Cold rooms are spaces where for different kinds of products, thanks to a refrigeration system that establishes certain climatic conditions, the conservation or manufacturing process of different products is favoured.
They are a fundamental element in many sectors. From the food for the correct preservation of food, to the industrial sector for production processes where refrigeration is involved. For example, in a vehicle test tunnel, where a cold room simulates certain climatic conditions, or in the manufacturing process of medicines such as insulin.
Cold rooms can be classified according to their function, or size of constructions.
Depending on the different kinds of cold rooms temperature range at which the cold rooms operate, there are four types of cold rooms:
1. Storage cold rooms or positive temperature cold rooms, are designed for the conservation of products between 0 and 10 ºC. They are mainly used for the preservation of fresh food,fruits, vegetable, beverages or medicines.
2. Freezing cold rooms chiller or negative temperature cold rooms are used to keep frozen products between 0ºC and -28ºC. They usually have better insulation and fewer daily openings. Frozen food, sea food, chicken, meat, vaccines, or organic material are kept at these temperatures.
3.Deep freezing tunnel. In this type of freezing cold room, which reaches -30 ºC to -40 ºC. It freezes the product individually by means of automatic displacement condension unit systems and cold currents while the product moves around inside the chamber. They are mainly used in the food industry for the freezing of meat, seafood,trays or sweets.
4. Temperature blast chillers. In this type of cold room, the aim is to quickly reduce the temperature of the product to reduce the risk of contamination and to be able to preserve them for longer without losing their properties. This type of cold room is commonly used in the preparation of fresh seafood, in industrial kitchens.
Size of cold rooms
In consideration of the size of the cold rooms, we find:
Small sized cold rooms, up to 30 m3, for use in catering and local shops, butchers, fishmongers, ice cream shops and so on…
Medium sized cold rooms up to 200 m3, used in supermarkets, cold rooms, hotels, pharmaceutical laboratories storage …
Large industrial cold rooms up to 3000 m3. These chambers are located in large logistics centres or auctions for big quantity products storge and keeping fresh.
