Digital Twins Could Improve Temperature Control in Refrigerated Trucks

Maintaining the correct temperature inside a refrigerated truck does not necessarily mean that every pallet is being cooled evenly. New research from Switzerland’s Empa laboratories demonstrates how digital twins could help logistics operators identify temperature variations within a shipment, improve cold-chain performance, and reduce food waste.

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) developed a physics-based digital twin that simulates airflow and heat transfer throughout a refrigerated trailer. The model estimates temperatures at different locations within the cargo, providing greater visibility than conventional monitoring systems that may rely on a single temperature sensor.

The researchers tested the model using a four-day shipment of 31 pallets of oranges and lemons traveling from Greece to Switzerland. They installed 108 sensors throughout the load to compare actual temperatures with the digital twin’s predictions.

The results revealed an important challenge. Although the refrigeration system maintained temperatures between 4 and 6 degrees Celsius, some oranges in the middle of the trailer reached 10.8 degrees.

This story was originally published by Logistics Viewpoints. Read the full story at Logistics Viewpoints →