Numerical modeling of forced-air pre-cooling of fruits and vegetables: A review

Preservation of horticultural produce is vital for quality products to be delivered to customers long after harvest. Product qualities are maintained when field heat is removed. Prompt forced-air cooling (FAC) is preferred for various products to remove this field heat and delay ripening. Packaging modifications are vital in enhancing the FAC process and minimizing energy consumption. The detailed characteristics of fluid flow and heat transfer inside packaging can be best analyzed by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, which helps develop better packaging designs. This comprehensive review highlights various numerical models used to study the pre-cooling process and discusses different evaluation methods for analyzing the performance of FAC processes. The procedure to develop a CFD model for pre-cooling studies is also discussed in detail. The effect of various parameters like vent hole size, shape, airflow velocity, and cooling temperature on cooling efficiency and uniformity is accentuated through literature. Different boundary conditions, new performance parameters, and guidelines for future studies are also deduced. Further, the study emphasizes the importance of multi-parameter analysis in designing better packaging for optimum cooling performance. This study thus demonstrates the use of CFD methods to study the effect of various parameters on pre-cooling performance and energy consumption while simultaneously comparing various packaging designs to find sustainable design solutions for different horticulture products.