Fruits and vegetables sector:
storage and production

Verhoef Consultancy is a well-known name for more than 40 years in the field of refrigerated and conditioned storage of fruit and vegetables. Notice the characteristic that fruits and vegetables are still alive; special treatment is essential. Knowledge of the produce and biological processes within the produce is therefore of upmost importance. Not only the temperature in the storage rooms is important, but also humidity and storage-time should be optimal. The consultants of Verhoef Consultancy does have always up-to-date knowledge regarding the storage of fruits and vegetables.

Logistical processes are essential within the fruit and vegetables sector. Verhoef Consultancy will design the required refrigeration installations regarding the logistical design, provided that the desired storage conditions can be maintained.

Developments in logistics, such as automated storage facilities, does have an impact on the refrigeration installations. Challenges for the refrigeration design are for example, the providing a uniform temperature distribution, a predictable cooling down of produce, preventing condensation and mould-growth on constructions, and so on. Verhoef Consultancy is familiar with all these aspects and has successfully designed and implemented several cooling-concepts in various logistical designs.

Refrigeration technique and heat pumps

Since the founding of Verhoef Consultancy, the base has always been the specialistic knowledge in the field of refrigeration technology. All our consultants are therefore skilled in the refrigeration techniques.

Verhoef Consultancy always keeps the knowledge up-to-date such that the consultants can work in the forefront of refrigeration technology. Continuous studies are being conducted into improvements, while maintaining the highest standards and reliability.

Coming from refrigeration technique, the step towards heat recovery technologies and industrial heat pumps is quite logical. Depending on the project and processes, realisation of a natural-gas-free operation could be feasible. Based on the season, the installation will focus primary on either cooling or heating.

The refrigeration system is set up to both cooling and heating demands, or even combinations of heating and cooling. For monitoring the performance of the refrigeration system, Verhoef Consultancy developed a monitoring tool. Based on measured data the performance of the refrigeration installation can be independently monitored.

Maintenance and re-inspection

Like all installations, refrigeration installations require maintenance. Maintenance can be performed reactive, based on failures and obligations by law, or proactive, focused on avoiding repairs and failures. There are several types of Maintenance agreements. Verhoef Consultancy can advise on the possibilities, the terms used by the contractors and the legal obligations.

In case of usage of ammonia in the refrigeration system, one of the legal obligations in the Netherlands is that the system must be periodically re-inspected and approved by a notified body. Verhoef Consultancy guides you during this process of re-inspection, representing your interests, of course within the legal framework.

Indoor climate / High-care / Humidity control

Indoor climate in rooms and/or buildings are to be conditioned for a number of reasons. For example for optimal sports performance, for optimal production processes, for growth or processing of produce, for hygiene (high-care), and so on.

Based on the requirements, Verhoef Consultancy will apply the best applicable techniques in order to fully control the temperature, humidity, and in combination with requirements such as preventing condense and respecting the demands on positive pressure (high-care) and so on.

Damage expertise

Thanks to specialistic knowledge of refrigeration techniques and of product knowledge, Verhoef Consultancy is perfectly capable of retrieving the cause of mechanical failures and of produce damages. All consultants of Verhoef Consultancy are educated in both fields and have many years of practical experience in refrigeration techniques combined with perishable produce.

In case of re-occurring mechanical damages or abnormal wear and tear, extensive monitoring of the installations and processes may be necessary in order to retrieve the causes and in order to prevent the recurrence of the same damages in the future. By monitoring the installations, the functioning of the installation can be visualized and analysed. Also revealing causes of damages that normally stay hidden in for example a stationary check or even disassembling can be visualized and analysed.