Phase change materials are a boon to the cold chain industry. How? They are extremely useful and sustainable. PCMs enable the delivery process to be completely engine and fuel independent.
How do they work?
PCMs in the form of cartridges are charged in refrigerators at a warehouse at temperatures required before being used for cooling purposes.
The PCM once placed with the consignment, absorbs the heat from it, and begins to melt. This way, the consignment is constantly cooled without depending on external factors such as outside temperature, engine failure or using too much fuel.
Once the PCM has been used, the cartridge is taken back to the warehouse and cooled once again for the newer consignment. Using PCM technology will save on diesel costs each year with lakhs of rupees and also aim to promote sustainability.
Why does Sustainability in the cold chain matter?
The biggest worry today with regards to cold chain, is it’s sustainability factor. While every sector is looking to reverse the effects of global warming, the cold chain industry needs to take a look at this too.
With so much fuel going into refrigerators of the reefer trucks, we need to think beyond it. The fuel emits large amounts of green house gasses into the atmosphere, leading to an increased thread of global warming effects. Be it a short distance or long, there needs to be a newer alternative.
More so, fuel dependent vehicles stand the risk of consignment loss in case of engine failure or a delay due to traffic or weather conditions. What good is a cold chain system which can’t withstand hindrances?
The cold chain industry needs to be reform their practices. A number of companies also look at dry ice as a cooling option. Dry ice, even though it is very very effective, can be so dangerous if mishandled. A- the operations staff using the dry ice can get frostbite in case they come in direct skin to skin contact with it. B- Once dry ice melts, it is carbon dioxide in its gracious form. This can be dangerous as it can deoxygenize the room and in case an operations staff is present, it can lead to seizures, amnesia, vomiting and in some cases can even be fatal.
How does Tessol implement sustainability in its solutions?
Tessol has always looked towards a sustainable future for the cold chain industry. We have solutions for tertiary, secondary and last mile distribution. We at Tessol, have worked with a number of companies from different business sectors, mainly FMCG and Pharma.
TESSOL’s solutions have even been used for the vaccine drive, as we partnered with Kool-Ex for their vaccine distribution program.
For pharmaceuticals, we use our PACK N SHIP solutions, which consist of multi and single use boxes and bags, which work on PCM technology, work with an Indian ambient temperature of 40 C, have a temperature range of 2C to 8 C and -20C and maintain temperatures for up to 72-90 hours!
For FMCG, we use our PLUG N CHILL solutions, as well as zen boxes and last mile delivery bags and boxes. All of these run on PCM technology and ensure no changes in temperature, in spite of multiple drops.
