Sizing a cold room correctly is the single biggest factor in capex, opex and produce quality. Under-sized refrigeration leads to temperature swings and shelf-life loss; over-sized systems burn capital and energy. This guide walks through the inputs our engineering team uses to size cold rooms for fruits & vegetables in Indian conditions.
Inputs you need before sizing
A defensible cold room design starts with the product, the daily throughput, and the local climate.
- Produce type, daily intake (kg/day), peak storage (MT)
- Inlet temperature vs target storage temperature
- Site ambient temperature (peak summer)
- Number of door openings per day & dock layout
- Stacking pattern, racking, air circulation requirement
Volume & footprint calculation
Required room volume = storage tonnage × bulk density factor × stacking factor. We typically allow 30–40% of the room volume for air circulation, walkways and racking.
Refrigeration load
Heat load = transmission load (insulation, panel area) + product load (pull-down + respiration) + air infiltration + miscellaneous (lights, people, motors). Sum loads, add a safety factor of 10–20% for Indian ambient conditions, then size compressor TR.
PUF panel thickness selection
For chillers (+2°C to +8°C) we typically use 80–100 mm PUF; for cold storage (0°C) 100–125 mm; for freezers (–18 to –25°C) 125–150 mm. Final spec depends on ambient and economic payback.
