Pomegranate Cold Storage Project in Huili, Sichuan | 1,500m³ Fresh Pomegranate Preservation EPC Case

Project Overview

Huili City of Liangshan, Sichuan is China’s core soft-seed pomegranate production base, with large-scale centralized harvest every September–October. Local planting cooperatives face prominent pain points: short shelf life of pomegranates at ambient temperature, severe peel shrinkage and rot during off-season sales. This customized 1,500 m³ fresh fruit cold storage was built for a local large pomegranate planting cooperative, solving centralized harvest stockpiling and long-distance export preservation demands, fully matching Huili plateau climate and pomegranate exclusive storage standards.

Basic Warehouse Spatial Data

• External overall dimension: 12 m length × 14 m width × 9 m clear height
• Total internal effective volume: 1,512 m³
• Usable floor area: 168 ㎡
• Actual storable pomegranate volume: 260–300 tons (calculated based on standard export cartons + pallet aisle reservation)
• Main storage object: Huili soft-seed fresh pomegranate, seasonal stock for domestic wholesale and Southeast Asia cross-border export

Local Climate Design Background

Huili belongs to plateau basin climate, altitude nearly 1,800 m, large day-night temperature difference, distinct dry and rainy seasons, annual average humidity up to 70%. Ordinary flatland cold storage schemes easily lead to condenser overload and wall condensation; this project added targeted anti-condensation and high-altitude heat dissipation optimization.

1 Exclusive Pomegranate Storage Standard Matched For This Warehouse

Comply with national fresh fruit postharvest storage technical specifications and Sichuan plateau fruit operation norms:

Storage Index	Standard Control Range	Risk If Out Of Range
Constant Temperature	3–4℃ (fluctuation ≤ ±0.5℃)	Below 0℃ irreversible peel browning & grain chalkiness; above 8℃ accelerate rot
Relative Humidity	90–95% RH	Low humidity causes severe fruit shrinkage; high humidity induces gray mold
Maximum Ordinary Storage Cycle	3–4 months	Upgrade CA system to extend storage to 5–6 months

Mandatory pre-cool SOP before warehousing: After picking, remove damaged/cracked fruits, reduce fruit core temperature to 4℃ within 24h forced-air pre-cooling to cut postharvest loss by over 60%.

2 Complete Refrigeration System Matching (Plateau Optimized)

The project adopts imported Emerson host matched with high-air-volume low-speed air coolers, solving Huili large temperature difference heat dissipation pressure:

Main Compressor Unit

25HP American Emerson scroll air-cooled screw compressor, customized oversized condenser for plateau summer heat dissipation:
– Strong stable cooling capacity under 28℃ local peak ambient temperature
– Variable frequency load adjustment, reduce valley electricity power consumption
– Low vibration & low noise, suitable rural cooperative operation environment

Internal Air Circulation Equipment

Shanghai Kudi DL-330 series high-efficiency ceiling air coolers:
– Long-distance uniform air supply, eliminate warehouse temperature dead zones at corners and wall sides
– Hot gas automatic defrost design, avoid manual shutdown defrost loss
– Low wind speed to prevent pomegranate peel surface dehydration shrinkage

3 Insulation & Airtight Anti-Condensation System (Adapted To Huili Rainy Season)

• Wall, roof and partition material: 100mm thick B1 flame-retardant double-sided color steel polyurethane PU panels
• Supporting moisture-proof process: Double-layer cyanate ester vapor barrier laid on all wall joints and floor junctions
• Engineering advantage: Block rainy season moisture penetration, avoid internal insulation damp failure; stable insulation performance cuts annual power consumption by about 18% compared to ordinary non-airtight cold storage
• Fire standard: Euroclass B1 flame retardant, meet agricultural warehouse fire acceptance requirements

4 Intelligent Constant Temperature & Humidity Monitoring Control System

Full imported integrated control terminal with plateau operating optimization functions:
1. Real-time precise regulation of temperature and humidity, automatic startup of humidifier when RH lower than 90%
2. Multi-level abnormal alarm: local sound-light reminder + mobile SMS remote notification
3. 5-year non-editable temperature/humidity data logging, convenient wholesale market quality traceability
4. Mobile APP remote real-time viewing, no on-site full-time staff required for daily patrol

5 Pre-Construction Pain Points Of The Cooperative

1. Previous temporary simple storage shed without constant temperature control: Pomegranate rot loss up to 14% during harvest season, unable to stock for off-season price premium;
2. Purchased ordinary flatland cold storage scheme before, without plateau heat dissipation optimization, leading to insufficient cooling capacity in late summer;
3. No automatic humidity adjustment, fruit shrinkage serious, reduce commodity selling weight and market value.

6 Measurable Post-Operation Benefits After Warehouse Delivery

1. Pomegranate spoilage loss reduced from original 14% down to below 4% after standardized pre-cooling & constant temperature storage;
2. Realize off-season stockpiling, sell fruits 3 months after harvest with 2.2 times seasonal price difference;
3. Optimized plateau refrigeration configuration cuts annual average electricity expenditure by nearly 20%;
4. Support continuous supply to cross-border export merchants, expand stable long-term sales channels.

7 Common Pomegranate Cold Storage Operation Mistakes

1. Skip forced-air pre-cooling after picking → field heat accumulated, mold grows within 1 month;
2. Warehouse temperature long-term lower than 2℃ → whole batch cold damage, peel dark spots cannot be sold as premium fruit;
3. Stack pallets tightly against walls without air gaps → local high-temperature dead zones cause uneven rot;
4. Humidity kept below 85% for a long time → severe shrinkage, weight loss cuts profits;
5. Frequent door opening without air curtain buffer → sharp temperature fluctuation accelerates fruit aging.

8 FAQ For Sichuan Pomegranate Planting Cooperatives

Q1 What’s the suitable storage cycle of ordinary cold storage for Huili soft-seed pomegranate?

A Under stable 3–4℃ & 90–95% RH environment, fresh pomegranate can be stored for 3–4 months; if long-distance sea export for 5+ months is needed, CA controlled atmosphere cold storage gas regulation system needs to be added.

Q2 Does Huili high-altitude environment need special refrigeration configuration?

A Yes. The local day-night temperature difference is huge, and summer outdoor temperature fluctuates violently. Oversized condenser and full vapor barrier anti-condensation structure must be matched to avoid insufficient cooling and wall water seepage.

Q3 How many tons of pomegranate can a 1,500 m³ cold room hold?

A Calculated by standard export cartons plus reserved operation aisles, the actual effective storage capacity is about 260–300 tons of fresh Huili pomegranate.

Q4 What supporting equipment must be equipped for pomegranate exclusive cold storage?

A Forced-air pre-cooling area, automatic humidification system, air curtain buffer doors, multi-point temperature sensors and remote mobile alarm system are mandatory supporting configurations.

Custom Plateau Fruit Cold Storage Inquiry

If you plan to build pomegranate, citrus, kiwi and other plateau fruit fresh cold storage in Liangshan, Panzhihua and Yunnan fruit production areas, provide warehouse volume, local maximum summer temperature and annual fruit output, we can send free layout drawing and detailed turnkey equipment quotation.

Construction & Completion Photos