This document describes the design and development of a refrigerated fruit ripening chamber. It aims to minimize fruit waste that occurs due to improper ripening methods, exposure to sunlight, and loss of water from fruits. The design focuses on ripening bananas, which require temperatures of 15-18°C. The ripening chamber avoids water loss and minimizes weight loss, increasing the lifespan of bananas by 7-10 days. Key components of the design include a refrigeration system using R134a refrigerant, an evaporator coil, insulation, temperature controller, and controlled release of ethylene gas to stimulate ripening. The system is intended to allow retailers to directly source ripe bananas from farmers at a lower cost than traditional methods.

1. Design and development of refrigerated fruit
ripening chamber
Ajit Suresh Saruk
M.Tech. Mechatronics
VIT University
Chennai, India
email-sajit.suresh2014@vit.ac.in
Abstract - In India, for every 100 kg fruits 20 kg
fruits are wasted due to fruits being exposed to sunrays,
improper method of ripening, loss of water from the fruits.
Hence, there is a need to design a refrigerated chamber which
minimizes all the above stated problems related to fruits. Here
the following design is demonstrated using banana. Generally
banana requires 15o
c to 18o
c temperature for ripening. By
using ripening chamber water loss from banana is being
avoided. Hence the weight loss of banana is also minimized.
Thus life of banana is increased up to 7 to 10 days.
Keywords- ripening chamber, banana, temperature, cost,
quality, heat load
I. INTRODUCTION
India has unique geographical position and also
has different type of soils. So that it is able to produce large
amount of vegetable and fruits. India is becoming a second
ranker in vegetable production and first in fruit production
in the world. India produces plenty of fruits but out of them
25% to 30% fruits are wasted due to wrong method of
preservation and ripening. Its other effects are loss of
water, loss of weight, loss of taste, texture colour etc. In
this article banana is taken as fruit for ripening. In old days
the ripening methods were different. Most of the people
like to use smoke for ripening. The ethylene contains in the
smoke helps to ripe the bananas. But this method does not
have proper control over ripening. This result into the
improper ripening of bananas and causes to deterioration of
bananas and also this production of bananas is not
sufficient keeping the population rate and demand in view.
Cooling is the best way to avoid this problem and increase
the storage life of bananas. As the temperature is low the
deterioration rate is also slow and longer the storage life of
bananas. Cold storage is the special kind of rooms in which
required temperature is achieved by using various machine
and precise instrument. The temperature requirement is
different for different fruits. In actual practise cold storage
rooms are bigger in size. Dealers bring the bananas from
farmers and sell it to the retailers after ripening and
retailers sell it to the customers. This is the cycle through
which customers get the ripe bananas. In this process the
cost of bananas are touching the sky.
For these all problems one better solution is
Portable Ripening Chamber. In ripening chamber the
required temperature for ripening of different fruits can be
achieved. Hence good preservation of fruits is possible.
Another most important consideration is cost. In ripening
method there is no dealer parameter.
Flow chart. 1. Before Portable ripening chamber
Flow chart. 2. After portable ripening chamber
The retailer will directly buy the bananas from farmer at
same cost as of dealer buy it. So the ripe bananas will
directly available to the customer at low prise.
II. RIPENING CHAMBER AND PUSHCART
DESIGN
The standard size of the pushcart available in the
market as per RTO rules are:
Length- 6 feet
Width - 4 feet
Height- 2 feet
By following this standard size the pushcart must be
manufacture.
The refrigerating chamber size after considering
all possible assumptions are:
Length- 6 feet
Width - 4 feet
Farmer
6 to 7 Rs/Kg
Dealer
15 to 17Rs/Kg
Retailer
14 to 15Rs/Kg
Farmer
6 to 7Rs/Kg
Retailer
23 to 25Rs/Kg
Customer
25 to 30Rs/Kg
Customer
40 to 50Rs/Kg

2. Height- 3 feet
Volume= Length*Width*Height =36 cubic feet
Fig. (a)
Fig. (b)
Fig. 1. Design of ripening chamber and pushcart in catia. Fig. (a) front
side view fig. (b) back side view
III. HEAT LOAD CALCULATION
For heat load calculation the complete information
of refrigeration parameter is needed. If the information is
complete then the calculations would be better. It is very
important that calculations should be good enough to select
the refrigeration components.
This is the ambient surrounding the box all-
important for the bulk calculations. Another ambient to be
advised on air cooled projects is the one surrounding the
abbreviating assemblage which will affect accessories
selection. In this article consider the surrounding
temperature is 35 0
C.
The heat load calculations are done by considering
following parameters and it is assumed that the
refrigeration system runs for complete day (24 hours).
A. Transmission Load
Methods of free the bulk of calefaction breeze
through walls, attic and beam are able-bodied established.
This calefaction accretion is anon proportional to the
Temperature Difference (T.D.) amid the two abandon of
the wall. The blazon and array of insulation acclimated in
the bank construction, the alfresco breadth of the bank and
the T.D. amid the two abandon of the bank are the three
factors that authorize the bank load. Manual Loads
calculation-
(L) * (W) * heat load (1)
B. Air Change Load
(1) Average Air Change: If the aperture to a air-
conditioned allowance is opened, balmy alfresco air will
access the room. This air has to be cooled to the air-
conditioned allowance temperature, consistent in an
apparent antecedent of calefaction gain. This bulk is
sometimes alleged the aggression load.
(2) Infiltration through a Fixed Opening: The
aggression consistent from accustomed blast (no wind)
through alien aperture openings. If there is small leakage
or gap between walls and doors then these type of load
come into picture.
Volume (cu. ft) x Factor 1 x Factor 2 (2)
Where,
Factor 1 = Average air changes per 24 hrs for storage
rooms due to door openings & infiltration.
Factor 2=Heat removed in cooling storage room condition.
C. Miscellaneous Load:
Although most of the heat load in a refrigerated
room or freezer is caused by wall heat leakage, air changes
and product cooling or freezing, there are two other heat
sources that should not be overlooked prior to the selection
of the refrigeration equipment. Since the equipment has to
maintain temperature under design conditions, these loads
are generally averaged to a 24 hour period to provide for
capacity during these times.
D. Product Load:
Whenever a product accepting a college
temperature is placed in a refrigerator or freezer room, the
product will lose its calefaction until it alcove the
accumulator temperature. This calefaction bulk consists of
two abstracted components.
1) Specific Heat: The bulk of calefaction that have to be
removed from one batter of product to abate the
temperature of this batter by 1ºF is alleged its specific
heat. It has two ethics one applies if the product is aloft
freezing the additional is applicative afterwards the
product has accomplished its freezing point.

3. 2) Respiration: Fresh fruits and vegetables are alive.
Even in air-conditioned accumulator they accomplish
calefaction which is alleged the calefaction of
respiration. They always abide a change in which
activity is appear in the anatomy of heat, which varies
with the blazon and temperature of the product and are
activated to the absolute weight of product getting
stored and not just the circadian turnover.
Product Load (Sensible):
Sensible (Product Load) lbs /day x Spec. Heat x ºF Temp
Drop (factor) (3)
Product Load (Respiration):
Product load (lbs)*Respiration Factor (4)
Total heat load:
Transmission Load+ Air Change Load+ Product Load =
190.603 W (For one compartment)
For two compartments Heat Load is 381.206 W
COP:
COP of system = heat load ÷ energy supplied
=2.3531
IV. COMPONENTS
A. Compressor
A refrigerant compressor as the name indicates is
an apparatus acclimated to abbreviate the vapour
refrigerant from the evaporator and to accession the burden
so that the agnate assimilation temperature is college than
that of the cooling medium. It as well always circulates the
refrigerant through the refrigerating system. Since the
compression of refrigerant requires some plan to be done
on it, accordingly the compressors are accepted to be
apprenticed by some prime mover. According to the heat
load calculations, the called compressor accepting
specification, like accommodation is 650 BTU/Hr, motor
ascribe is 162 W, voltage ambit is 160 to 250 V.
B. Condenser
A domiciliary refrigerator is a accepted apparatus
that consists of a thermally cloistral alcove and which if
works, transfers calefaction from the central of the alcove
to its alien ambiance so that the central of the thermally
cloistral alcove is cooled to a temperature beneath the
ambient temperature of the room. Calefaction bounce may
action anon to the air in the case of a accepted domiciliary
refrigerator accepting air-cooled condenser.
C. Amplification Accessory (Capillary Tube)
The capillary tube is one of the important
apparatus in a vapour compression algidity system. It is
distinctively acclimated in baby arrangement with
accommodation beneath 10 kW. The amplification
accessory as well accepted as the metering accessory or
throttling accessory it is an important accessory that divides
the top burden ancillary and the low burden ancillary of
refrigerating system. It is abutting amid the receivers
(containing aqueous refrigerant at top pressure) and the
evaporator (containing aqueous refrigerant at low
pressure). It abate top burden aqueous refrigerant to low
burden aqueous refrigerant afore getting fed in to
evaporator. Maintains the adapted burden aberration amid
the top and low burden abandon of the system, so this
aqueous refrigerant vaporize at advised burden in
evaporator. It controls the breeze of refrigerant according
to the amount on the evaporator.
D. Evaporator Coil
The evaporator is acclimated in the low vapour
ancillary of algidity system. The aqueous refrigerant from
the amplification valve enters in to the evaporator area it
boils and changes in to vapour. The action of evaporator is
arresting calefaction from the surrounding area of average
which is cooled, by agency of refrigerant.
Factor affecting the heat transfer capacity of an
evaporator:
 Material: In order to have rapid heat transfer in an
evaporator, the material used for the construction
of an evaporator coil should be a good heat
conductor. The material which is not affected by
the refrigerant must also be select.
 Temperature Difference: The temperature
difference between the refrigerant within the
evaporator and the product to be cooled plays an
important role in the heat transfer capacity of an
evaporator.
 Velocity of refrigerant: The velocity of refrigerant
also affects the heat transfer capacity of an
evaporator. If the velocity refrigerant flowing
through the evaporator increases, the overall heat
transfer coefficient also increases. But this
increased velocity will cause greater pressure loss
in the evaporator.
V. INSULATION
A thermal insulator is a poor aqueduct of
calefaction and has a low thermal conductivity. Insulation
is acclimated in barrio and in accomplishment processes to
anticipate calefaction accident or calefaction gain.
Although its primary purpose is a bread-and-butter one, it
as well provides added authentic ascendancy of action
temperatures and aegis of personnel. It prevents abstract on
algid surfaces and the consistent corrosion. Such abstracts
are porous, absolute ample amount of abeyant air cells.
Thermal insulation delivers the afterward benefits:
 Reduces over-all activity burning

4.  Offers bigger action ascendancy by advancement
action temperature.
 Prevents bane by befitting the apparent of a air-
conditioned arrangement aloft dew point
 Provides blaze aegis to accessories
 Absorbs vibration
VI. REFRIGERANT- R134a
This refrigerant accept due to afterward benefits
 Absolute burden maintains in evaporator and
condenser appropriately no claim of abolition unit.
 Due to absolute burden there is no accident of
refrigerant during abolition unit.
 Absolute burden appropriately beneath ability
burning due to non condensable gases and
moisture.
 It is declared as non baneful refrigerant and non
flammability appropriately it is beneath A-1
assurance classification.
 It has zero ODP.
 It has low GWP beneath than 0.1
 It has acceptable efficiency.
 It is calmly available.
VII. ETHYLENE
The capital requirements of an ethylene ripening
arrangement are:
An analytic air bound allowance with insulation, a
temperature ascendancy arrangement for cooling and/ or
heating, an air apportionment and blast arrangement
Ethylene (C2H4) is a simple by itself occurring amoebic
atom that is a colorless gas at biological temperatures.
Some Ethylene Effects are-
Biological Attributes of Ethylene:
 Colorless gas at biological temperatures.
 By itself occurs in amoebic compound.
 Readily diffuses from tissue.
This table indicates, temperature for various Fruits and
requirement of Ethylene concentration
TABLE 1 – CONCENTRATION OF ETHYLENE FOR VARIOUS
FRUITS
Sr.
No
Product Concentration Storage temp.
After ripening
1
Banana 100-150 ppm 15-18
2
Mango 100 ppm 10-13
3
Papaya 100 ppm About at 7
4
Pears 100-150 ppm About at 0
5
Tomato 100-150 ppm 12.5
VIII. CONTROLLER
Controller it is a basic which advance the
temperature. It controls the temperature by acid the
compressor. The SZ-7510/69-E are individual set point
controllers. They are accurately advised for algidity
applications wherein the compressor cuts off at set point
and is restarted at a temperature of set point additional
differential. An amount of ambient temperature is
displayed alphanumerically to set up the instruments for
anniversary specific application. Display will change to set
value. The set point ranges can now be by application the
UP/DOWN key. After ambience the adapted value,
columnist the SET key and you will see “_ _ _" which
Confirms that the set point has been stored in memory.
(In cooling mode): If the set point is set at 16 0
C and
cogwheel is set at 2 0
C, again if the arrangement alcove 16
0
C, the broadcast will cut out. Since the cogwheel is 2, the
broadcast will cut in (restart) at 18 0
C (16 0
C+2 0
C).
IX. WORKING
To ripe the banana complete 3 days required.
Ethanol gas is sprayed in cold chamber and after that keep
the room closed for 24 hours. After 24 hours, open the door
which causes to escape the CO2 generated into the ripening
chamber. First refrigerant is in vapour state in compressor.
Evaporator outlet is connected to compressor inlet. In
ripening chamber hermetically sealed compressor is used.
Due to its round shape there is no leakage possibility from
compressor. The compressor compresses the refrigerant up
to 3 to 4 bar pressure. So the pressure and temperature of
the refrigerant is also increases. In this article refrigerant
R134a is used. This refrigerant maintains positive pressure
in system hence there will not be any leakage in the system.
This refrigerant stable in system and the velocity of
refrigerant through the pipe is easy with low friction. After
the compressor, refrigerant in vapour form flow towards
the condenser. Generally the condensers are made from
mild steel. Condenser is located outside the chamber. The
air cooled condenser is used in this application. The
condenser is hung on the side wall of chamber. The
position of condenser is such that maximum heat should be
transfer to the surrounding. The high temperature liquid
releases its heat to the surrounding. This refrigerant vapour
is first pass through the upper side of the condenser coil
and when it releases the heat to surrounding it convert into
liquid. Heat is transfer to surrounding by natural
convection. Due to density effect the liquid is flow from
upper side to the lower side of the condenser. It is one of
the types of heat exchanger by which vapour refrigerant
convert into liquid refrigerant. After condenser, refrigerant
flows to the dryer. Dryer helps to remove vapour particles
from the refrigerant. It avoids the further blockage of the

5. refrigerant. Care should be taken while installing the dryer.
Dryer is made from copper, after the dryer the refrigerant
passes to the capillary tube. Capillary tube is made from
the copper material. The diameter of the expansion valve is
small hence it reduces the pressure and temperature of
refrigerant. This is also called expansion device. This
capillary tube connects the condenser and evaporator. If
there is any dust particle inside the capillary tube then there
is might be chance of blockage of refrigerant because the
tube is small in diameter. When the fruits are placed in the
chamber then they release CO2. As this article is focussed
to ripe the banana, banana releases more CO2 than the other
fruits. So there will be more heat load on the refrigeration
system. As the refrigerant is in the form of liquid enters
into the evaporator, it gain the products heat and due to
lower boiling point it evaporates. As the product releases
heat, it gets cool. Evaporator coil is made from the
aluminium material. On the evaporator high cooled fans are
used. It takes the warm air and passes it on over the
evaporator. By this method temperature of the product gets
reduced. After evaporator, refrigerant in vapour form and at
lower pressure and temperature flow towards the
compressor. By this process cycle gets completed.
X. POWER SUPPLY
There are various methods by which power can be
supplied to the compressor. Some of are
 Direct Supply
 Genset
 Generator
 Power Supply
XI. COST ESTIMATION
A. Puff panel
Depend on the size of puff panel and requirement
four panels will enough. So the cost of these four puff
panel is 20000 Rs
B. Refrigeration component
As per the selected components the cost of
refrigeration system is 11000 Rs including compressor,
condenser, evaporator coil, expansion device, refrigerant,
ethylene, high cooled fan, dryer etc.
C. Method of power supply
In this article it is assumed that the power given to
the compressor by using mono-crystalline solar power
panel. It can produce voltage up to 170 W, is enough to run
the compressor. Its dimensions are 58.5*1.5*26.5 inches,
most suitable according to size of ripening chamber. It has
life up to 25 years. Its cost is 17650 Rs.
Total Cost:
Total cost of system will be 48650 Rs approximately.
XII. CONCLUSION
A. In conclusion it must be mentioned that significant loss
within fruits are felt by not controlling levels of
ethylene gas in cold storages/cold rooms, which is not
possible without it being used in pressurized rooms
with forced air circulation and ethylene control
devices.
B. Small ripening chamber has advantage of effective
control of ethylene concentration as compared to big
size ripening chamber. Ethylene levels are uneven in
big size ripening chamber and temperature and
humidity pockets also exist, which effect products
overall quality.
C. Utilized ethylene serves desired objective, in
combination with the additional ethylene being
released by almost all perishables only shorten shelf
life of produce but also harm quality and product
integrally.
D. Cost:
 Portable ripening chamber delivered fruit (banana)
at minimum cost to consumer.
 Fruit retailer as well as consumer will get profit
form portable ripening chamber.
E. Effect:
 Due to controlled temperature inside chamber
which helps to reduced water loss from fruits
(banana).
 No atmospheric effect on fruits (banana) hence no
black spot.
F. Quality:
 Life of fruit is enhanced by good designed
chamber.
 Wastage per kg of fruit is reduced.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author is grateful to the VIT University
Chennai, India for their providing the laboratory
equipments and also thankful to the teaching staff whose
guidance and assistance are gratefully acknowledged.
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