Air Temperature Monitoring

Although routine monitoring of product temperature would be the ideal, it may result in destructive testing rendering some food unfit for sale. There is also a high consequent risk of breakage of the product sensors and for these principle reasons product temperature measurement is not normally undertaken when the load is in transit.

A refrigerated distribution vehicle maintains the chilled or frozen status of a properly pre-cooled load by surrounding the load with an air blanket at the correct temperature. Consequently the most effective way of proving that the transport company has done its job correctly is to monitor the temperature of the air within the vehicle chamber.

Therefore, air temperature monitoring is a means of assessing the performance of the vehicle chamber and its refrigeration system. The differential between the temperature of the return air to the cooler and the cold air to the load is important in this respect.

A large or variable difference normally indicates any combination of warm load, incorrect stowage, uneven air distribution or an unnecessary delay in closing the compartment doors.