November 2009Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
TKT, a leading European manufacturer of isotainers for transporting fresh or deep frozen food products asked ebro to find a solution to a problem. In order to maintain the refrigerating capacity and efficiency of its isotainers, and comply with the EC directive VO 37/2005, a thermometer was required that not only would be easily visible and readable from the outside, but also offer an additional, cost-effective, cable-free solution to enable a measurement while the box was closed.
ebro recognised an opportunity to use infrared technology. The Thermobox TBI 40 was developed to fit neatly into the opening door of the isotainer, enabling internal temperature to be monitored without the need to open the container. This is an important advantage, since previously the measurement was made using a bi-metallic strip thermometer located on the interior surface of the isotainer door and every time the door was opened, undesirable warm air was allowed in.
Following indoor trials at ebro to prove the effectiveness of the TBI 40 further tests were conducted by the German Inspection Agency at TÜV SÜD using four isotainers part filled to 33% and then to 75% of capacity. Ten temperature sensors were placed between cartons/packs in the containers and the average values of these 10 units computed. In parallel, over a period of 6 hours, an infrared measurement was carried out every 10 minutes. The two sources of measurement were then plotted and the offset determined. The maximum recorded offset was 0,9°C in deep frozen goods and 1,7°C in fresh produce.
At the push of a button, the actual and average product temperatures in the isotainer can be clearly displayed. The TBI 40 automatically recognises the appropriate temperature range for fresh (-1 to +7°C) and the deep frozen food
(-18 to –33°C), and red/green LED signals provide alerts for out-of-range temperatures. The measuring range is –33 to +60°C. The accuracy is ±1° at
23°C and for the remaining range it is ±2° with a resolution of 0,1°C. The infrared distance to spot ratio (D:S) is greater than 1:1 and the emissivity rating is fixed at 0,95. The device is sealed to IP65 and switches off automatically 15 seconds after activation. The battery has a life of approximately 5 years and can be easily replaced by the user.
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