Professional cold accumulator

Our range of cold accumulators

To order a eutectic plate, please write your request in the text box provided.

Cold accumulator, frequently asked questions

  • Cooling and temperature maintenance

    Can you supply temperature curves?

    A dedicated study for every project. Our team of project managers will support you at every stage of your cold logistics project. Audits, thermal simulations, advice – we provide you with the support you need to make the right decision. 

    To find out more, contact us.

  • Maintenance

    Do you provide training in isothermal container maintenance?

    Yes, we regularly train our fleet maintenance teams in best practices. We strongly encourage preventive maintenance operations to keep your fleet in good working order, and to facilitate equipment maneuverability. To find out more, read our blog article

    We offer two training formats: 

    • On customer site
    • On Olivo production site

    Don’t hesitate to contact your account manager for a training program tailored to your needs.

  • Maintenance

    Is it necessary to change the door/lid gasket every year?

    Door or cover gaskets should be changed if any of the following occur:

    • Cracks or crumbling of the gasket;
    • Gasket detachment;

    There is no specific maintenance schedule. The isothermal performance of the container also depends on the condition of the gasket and its adhesion to the isothermal box. It is therefore essential to ensure that they are properly maintained.

How do professional cold accumulators work ?

The use made of cold accumulators by private users is simple: they are used to keep foodstuffs cool in their packaging in a cool bag box or picnic basket for a few hours at a time. This type of ice pack is usually filled with water, quite well sealed and comes in a wide variety of sizes and weights. They are mainly used by private consumers as their performance is limited.

A professional cold accumulator contains a eutectic liquid and offers far better performances in terms of duration and temperature quality. The pro cold accumulator is distinguished by more complex characteristics, which can be adapted to customers’ specific needs.

1. Temperature

The temperature released by the accumulator will be chosen according to the target temperature. Temperature-sensitive healthcare products and chilled or frozen foodstuffs naturally have different storage temperatures.

The temperature of a cold accumulator depends on the melting point of its eutectic liquid. OLIVO propose six melting points for eutectic plates that can produce positive or negative temperatures.

The choice of 7 temperatures provides responses for specific climatic conditions.

For a target temperature of +2°C, the polyethylene (HDPE) accumulator will not have the same melting point when it is for use in a temperate climate as when it is designed for a hot climate.

The melting point is therefore an important characteristic of the professional cold accumulator: it has a direct influence on the temperature quality.

2. Latent heat

After defining the temperature (quality), the next question is the amount of cold to be provided by the accumulator. The cooling capacity depends on the size of the accumulator, namely the mass of eutectic liquid it contains. The latent heat of a cold accumulator is expressed in joules.

Depending on the required duration, one or more cold accumulators may be necessary.

The latent heat provided directly influences the length of the time the temperature will be maintained. This is therefore technical information for qualifying a professional cold accumulator.

3. Melting plateau

Cold accumulators are not all equal even if they have a similar melting point and latent heat. The quality of the melting plateau is often what differentiates a professional cold accumulator.

After it has been frozen for the appropriate length of time, the cold accumulator slowly releases its frigories at a stable temperature which is that of the melting point of the eutectic liquid when it is thawing. We call this the melting plateau.

If we measure the core temperature of a -12°C accumulator in the thawing phase, the temperature curve is flat and continuous at a fixed temperature of -12°C.

A flat, constant plateau improves the temperature quality and the length of time the temperature will be maintained.

This characteristic is tricky to measure, but any good professional should be able to provide you with information.

What fluid do cold accumulators contain?

A cold accumulator contains water, mineral salts and cooling media. Be aware, though, that their composition is not identical from one brand and type to another (gel packs, ice packs, etc.). The Olivo eutectic solution is a recipe that we have developed in house, which is not universal. Which is why our products are so popular with logistics operators.

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