As an innovative technology, the modified atmosphere system of nitrogen generators has become the key to improving the storage and transportation conditions of agricultural products. By controlling the gas composition, this system extends the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, thereby significantly increasing the market value and safety of agricultural products.
The modified atmosphere system of the nitrogen generator uses a commercial oxygen cleaner to create a stable and modified atmosphere by removing oxygen from the air. This process involves two key steps: first, the tray inside the sealed package is flushed with a nitrogen-rich gas mixture to quickly reach equilibrium;Secondly, the total flow rate and oxygen ratio of the oxygen cleaner are adjusted according to the physiological parameters of the plant tissue and the required steady-state atmosphere.
In the experiment, the Malus Sylvestris CV Pink Lady apple was selected as the research object. The apples were transported to the laboratory immediately after harvest and stored at 1°C for a short period of time. The experimental packaging used a 100 μm thick polyethylene material to form a capacity of 2A closed system of 2 cubic meters, the goal is to establish 3 kpa of oxygen and 25 kpa of carbon dioxide atmosphere.
The operation of a nitrogen generator consists of two stages:
Rapid flushing phase: In this phase, the trays are quickly flushed with a maximum flow rate (1300 litre-hour) of 3 kpa of oxygen. The purpose of this step is to reduce the concentration of oxygen as soon as possible to shorten the equilibration time.
Adjustment phase: After the equilibrium phase, adjust the flow rate (28.)8 liters per hour) and partial pressure of oxygen (51 kPa) to achieve the desired steady-state atmosphere composition (Oxygen 3 kPa and CO25 kpa）。
Experiments under constant temperature conditions: at a constant temperature of 1 °C, through 28With a flow rate of 8 litres per hour, the nitrogen generator successfully maintained the target atmosphere composition, with an average partial pressure of 3 for oxygen and carbon dioxide1 kpa and 24 kpa。The quality of the apples in these conditions is well maintained, and no physiological lesions appear.
Experiments under variable temperature conditions: The experiments also investigated the effect of temperature fluctuations on system performance. When the temperature rises from 1°C to 11°C, the system re-establishes the initial atmosphere composition by adjusting the flow rate. This shows that the modified atmosphere system of the nitrogen generator is able to adapt to temperature changes, thus maintaining the freshness of the fruit.
The main advantage of the modified atmosphere system of the nitrogen generator is its ability to provide customized storage conditions for a wide range of fruits and vegetables, especially for varieties with high respiration rates. The easy-to-use system requires only power** to correct the atmosphere composition by adjusting the flow rate when the temperature changes, ensuring that fruits and vegetables are kept in optimal condition during transport or storage.
The modified atmosphere system of the nitrogen generator provides an efficient solution for the long-distance transportation and storage of agricultural products. This technology plays an important role in the agriculture and food industry by significantly improving the shelf life of agricultural products and maintaining their best quality. With the continuous development and improvement of technology, it is expected that the modified atmosphere system of nitrogen generator will be more widely used around the world, bringing revolutionary changes to the storage and transportation of agricultural products.