Australia’s Eagleview Orchard says Oxair technology enables it to achieve optimal freshness and quality for its topfruit and prolong the life of its harvested fruit
At the Eagleview Orchard in Kirup, Western Australia, Oxair’s specialist nitrogen generation technology is being used in controlled atmosphere coldrooms to preserve apples and pears post-harvest.
Gas separation experts at Oxair use PSA technology with nitrogen to prolong the life of harvested fruit. Using a natural solution, the Oxair nitrogen generator reduces the oxygen content in the coldroom, slowing down respiration to retain optimal freshness.
According to Oxair, its machines are designed to customers’ individual requirements. The Eagleview machine is capable of 20M^3/hr at 99 per cent nitrogen, extracted from the air using membrane technology.
“By using membrane technology, inert gas can be produced at low pressure, removing the safety hazards associated with using high pressure gas cylinders and bulk cryogenic liquefied gas,” the company said. “By accessing nitrogen in this way, running costs are also kept low, with the potential for savings of up to 50 per cent compared with traditional supply methods.”
Dianne Fogliani of Eagleview commented: “The generator is absolutely vital to our operations. The previous Oxair-built one we had on rental has been reliable for many years, so it made sense for us to invest in a permanent solution. We’ve been producing fruit at Eagleview for 40 years now and we always aim to produce the best quality we possibly can. Oxair’s technology is helping us to maintain the ultimate in freshness and quality.”
The area of controlled atmosphere storage space currently being supplied with nitrogen is approximately 700m3. According to Oxiar, the unit purchased by Eagleview Orchard is capable of running a much larger operation very efficiently, leaving the orchard ample scope to expand operations without the need for additional generators.
“Supplying nitrogen using membrane technology is a highly practical and cost-effective solution for a wide range of sectors and is ideal for keeping fruit and vegetable harvests fresh,” said Oxair engineer David Cheeseman. “It’s been a delight to work with the folks at Eagleview Orchard and supply them with this fuss-free and reliable technology.”
