National Institute collaboration with Indian Institute

 National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli (NITT) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur (IIFPT) have developed a 2TR prototype solar assisted cold storage (PSCS) system in the Industrial Automation Laboratory in NITT by the team of faculty from the both the institutes. This project was fully funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India. This facility was inaugurated on Saturday, 02 February 2019 at 11:00 AM by Prof. Mini Shaji Thomas, Director, NITT in the presence of Dr.C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur, Mr.A.S.Ananthakrishnan, Chairman, CII Trichy Zone & Managing Director, CEEYES Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd and Dr.S.Rominus Valsalam, Former Associate Director, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Thiruvananthapuram. The main aim of PSCS system is to replicate a mobile multi commodity cold storage system to store different fruits and vegetables and reduce post-harvest losses specifically from the farmer’s field to the cold storage facility which is the major issue faced by Indian farmer community. The PSCS system consisting of two cold rooms and a chiller unit kept in between the cold rooms. In this system, the shelf life of fruits and vegetables can be increased by maintaining the temperature and humidity of the fruits and vegetables on recommended range of standards. The uniqueness of the project is using the Low Melting Temperature Phase Change Material (PCM) to store and circulate in the cold storage rooms instead of direct evaporation of refrigerant. The excess cold energy can be stored in the PCM and is utilized when the absence of solar energy and Grid. This is an energy saving and cost-effective system when compared to the Battery Energy Storage.

The project team was informed the technology is ready to disseminate for the interested stakeholders. The project team members from NIT,Tiruchirappalli are Dr. M.Jaya Bharata Reddy, Dept of Electrical and Electronics Engg,Dr. N. Sivakumaran, Dept of Instrumentation and Control Engg, Dr. V. Mariappan, Dept of Mechanical Engg, Dr.S.Senthil Kumar, Dept of Electrical and Electronics Engg, Dr. G.SaravanaIlango,Dept of Electrical and Electronics Engg., and from IIFPT, Thanjavur,Dr. M. Loganathan, Professor and Dr. V R Sinija, IIFPT, Thanjavur.