Abstract: The method allows cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle produce requiring more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions. Each load of produce is held in the sea container or cool room but in a sealed periphery from the air of the refrigerated environment. The atmosphere within the sealed periphery is then circulated so as to pass through the load and around it via ducts provided adjacent the sealed periphery. Heat exchange between the circulating gas and the refrigerated environment serves to cool the load. However, if cooling is excessive a heating element can be used to raise the temperature of the circulating atmosphere.

Abstract: The invention allows cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle produce requiring more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions, e.g., vegetables and fruits requiring temperatures in the chilling range and often also needing control or modification of the atmosphere. Each load of produce (100) (e.g. of pallet size) is held in the sea container or cool room but is sealed from the air of the refrigerated environment by, for example, a plastics bag (56). The atmosphere within the bag is then circulated by a fan (12) (or by convection currents from a heating element) so as to pass through the load and around it via ducts (30) provided adjacent the bag (56). Heat exchange (50) between the circulating gas and the refrigerated environment, via the plastics film, serves to cool the load. However, if cooling is excessive a heating element can be used to raise the temperature of the circulating atmosphere. Gas composition of the atmosphere can be controlled by scrubbing, flushing, etc.

Abstract: To transport and/or store produce, individual refrigeration units are provided for palletised packages. A load of produce (201) is enclosed by packaging which acts as a gas barrier, e.g., a plastics bag (2), corrugated cardboard, etc. The packaging may optionally also include insulation (200). In one option the refrigeration unit is in or on the pallet (3). The gas flow across the evaporator (15 (i.e., the flow internal to the gas barrier) is kept separate from the gas flow across the condenser (10) (which flow results in heating of the ambient air) by such measures as physical separation of condenser and evaporator and ducting or channels in the pallet. In another option the refrigeration unit sits on the produce. In this case separation of the gas flows may be achieved by sealing of the barrier (e.g., clamping of the mouth of a plastic bag by an O-ring) to a flange encircling the condenser.

Abstract: Method for storing and maintaining produce under controlled conditions in a transport container (5) during transportation. Nitrogen-rich gas and carbon dioxide gas are supplied to the container when required by a compact and efficient system wherein the nitrogen gas is generated from the ambient air surrounding the container using an air splitter (35) and the carbon-dioxide is generated from a store of dry-ice (40).