Ripening/Storage Room with Reversible Air Flow

Abstract

The invention relates to a ripening and/or storage room for produce, including fruit and/or vegetables, more particularly for bananas, and a method for storing and ripening such produce. The invention relates to the construction of said ripening and/or storage room to achieve substantially symmetrical distribution of the heat across the load stacked in room space during ripening/store periods using reversible air flow through the room.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Reversible air flow in industrial ripening/storage rooms has long been used for cooling, heating and homogenizing a varied assortment of products. The reversibility of air flow is typically desirable because when cooling/heating a product to a predetermined temperature in an air flow, a temperature gradient forms across the product with the upwind edge (air outlet side) of the product experiencing a substantially higher/lower temperature than the downwind edge (air inlet side). The temperature gradient exists because the air flow loses (or gains) heat as it traverses the product.

While the use of reverse air flow ripening rooms is particularly desirable, several characteristics of the prior art reverse air flow ripening rooms prove to be somewhat undesirable. For example, present reverse air flow ripening/storage rooms fail to provide symmetric heat exchange (cooling/heating) profiles for both directions of air flow. Further, because it is desirable to provide a substantially symmetrical path for the air flow, present reversible air flow ripening/storage rooms route the air flow non-symmetrically across the product by reversing the air circulation mechanism, such as fans. This inherently leads to asymmetric profiles even though the air flow path may be symmetric. The asymmetric profile results from the air circulation mechanism, the fan(s), having a diminished capacity to move air in one direction versus the other. Reversing the air circulation mechanism can also result in other considerations becoming more relevant. Typically, one direction provides a suitable heat exchange profile based on:

• • 1. a full efficiency of air fans (high performance air fans are designed for efficient work in one direction only);
  • 2. a certain position of the air fans relative to the heat exchanger (before or behind the heat exchanger) guarantees an effective and even air flow pattern through the air cooler surface;
  • 3. a certain position of the air fans in a ripening/storage room guarantees an even air flow pattern through the goods (load) placed in boxes on pallets in the room; and
  • 4. efficiency of an air barrier installed in the room (an air barrier forces the air to flow through the load placed in boxes and on pallets), while the opposite direction exhibits a substantial decrease in the heat exchange profile, often this decrease in the profile may be fifty percent or even higher.

In particular, power usage and the process of reversing the air flow must be carefully examined. For example, the volume of air circulating in industrial rooms necessarily requires circulation fans of substantial size which draw substantial amounts of electrical power. Simple reversible (symmetrical) air fans used for rooms consume about 50 to 60% more power to build up substantial air flow in both directions than high performance air fans designed for efficient work in one direction only, for the same air performance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a ripening/storage room having reversible air flow capability for ripening and/or storing a product such as fruit and/or vegetables. The ripening/storage room may be operably connected to a cooling/heat source for achieving a predetermined temperature within the ripening/storage room. Fan(s) may be used to circulate air within an Air Moving Unit, or “AMU”. A loading space of the ripening/storage room receives the load. Operational openings (such as vent holes, windows, ducts and/or air ducts) direct the circulating air through the ripening/storage room. The circulating air may follow a continuous path through the AMU, operational openings and the loading space of the ripening/storage room. A reversible heat exchanger or reversible air fan system and/or a pair of air reversing components (e.g., flaps, swing dampers, revolving dampers, louvre dampers, slide dampers, vertical dampers, or the like) may be positioned in the continuous path to enable reversal of the direction of the continuous path of the air flow. When the heat exchanger, air fans, and operational openings are in a first configuration, air circulates in a first direction. When the heat exchanger, air fans, and operational openings are in a second configuration, the air circulates in the opposite direction.

These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawings, which form an integral part of the specification, are to be read in conjunction therewith, and like reference numerals are employed to designate identical components in the various views:

FIG. 1 depicts a diagonal cross view of an empty two tier ripening/storage unit.

FIG. 2 depicts a diagonal view of a fully loaded two tier ripening/storage unit.

FIG. 3a depicts a diagonal view of the AMU (2) adjacent to the ripening/storage room (1) with rotatable air cooler (3) wherein air flow is in the normal direction.

FIG. 3b depicts an AMU (2) with the rotatable air cooler (3) wherein air flow is in the normal direction.

FIG. 3c depicts rotation of the air cooler (3) in the ripening/storage room (1) with a rotatable air cooler (3) from the normal to reverse position and vice versa.

FIG. 3d depicts a diagonal view of the ripening/storage room (1) with rotatable air cooler (3) after rotation from the normal to the reverse air flow mode.

FIG. 3e depicts a side view of an AMU (2) with the rotatable air cooler (3) with reverse air flow.

FIG. 4a depicts a cross-section of the AMU (2) with the rotatable air fans (23) with normal air flow.

FIG. 4b depicts a cross-section of the AMU (2) with the rotatable air fans (23) during rotation.

FIG. 4c depicts a cross-section of the AMU (2) with the rotatable air fans (23) with reverse air flow.

FIG. 5a depicts a diagonal view of the ripening/storage room (1) with the AMU (2) located on the roof.

FIG. 5b depicts a diagonal view of the ripening/storage room (1) with the AMU (2) located behind the loading space of the ripening/storage room (1).

FIG. 6a depicts a cross-section view of the AMU (2) with air fans (23) located before the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 6b depicts a cross-section view of the AMU (2) with air fans located behind the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 6c depicts a cross-section of the vertical AMU (2) located behind the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) with air fans (23) located before or behind the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 7a depicts a front view of the ripening/storage unit wherein a principle of an air flow through the load (4) in a “normal” air direction is shown.

FIG. 7b depicts a front view of the ripening/storage unit wherein a working principle of the air flow through the load (4) in a “reverse” air direction is shown.

FIG. 8a depicts a diagonal view of one embodiment of the AMU (2) wherein a principle of the air flow inside the AMU (2) in a “normal” air direction is shown.

FIG. 8b depicts a diagonal view of one embodiment of the AMU (2) wherein a principle of the air flow inside the AMU (2) in a “reverse” air direction is shown.

FIG. 9 depicts a front cross view of one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising four swing dampers (25, 26).

FIG. 10 depicts a front cross view of one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising two swing dampers (27).

FIG. 11 depicts a view of one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising three butterfly revolving dampers (30, 31).

FIG. 12 depicts a front cross view of one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising louvre (multiflap) dampers (33, 34).

FIG. 13 depicts a front cross view of one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising slide dampers (36).

FIG. 14a depicts one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit comprising swing vertical dampers (flaps) (38, 39) installed inside the AMU (2), wherein air flow is in a “normal” direction.

FIG. 14b depicts one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit with the swing vertical dampers (flaps) (38, 39) installed inside the AMU (2), wherein the air flow is in a “reverse” direction.

FIG. 15a depicts one embodiment of the ripening/storage unit with the AMU (2) connected to a ripening/storage room (1) via the air duct system, wherein the air flow in a “normal” direction.

FIG. 15b depicts one embodiment of the air reversing component of a ripening/storage unit with the AMU (2) connected to ripening/storage room (1) via an air duct system, wherein the air flow is in a “reverse” direction.

FIG. 15c depicts a side view of the AMU (2) connected with the ripening/storage room (1) via an air duct system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also, in the following description, it is to be understood that terms such as front, back, inside, outside, and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Terminology used in this patent is not meant to be limiting insofar as devices described herein, or portions thereof, may be attached or utilized in other orientations. Referring in more detail to the drawings, an embodiment of the invention will now be described.

As used herein, the term “Air Movement Unit, or “AMU” refers to a unit primarily responsible for achieving and/or maintaining the temperature of air distributed to the ripening/storage room. By “air,” it is meant any fluid that circulates inside the ripening/store room during controlled atmosphere storage. By “circulation,” it is meant blowing (or drawing) of air through the system, including, for example, a load (4) stacked inside a ripening/storage room through air intakes/air outlets and then guiding it through a part of the ripening/storage room comprising machinery. As used herein, the term “Controlled Atmosphere” means air maintained at a particular predetermined atmosphere. For example, a control atmosphere used for “green transport” (such as that for the transport of green bananas) may comprise N₂ at about 88.0%, O₂ at about 6.0%, and CO₂ at about 6.0%. As used herein, “Normal Air” generally comprises N₂ at about 78%, O₂ at about 21% and CO₂ at about 0.035%.

As shown in the Figures, the AMU (1) may comprise an air cooler (3) that may comprise a heat exchanger (24), air fans (23), air shutters, and auxiliary equipment. The AMU (1) may be built in the form of a closed housing connected to a loading/operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) through a system of operational openings in the form of vent holes, doors, windows, a system of air ducts, or the like. The AMU (2) may be installed on the roof of the ripening/storage room (1), or at the rear end of it behind the loading space. According to the invention, air may be cooled (or heated) and guided across a load (4). Load (4) may comprise product, such as fruit and/or vegetables, or the like. Product may be placed in boxes and loaded on the pallets in essentially the horizontal direction to form the load (4). Air may then be circulated through the load (4).

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of the disclosed storage/ripening unit. The storage/ripening unit may comprise a ripening/storage room (1) where goods may be loaded in; an Air Movement Unit, or “AMU” (2), here located on the roof of the ripening/storage room (1) where the active parts of the system may be located; an air cooler (3); and other optional technical installations. The AMU (2) may be connected with the ripening/storage room (1) via one or more operational openings.

FIG. 2 depicts a diagonal view of one embodiment of the storage/ripening unit. The ripening/storage room (1) may include a floor (12), a rear wall (11), a ceiling (10), two side walls (9), and a front wall (14). The front wall (14) may be provided with a door (13) which can be opened to enable access to a load (4) in the ripening/storage room (1). The walls, door, and ceiling may be insulated and/or may comprise sandwich panels or similar material and, together with the floor (12) and the AMU (2), may form a substantially air-tight housing for treating a load (4) that may comprise product during storage or ripening as will be discussed below. The AMU (2) is responsible for achieving and/or maintaining the temperature of air distributed to the ripening/storage room (1), and may be located on the roof (10) of the ripening/storage room (1). The ripening/storage room (1) and AMU (2) together constitute a storage/ripening unit wherein both elements may be operably connected to each other via operational openings (7, 8), which may comprise suction or blowing operational openings (41, 42, 43, 44). A high performance air cooler (3) comprising a heat exchanger (24) and air fans (23) and air shutters (5, 6) may be the main components of the AMU (2).

Product (for example, fruits and/or vegetables) may be loaded in boxes and stacked on pallets/boxes (collectively, the “load” (4)) in the so-called “tight stack” manner, wherein air gaps among boxes and pallets may be substantially absent. In this aspect, pallets stacked tightly to each other may form a wall-like construction such that operational air pushed by fans may be forced to flow through the load (4). The ripening/storage room, in accordance with this invention, may be built in a variety of sizes depending on the capacity desired. The ripening/storage room (1) shown in the drawing (FIGS. 1 and 2) is a two tier construction sized to “house” four rows of palletized product, each containing pallets.

FIG. 3a depicts a diagonal cross-section of the AMU (2) wherein a direction change of the operational air may be made via rotation of the air cooler (3) of about 180 degrees. In this aspect, the direction of the operational air through the air cooler (3) may stay the same. The source of the air intake may be from the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) into the AMU (2) through suction operational openings (7) that may be located in center of the AMU (2), wherein the air then passes the air cooler (3) and leaves the AMU (2) through blowing operational openings (8) that may be located on both sides of the AMU (2).

FIG. 3d depicts a cross-section view of one embodiment of the AMU (2) after a change of air direction and rotation of the air cooler (3) of about 180 degrees. The air is sucked from the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) into the AMU (2) through suction operational openings (8), past the air cooler (3), and leaves the AMU (2) through blowing operational openings (7).

In a reversing the air flow in the system shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and 3e, the air may pass the air cooler (3) in one direction only, such that the operational pattern of the design is symmetrical in both flow directions.

FIG. 4a together with the FIGS. 4b and 4c depict a ripening/storage room with a rotatable frame comprising air fans. In this aspect, a heat exchanger (24) may be fixed to the ripening/storage room (1) and air fans (23) may be erected on a rotatable frame that may turn periodically at an angle of about 180° to reverse direction of the air flow. The direction of the air through air fans may stay the same.

The reversible system with rotatable air fans frame shown in the figures may create some asymmetry of cooling/heating during operation in the normal vs. reverse direction. This may be compensated for by intelligent process management.

FIG. 5a depicts a diagonal view of the storage/ripening unit wherein the AMU (2) is located on the roof (10) of the ripening/storage room (1).

FIG. 5b depicts a diagonal view of one embodiment of the storage/ripening unit wherein the AMU (2) may be located behind the rear wall (11) of the ripening/storage room (1).

FIG. 6a depicts a cross-section view of one embodiment of the storage/ripening unit wherein the AMU (2) may be located on the roof (10) of the ripening/storage room (1) and the air fans (23) of the air cooler (3) may be located before the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 6b depicts a cross-section view of one embodiment of the storage/ripening unit wherein the AMU (2) may be located on the roof (10) of the ripening/storage room (1) and the air fans (23) of the air cooler (3) may be located behind the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 6c depicts a cross-section view of one embodiment of the storage/ripening unit wherein the AMU (2) may be located behind the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1). As shown on the left sketch, the air fans (23) of the air cooler (3) may be located in front of the heat exchanger (24). As shown on the right sketch, the air fans (23) of the air cooler (3) may be located behind the heat exchanger (24).

FIG. 7a depicts a front cross view of the storage/ripening unit showing therein the principle of air flow in a “normal” direction. As used herein, the air direction wherein air passes pallets flowing in a direction from walls of the ripening/storage room (1) to the center of the ripening/storage room is called the “normal” direction. The opposite direction is called the “reverse” direction. The normal direction of the air is a direction where the air passes the load (4) in a direction from the room wall (9) to the room center (19). The supply air (21) compressed by air fans (23) and cooled down (heated up) by an air heat exchanger (24) flows from the AMU (2) down through operation openings (8a) to a free space (18) between the room wall (9) and the palletized load (4). From this space, due to a pressure difference which exists over the pallets, the air (16a) passes the palletized load (4) to a free space in room center (19) between the pallet rows and then is sucked up (16b, 22) through a suction operational opening (7a) to the AMU (2).

FIG. 7b depicts a front view of the storage/ripening unit showing therein the principle of air flow in a “reverse” direction. In this (reverse) direction, the air (17a, 17b) passes the load (4) in a direction from the room center (19) to the room wall (9). The supply air (21), compressed by the air fans (23) and cooled down/heated up by the air heat exchanger (24), flows from the AMU (2) down through a window (8b) to a space in the room center (19) between both rows of palletized load (4). From this space (19), due to a pressure difference which exists over the pallets, the air passes the palletized load (4) to a free space between the load (4) and the room walls (9), and from this space it is sucked up through a suction operational opening (7b) to the AMU (2).

FIG. 8a depicts a diagonal view of the AMU (2) showing the principle of air flow in the “normal” direction. The arrows show the air sucked from the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) through the suction operational opening (7a) located in the room center (19). The air sucked by the air fans (23) passes (cross) the air cooler (3) and then leaves the AMU (2) through the two blowing operational openings (8a) located on the sides of the room roof (10) to the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1).

FIG. 8b depicts a diagonal view of the AMU (2) showing the principle of air flow in the “reverse” direction. The arrows show air sucked from the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) through the two suction operational openings (7a) located on both sides in the suction part of the AMU (2). The air sucked by the air fans (23) of the air cooler (3) passes (cross) the air cooler (3) and then leaves the AMU (2) through the blowing operational opening (8b) located in center of the room roof (10) to the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1).

FIG. 9 depicts a front cross view of the storage/ripening unit comprising four swing dampers/flaps (25, 26). The upper drawing shows a situation where the center operational openings (7a, 8b) are closed by a pair of dampers (26) and both side dampers/air windows (25, 7a, 8a) are opened. The air can flow through open side dampers (25) from the operational space of the ripening/storage room (1) to the AMU (2), as well as from the AMU back to the space of the ripening/storage room (1). The lower sketch depicts a situation wherein both side dampers (25) are closed (thereby blocking air flow) and the damper pair in the center (26) is open. In such a situation, the air can flow from the space of the ripening/storage room (1) to the AMU (2) or in the opposite direction.

FIG. 10 depicts a cross front view of the storage/ripening unit comprising two swing dampers/shutters (27) that can turn around their pivots by about 180 degrees. On the upper sketch, the dampers close the center operational openings (7a, 8b), and at the same time both side operational openings (7b, 8a) are open. The air can flow through the opened side openings/windows from the space of the ripening/storage room (1) to the AMU (2) space or in an opposite direction. The lower sketch depicts dampers in a position wherein the side operational openings/windows (7b, 8a) are closed and the center operational openings (7a, 8b) are open. In this damper position, the air has free flow through the center operational openings (7a, 8b) in the open position while at the same time, the side operational openings (7b, 8a) are closed and the flow of the air through the side operational openings (7b, 8a) is blocked.

FIG. 11 depicts a front cross view of the apparatus comprising revolver (butterfly) dampers (30, 31). The upper sketch depicts a situation wherein the center operational openings (7a, 8b) may be closed by a revolving damper (31) and both side operational openings (7b, 8a) may be opened; here both side dampers (30) are in a “vertical” position. The air can flow from the ripening/storage room (1) space into the AMU (2) space or in the opposite direction. On the lower sketch, both side dampers (30) are closed and the center damper (31) is opened to allow air to flow in the manner shown.

FIG. 12 depicts a front cross view of the storage/ripening unit comprising louver dampers (multi-flap dampers) (33, 34). As on the sketches before, the upper sketch shows a situation where both operational openings (7b, 8a) on the side are open and the air can flow freely from the ripening/storage room (1) space into AMU (2) as well as from the AMU (2) to the ripening/storage room (1) space. At the same time, the opening in the center may be closed so that air flow through is blocked. The lower sketch depicts the opposite situation wherein the center operational opening may be open while both side operational openings may be closed.

FIG. 13 depicts a cross view of the storage/ripening unit comprising slide shutters (36). The upper sketch shows a situation where both shutters (36) are in an outer end position and both operational openings (7b, 8a) on the sides may be closed; at the same time the operational openings in the center (7a, 8b) may be fully open. The air can flow in the center from the ripening/storage room (1) space to the AMU (2) or from the AMU (2) to the ripening/storage room (1) space. The lower sketch shows the opposite situation where the slide shutters (36) may be closed in the center so that the center operational openings (7a, 8b) may be closed; at the same time, both side operational openings (7b, 8a) may be open such that air may flow though in both directions.

FIG. 14a depicts a top view of the AMU (2) comprising vertical swing shutters (38, 39). The top sketch shows a situation where both shutters (38) in front of the air cooler (3) close the outer suction operational openings (7b); at the same time, the center suction operational opening (7a) may be open. At the same time, the shutters (39) behind the air cooler (3) are closed in center, so that center blowing operational opening (8b) may be closed and the both blowing openings/windows (8a) on the sides are open. The operation air is sucked from the ripening/storage room (1) through the center operational opening (7a) passing the air cooler (3), and then leaves the AMU (2) through openings/windows (8a) on the sides. This direction is a “normal” air direction where the air pass the load stacked in the ripening/storage room (1) in a direction from wall to the room center (19).

FIG. 14b depicts a top view of the AMU (2) comprising vertical swing shutters (38, 39). The top sketch shows a situation where the shutters (38) located before the air cooler (3) close the center suction operational opening (7a); at the same time, the side suction operational openings (7b) may be open. At the same time, the shutters (39) located behind the air cooler (3) close the center blowing operational opening (8b) and both side blowing operational openings (8a) may be closed. The operation air is sucked from the ripening/storage room (1) through the side operational openings (7b) past the air cooler (3) and then leaves the AMU (2) through center operational opening (8b). This direction is a “reverse” air direction where the air passes the load stacked in the ripening/storage room in a direction from room center (19) to the room walls.

FIGS. 15a, 15b and 15c depict cross-section views of the AMU (2) built as a separate unit on the roof of a ripening room. Connection with ripening room is made through a system of air ducts. The inside of the AMU (2) may be similar to that described above and shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The difference between this construction and constructions described before is that in this aspect, the AMU may be a separately air tight box without direct connection (operational openings) to the ripening/storage room (1). In this aspect, the AMU (2) may lay on the roof of the ripening/storage room (1) and have a sole connection through said air duct system.

ANNEX—FIGURES ON DRAWINGS

• • 1. Ripening/storage room
  • 2. Air Management Unit (AMU)
  • 3. Air Cooler
  • 4. Load (e.g., banana pallets)
  • 5. Dampers (door side)
  • 6. Dampers (rear side)
  • 7. Suction operational openings (windows)
    • a—in center
    • b—on side
  • 8. Blowing operational openings (windows)
    • a—on side
    • b—in center
  • 9. Room walls
  • 10. Room ceiling
  • 11. Rear wall of the room
  • 12. Floor
  • 13. Room door
  • 14. Front wall
  • 15. Air bags
  • 16. Air flow (normal direction)
    • a—inlet
    • b—outlet
  • 17. Air flow (reverse direction)
    • a—inlet
    • b—outlet
  • 18. Space on wall side
  • 19. Space in room center
  • 20. ===
  • 21. Supply air
  • 22. Return air
  • 23. Air fans
  • 24. Heat exchanger
  • 25. Side swing dampers (4 piece system)
  • 26. Central swing dampers (4 piece system)
  • 27. Swing dampers (2 piece system)
  • 28. ===
  • 29. ===
  • 30. Revolver dampers (side)
  • 31. Revolver damper (center)
  • 32. ===
  • 33. Louvre dampers (side)
  • 34. Louvre damper (center)
  • 35. ===
  • 36. Slide dampers
  • 37. ===
  • 38. Vertical dampers (suck side)
  • 39. Vertical dampers (blow side)
  • 40. ===
  • 41. air duct (suck & center)
  • 42. air duct (suck & side)
  • 43. air duct (suck & side)
  • 44. air duct (suck & center)

Claims

1. A storage/ripening unit comprising:

(a) a storage/ripening room; and

(b) an air management unit comprising an air cooler comprising at least one fan and at least one heat exchanger;

said storage/ripening room being operably connected to said air management unit via at least two operational openings;

wherein said air movement unit is capable of providing substantially symmetrical air flow; and

wherein said air movement unit is capable of reversing the direction of said symmetrical air flow through said storage/ripening room.

2. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least two operational openings are operably connected to at least one air reversing component, said air reversing component capable of reversibly blocking said at least one operational openings.

3. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least two operational openings are operably connected to at least one air reversing component, said air reversing component capable of reversibly blocking said at least two operational openings.

4. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 2, wherein said at least one air reversing component is selected from swing dampers, revolver dampers, louvre dampers, slide dampers, vertical dampers, air ducts, and combinations thereof.

5. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, said direction of air flow being selected from a normal air flow and a reverse air flow,

wherein said normal air flow is in a direction flowing from the storage/ripening room walls to the storage/ripening room center; and

wherein said reverse air flow is in a direction flowing from the storage/ripening room center to the storage/ripening room walls.

6. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least two operational openings comprise at least one suction side operational opening, at least one blowing side operational opening, at least one suction center operational opening, and at least one blowing center operational opening.

7. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 6, wherein said direction of air flow is selected from a normal air flow and a reverse air flow,

wherein said normal air flow flows from the storage/ripening room through said at least one center suction operational openings; and

wherein said reverse air flow flows from the at least one side blowing operational opening.

8. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said air movement unit is located on the roof of said room.

9. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said air movement unit is located at the rear of said room behind a loading space.

10. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said reversing the direction of air flow results from rotation of said heat exchanger and said at least one air fan.

11. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said reversing of air flow results from rotation of a frame comprising said at least one air fan.

12. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said air fans are placed before or behind said heat exchanger.

13. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 1, wherein said air movement unit is operably connected to a loading space of said room by an operational opening selected from vent holes, windows, or combination thereof, wherein said opening is capable of being opened or closed by revolving or sliding of air dampers, thereby reversing the direction of air flow.

14. A storage/ripening unit comprising

(a) a storage/ripening room;

(b) an air management unit comprising an air cooler comprising at least one air fan and at least one heat exchanger, said air cooler being capable of being reversed by 180 degrees;

(c) at least two center operational openings connecting said storage/ripening room and said air management unit;

(d) at least four side operational openings connecting said storage/ripening room and said air management unit; and

(e) at least two air reversing components capable of reversibly blocking said center and said side operational openings;

wherein said storage/ripening unit comprises a first configuration of said heat exchanger, said air fan, and said operational openings such that air circulates in a first direction; and

wherein said storage/ripening unit comprises a second configuration of said heat exchanger, said air fan, and said operational openings such that air circulates in a second direction.

15. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 14, having a first configuration wherein said center operational openings are reversibly closed by said air reversing component, and said side operational openings are reversibly open by said air reversing component, such that the air flow is in a first direction.

16. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 14, having a second configuration wherein said center operational openings are reversibly open by said air reversing component, and said side operational openings are reversibly closed by said air reversing component, such that the air flow is in a second direction.

17. A storage/ripening unit according to claim 14, wherein said air reversing component is selected from a swing damper, a revolving damper, a louver damper, a slide shutter, a vertical swing shutter, an air duct, and combinations thereof.

18. A method of ripening and/or storing product comprising the step of placing said product in a storage/ripening unit according to claim 1.

19. A method of ripening and/or storing product according to claim 18, wherein said product comprises produce.

20. A method of ripening and/or storing product according to claim 18, wherein said product comprises bananas.