Transportable and size-adjustable apparatus with multiple air flow control units for ripening of fresh produce

A transportable apparatus for controlling the ripening of produce, comprising:

• a chamber defined by a plurality of walls for receiving a row of boxes containing the produce, the row of boxes being spaced apart from two of the walls and defining side airspaces therebetween;
• a chassis including at least one set of wheels, an exterior of the chamber being mounted on the chassis, the wheels allowing the apparatus to be transported;
• and
• an air control system, separate from said boxes, and arranged for transferring air directly from one of the side airspaces to the other of said airspaces without passage through said boxes, the air control system being housed inside the chamber.

An apparatus for controlling the ripening of produce, comprising:

• a chamber defined by a plurality of walls for receiving a row of boxes containing the produce, the boxes comprising openings, the row of boxes being spaced apart from two of the walls and defining side airspaces therebetween;
• an air control system for transferring air between the side airspaces and controlling the temperature of the air, the air control system comprising a first air flow control unit and a second air flow control unit, the first air flow control unit operable for transferring and cooling air and the second air flow control unit operable transferring air without cooling;
• and
• a movable partition positioned between the produce and the walls, the movable partition enclosing an end of one of the side airspaces and sealing the side airspaces from one another to inhibit airflow between the airspaces except for airflow through the air control system and through openings in the boxes, such that when the air control system transfers air from the airspaces, a low pressure plenum is formed in one side airspace and a high pressure plenum is formed in another side airspace such that the pressure differential between the low and high pressure plena forces airflow between the side airspaces through the openings in the boxes.

A method for simultaneously transporting and controlling the ripening of produce, the produce being arranged in a chamber, the method comprising:

• (a) withdrawing air from a first area adjacent the produce;
• (b) cooling some of the withdrawn air;
• (c) exhausting cooled, withdrawn air to a second area adjacent the produce, and exhausting uncooled, withdrawn air to the second area;
• and
• (d) simultaneous with the exhausting, transporting the produce.

A transportable apparatus for controlling the ripening of produce, comprising:

• a chamber defined by a plurality of walls for receiving a row of boxes containing the produce, the row of boxes being spaced apart from two of the walls and defining side airspaces therebetween;
• a chassis including at least one set of wheels, an exterior of the chamber being mounted on the chassis, the wheels allowing the apparatus to be transported, the chamber being formed by a standard ISO container;
• and
• an air control system, separation from said boxes, and arranged for transferring air.