms of the South African context of providing fruit that meet quality and phytosanitary expectations for export markets. The study thus provides an initial performance baseline for the industry's two most commonly exported carton designs, with respect to their components and the whole pallet stack.