Principles of cold storage maintenance
Cold storage maintenance guarantees the health and quality of the products(food, medicine,etc.) stored in it. Both those who have large cold storages and cold rooms and those who have small ones should be aware of the principles of cold storage maintenance.
In this article, Palmore International explains to you all the tips and solutions for taking care of the cold storage in its different types.
1- Evaporator daily check
The evaporator is located inside the cold warehouse and has the task of taking the heat of the products. The first step in cold storage maintenance is checking the evaporator health on a daily basis. In the daily inspection of the evaporator, you should pay attention to its sound, the amount of air coming out of it, the air temperature, the absence of water and oil leakage, the absence of mold, etc.
If the evaporator is working with a loud and unusual noise, the air coming out of it is hot or the amount of outgoing air is reduced, water is dripping or oil is clogging the pipes, parts of the evaporator are covered with frost, etc., you must take the necessary measures to solve the problem.
Note that today’s evaporators have a defrost system and it usually melts after the amount of frost on the blades reaches 6 mm. If the frost does not melt automatically, you should troubleshoot the evaporator.
Read this article : How to increase your cold storage efficiency?
2-Use a professional thermometer
The second step in cold storage maintenance is about the thermometer. To ensure the correct operation of the refrigerator sensor, you can use another professional thermometer to measure the coldness of the refrigerator, and if the two values measured by the thermometer and the refrigerator sensor differ, you must calibrate the refrigerator sensor. Otherwise, all products will be spoiled.
3-Check the humidity level of the cold room
The third step in cold storage maintenance is checking the humidity level which is as important as the temperature for the products stored in the cold storage. So that if the humidity rises above the standard, it will cause mold and damage. For this reason, it is very important to check the humidity level of the cold room daily and instantly. In most cold rooms, digital hygrometers are used, but in order to control the accuracy of the accurate measurement of the hygrometer itself, you must use accurate and professional hygrometers. If there is a discrepancy between the humidity levels of the two devices, it is necessary to calibrate the hygrometer or replace it.
4-Check the walls, ceiling and floor of the cold room
The fourth step in cold storage maintenance is eliminating ice from the walls, ceiling and floor of the cold room. If you are using the cold room to store fruits and vegetables, there should not be any pile of ice in any part of the walls, floor and ceiling of the cold room. There should not be any amount of ice on the fruits because it will spoil the fruits.
If you see ice, you should check the temperature sensor, the health of the evaporator and compressor, etc., and make the necessary repairs.
5-Compressor quality control
There are different types of compressors, first you should increase your knowledge about how the compressor works and the characteristics of a healthy compressor, then by checking the amount of noise created by the compressor and the amount of electricity consumed and the amount of cold produced, you can determine whether it is healthy or unhealthy. For example, unhealthy compressors make a lot of noise and overheat, but the amount of cooling produced is not the same. If the compressor and refrigeration equipment of your cold store have a warranty, you can contact the warranty group.
6-Check the refrigerant gas pressure
By checking the refrigerant gas pressure gauges and controllers, make sure of its pressure, and if the pressure has decreased compared to the previous visit period, there will be a possibility of gas leakage, which must be found and repaired.
In some cold stores, liquid glass is used to measure the amount of refrigerant liquid, if your cold store has a liquid refrigerant glass, check its amount and if there are bubbles inside, it indicates refrigerant liquid leakage. You need to find the leak and fix it.
7-Check the fuse and electrical connections
Using a voltmeter, check all the electrical connections and make sure that the proper current is flowing into them. If any part does not receive electricity, find and repair the fault. In some cases, there is a possibility that the fuses may fail, so you should replace the fuse with the cooperation of the cold storage manager.
8-Check the warning system
Every cold storage has a warning and alarm system that announces system deficiencies, for example, when the temperature or humidity goes too high or low, this system will warn. Make sure the health of the alarm system with the help of the electronics manager or the cold room manager. Such a system can exist in any cold store.
9-Check the joint of sandwich panels
If the joints and panel joints are not well sealed and insulated, there is a possibility of moisture penetration into the insulation and its failure. In checking the joints, look for rotting and rusting and swelling of the joints, as well as freezing of the inner and outer parts of the joints, indicates the penetration of moisture and should be repaired.
10-Checking the insulation level of the cold room door
The only part of the cold room that will transfer the produced cold to the outside is its door. To ensure proper insulation of the door and no air exchange, check the rubber seals well and ensure that they are healthy.
Also, make sure that the connections of the door latches are tight. After closing the door, check its sides and make sure that no cold escapes. If it is difficult to open the door again after a while, there is a possibility of freezing on its sides. Usually, the doors of subzero cold stores have electric heaters that prevent the door seams from freezing.
11-Condenser quality check
The last step in cold storage maintenance is related to the condenser.
The condenser is located on the outside of the refrigerator and has the task of cooling the refrigerant. Condensers are usually cooled by a fan or water. In checking the condensers, you should touch the pipes that are hot and the pipes leading to the outlet of the refrigerant should be cooler, which indicates that the condenser is working properly. Its water or air cooling system must work completely healthy and without problems.
Sources: dephna.com
