Cold rooms Definition

Cold rooms are spaces where, thanks to a refrigeration system that establishes certain climatic conditions, the conservation or manufacturing process of different products is favored.

They are a fundamental element in many sectors. From the food and HORECA sector for the correct preservation of food, to the industrial sector for production processes where refrigeration is involved. For example, in a vehicle test tunnel, where a cold room simulates certain climatic conditions, or in the manufacturing process of medicines such as insulin.

Cold rooms can be classified according to their function, or size of construction.

Cold rooms according to their temperature range.

Depending on the temperature range at which the cold rooms operate, there are four types of cold rooms:

• Storage cold rooms or positive temperature cold rooms, are designed for the conservation of products between 0 and 10 ºC. They are mainly used for the preservation of fresh food, beverages or medicines.
• Freezing cold rooms or negative temperature cold rooms are used to keep frozen products between 0 and -28ºC. They usually have better insulation and fewer daily openings. Frozen food, vaccines, or organic material are kept at these temperatures.
• Deep freezing tunnel. In this type of freezing cold room, which reaches -30 ºC to -40 ºC. It freezes the product individually by means of automatic displacement systems and cold currents while the product moves around inside the chamber. They are mainly used in the food industry for the freezing of meat trays or sweets.
• Temperature blast chillers. In this type of cold room, the aim is to quickly reduce the temperature of the product to reduce the risk of contamination and to be able to preserve them for longer without losing their properties. This type of cold room is commonly used in the preparation of food in industrial kitchens.

Size of cold room

In consideration of the size of the camera, we find:

• Small-sized cold rooms, up to 30 m³, for use in catering and local shops, butchers, fishmongers, ice cream shops…
• Medium-sized cold rooms up to 200 m³, used in supermarkets, cold rooms, hotels, pharmaceutical laboratories, …
• Large industrial cold rooms up to 3000 m³. These chambers are located in large logistics centers or auctions.