Insulation OLIVO insulated equipment for transport
A shipping container is therefore a box with insulated walls and door (or lid). The insulating capacity of the shipping containers is intended to protect the products from the ambient heat, including delicate items.
An insulated shipping container is quite simply a mobile insulated box designed for transport of food, cold catering, thermo delivery…
K factor OLIVO insulated storage container
The insulating quality of an insulated box is evaluated by its thermal conductivity value, known as the K factor. The K factor represents the overall heat loss of the product. A low K factor indicates a better insulating capacity than a higher K factor. For example, an isothermal box with a K factor of 0.40 W/m2.K is more efficient than one with a K factor of 0.70 W/m2.K.
To be able to compare insulated boxes, it is important to know their respective K factors. It is an K key technical specification that applies to all professional shipping containers.
Don’t forget that insulating capacity contributes to the efficiency of the container and has a direct influence on the refrigeration required. It is impossible to visually assess the insulating quality of the shipping containers. It is also impossible to arrive at a value by a calculation based on the conductivity of the materials. The only available way to obtain information on the insulation value is to get a technical test carried out by an accredited laboratory.
Refrigeration
The insulating capacity of the shipping containers protects its contents against heat, whilst cooling inside the refrigerated iso container serves both to keep the temperature sensitive items stable and to increase the length of time it is maintained (food containers, catering containers, thermo storage, stored items…).
Bringing a coolant inside the shipping containers enables the inner temperature to be maintained for longer time and to be adjusted to your transport time. The choice of the refrigeration system for the shipping containers is vital since the cooling plays a direct role in the effective control of the temperature.
When the insulated shipping container is fitted with a non-mechanical cooling system, we call it a refrigerated container or a refrigerating container.
Several types of cooling are possible in a refrigerated container. OLIVO insulated bins are not mechanically refrigerated. Our company basically offers cold transport equipments which operate in an autonomous way.
Find out how you can cool your insulated shipping containers : REFRIGERATION ENGINEERING
Discover the different refrigeration techniques used to cool OLIVO boxes :
EUTECTIC REFRIGERATION
CRYOGENIC REFRIGERATION
SIBER SYSTEM
Self-contained solutions for every situation
The refrigerated insulated shipping container is therefore designed for transport and more specifically for the last phase of distribution. As it is a self-contained system that does not need any external power to run and maintain the temperature, it is extremely flexible in use in logistics circuits.
The cold insulated shipping container is the champion of the right temperature in all conditions of transport.
A refrigerated shipping container can be left waiting for hours anywhere, with no fear of breaking the cold chain :
- during loading and unloading operations
- during transport and all the interfaces
- for night deliveries (food, ice, catering, cold product …)
- between delivery and placing on the recipient’s shelves
Whatever unexpected events occur during a distribution round – traffic jams, repeated opening of the vehicle doors, having to wait to unload at the destination – your goods are thermally protected without interruption with our containers.
Contributing to green logistics – OLIVO thermal container
Using thermal containers is perfectly in line with the circular economy approach, which aims to limit the consumption and wasting of resources available whilst providing a quality service.
Whilst providing excellent temperature maintenance, the means used are extra-simple and non-polluting :
- one-piece, solid, mobile, ergonomic, silent, durable pack, non-polluting storage capable of handling different temperatures (cool, frozen, cold, lo…)
- containers made for handling that are easy to use, flexible and modular on delivery
- cooling without forced ventilation, using natural convection
- self-contained eutectic refrigeration using the negative calories produced by the physical phenomenon of the phase change of a sub-zero eutectic solution
- Cryogenic cooling using the energy produced by the expansion of “2nd use” gaseous CO2, that is to say carbon dioxide that has already been recycled and is used as a refrigerant.
The shipping container combines efficiency and simplicity in order to meet the needs of modern logistics, ever more demanding in terms of cost, quality, safety and responsiveness. To some extent this is the paradox of the shipping container : such a simple solution for ever more complex logistics.
ATP professional qualification – OLIVO insulated container delivery solution
The ATP agreement on the carriage of perishable goods concerns the international transport of foodstuffs and defines the equipment to be used for such transport. The ATP is a United Nations treaty signed by almost 50 countries which lays down the requirements for temperature controlled transport (refrigerated transport) on various external ambient temperature (including France and UK).
The ATP fixes the rules for international transport, but these rules are widely recognised, including for domestic transport. This is the case in France, where the ATP is applied to refrigerated transport within the country.
As OLIVO is a French manufacturer, all its thermal containers have met the technical requirements of the ATP since the 1980s. The production of OLIVO insulated containers is certified compliant with the ATP.
The text of the ATP can be downloaded from the UNECE website
Your country may not require that professional thermos containers meet the ATP requirements. In this case, ATP is not an obligation but a choice: it guarantees the technical quality of the insulated containers and the effectiveness of the related cooling system.
Materials used in the container sides
All the materials used in the sides of thermal storage are food safe.
ROLL and BAC shipping containers are mainly made of polyethylene. Rotational moulding technology is used to produce double-wall one-piece moulded units. The insulating material is injected in situ. The one-piece design gives OLIVO containers excellent impact resistance during handling and an extended service life. The one-piece technology has drastically reduced the maintenance required and ensures the integrity of the insulation value without any noticeable deterioration in performance (ambient, chilled, frozen product).
White BAC thermos containers are of a more conventional design item and are made of a fibreglass/polyester composite. OLIVO polyester containers are designed for very low temperatures of the order of -80°C. They are mainly used in the dry ice sector. Manufacturers of dry ice use polyester thermal containers in order to store and deliver dry ice despite ambient temperature changes to avoid any risk.
The insulated containers in the BOX range are made of moulded expanded polypropylene (EPP). EPP is a black material, both strong and with insulating properties, although it is as light as a feather, ideal for ours customers. Even if these materials appear similar, EPP should not be confused with polystyrene (EPS). EPP is a “noble” material that is much stronger than polystyrene. And OLIVO has chosen to mould EPP in a high density in order to guarantee good resistance. BOX shipping containers are suitable for last mile logistics and home deliveries.
Over the years, our team has prioritised the use of recyclable materials. This is the case of rotomoulded polyethylene and EPP. Since 2008 our compagny has offered an end-of-life treatment service for thermal containers: dismantling to separate the components of each unit and sending of the materials for recycling. This is aour green recycle services.
Insulating materials pack – OLIVO thermal container
OLIVO has selected the most efficient insulating materials and accessories to give its shipping containers the best possible K factor in various dimensions and temperature sensitive items (ambient, chilled, frozen product).
In the ROLL and BAC containers, the expanded polyurethane foam uses the latest generation of foaming agents. The polyurethane insulating material is injected in situ, with no thermal bridging or assembly (2 pieces sides and top).
The BOX containers are made of only one material: expanded polypropylene. EPP is an insulating material that also gives the packaging its structural strength. One of the advantages of EPP used as an insulating material is its recyclability. The single-material design of the thermo BOX containers is also intended to facilitate end-of-life recycling item. Request a price, get a quick quote online and a prompt response. Best place to buy quality insulating materials is on this website. Feel free to call us for a quick quote, any enquiry, tell us about your search.