| Abstract: | Several styles of insulating packages were studied, ranging in size from 0.5 to 5 cubic feet and varying in construction from the ordinary expanded polystyrene cooler to various liner‐in‐box arrangements with and without aluminium foil surfaces. Ice‐melt tests were conducted to measure package insulating ability and the results were used to determine the thermal resistance (R‐value). The R‐value was then related to details connected with package construction including wall thickness, number of layers and number of foil surfaces through a simple equation so that it can be estimated for any construction. The system R‐value can then be used to estimate refrigerant requirements and temperature holding times for known shipping environments. Examples are included. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
