The system in the CA space is largely determined by the following factors:
- Gas volume in the space. The general rule of thumb can be followed here that one third of the overall volume will be occupied by the cargo, and two thirds remain as the gas volume.
- The gastightness of the space (volume of ambient air which penetrates the space). This varies according to current operating mode (nitrogen addition on/off, speed of the fan, CO2 scrubber on/off, etc.)
- The mass of the cargo in the space.
- The respiration activity of the cargo in the space. The general rule of thumb can be followed here that respiration activity of the cargo will be roughly halved under CA in comparison to respiration activity in the air. But of course the characteristics of the various different products also play a significant role here.
- Volume and purity of the nitrogen added.
- The behavior of other components (e.g. CO2 scrubbers)
The interplay between these factors can be simulated easily, the least reliable factors being the gastightness of the container and the respiration activity of the products.
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| Figure 56: Simulation of the establishment of an atmosphere when using a nitrogen generator |
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