Fuente: EFRUD.

Las normativas en cuanto a la calidad de los productos, las tendencias de regulación que tienden a obligar a la refrigeración de cada vez más categorías de productos y el aumento de la “calidad de vida” y del poder de compra de los ciudadanos que implica el desarrollo del consumo de alimentos perecederos (frescos), incrementaron el uso de sistemas de refrigeración para la distribución de bienes perecederos.

La distribución urbana refrigerada implica un impacto negativo, más importante en zonas urbanas debido a la contaminación asociada al combustible cuyo consumo aumenta con el uso del sistema de refrigeración, y también a los ruidos asociados, etc.

Technologies used for refrigerated food transportation

Most refrigerated food transportation is done by road, using vehicles equipped with an insulating structure.

Numerous factors are considered when designing refrigerated food transportation units, such as:

• - The climatic conditions of the region;

• - The “climatic” conditions inside the vehicle (temperature);

• - The properties of the insulation system to be used;

• - The possibilities of air and humidity infiltration, etc.

The refrigeration system (Refrigeration System/Refrigeration Equipment) used for the transportation of food is based on vapor compression that ensures the maintenance of certain conditions such as temperatures depending on the quantity and type of food transported.

Energy consumption and environmental impact due to the transport of refrigerated goods

The energy efficiency of the refrigerated units of this means of transport has more or less importance depending on the region of the world, due to its climate among other things. The increase in fuel prices and the evolution of the environment are other aspects that companies need to take into account.

Fuel consumption depends on the refrigeration system, which must be in relation to the type of goods transported (refrigerated products such as fruit and vegetables can travel at a temperature of 0 °C and frozen products require temperatures below 20 °C).

Contamination is due to a combination of factors such as the design of the refrigeration system, the type of products transported, exposure to the sun, the density of refrigerants, the position of the control system such as modulation and activation/deactivation of the compressor.

In some cases, energy consumption for the distribution of fresh foods may be higher than for the transportation of frozen foods, because there are stricter controls on the product and because more air is needed to maintain a uniform temperature during distribution.

Transport with passive cooling system

According to a study (A. Ghirardi, 2003), the exploitation and distribution of fruits and vegetables are in danger from two aspects of the same problem: the high cost of their environmental impact. The systems and technologies currently used are expensive, they are not compatible with the environment as they are not sustainable.

The passive cooling system allows solving the problem of quality conservation, making the delivery time compatible with transportation and independent of energy sources during operation. It also allows the use of modes of transport without electrical connection.

From the assessment of the critical factors of refrigerated transport and the characteristics of its passive refrigeration system, a synergy emerges capable of resolving key aspects and in particular:

• - The deterioration coefficients of the products due to temperature, humidity and ventilation. These parameters are maintained in perfect conditions in the vehicle equipped with a passive cooling system, which guarantees that the useful life of the product is longer, compared to traditional cooling mechanisms.

• - Competitive costs for transportation.

For distribution in urban areas, traffic saturation and the propensity of cities to limit the flow of vehicles destined for the distribution of goods require optimization of the logistics and distribution chain.

This optimization can be carried out by using passively refrigerated containers, independent of loads and transport and that allow the use of the same medium, also non-refrigerated, for the distribution of orders to stores, preserving the products at an optimal and constant temperature autonomously.

Studies on the urban distribution of goods

Research in urban logistics and urban distribution of goods is very extensive. The first technical works date back to the end of the 19th century, but the first academic works published in research journals appear in the years 1969-1970.[1] Some of the main founding scientific books and articles:

• - Watson (1976) and Ogden (1992) propose the first treatises on the study of transport flows in urban areas.

• - Muñuzuri et al. (2005)[2]​ and Russo and Comi (2010) propose a first classification of measures that public authorities can take to improve the urban distribution of goods.

• - Taniguchi et al. (2001) represents the first exhaustive book on "city logistics", which addresses the subject from the optimization of transport processes and operations. A second book from the same group (Taniguchi and Thompson, 2014) presents the topics of interest, always in an engineering logic.

• - Gonzalez-Feliu et al. (2014) Browne et al. (2019), and Marcucci et al. (2023) propose a more multidisciplinary vision focused on sustainability issues.

Projects related to the urban distribution of goods

• - Best Urban Freight Solution (BESTUFS). www.bestufs.net.

• - Emission Free Refrigerated Urban Distribution (EFRUD). www.efrud.info.

• - Co-ordinating Urban Pricing Integrated Demonstrations (CUPID).

• - Thematic Network on Freight Transfer Points and Terminals (EUTP II).

• - MObility management STrategies for the next decades (MOST).

• - PRicing REGimes fOr integrated Sustainable mobility (PROGRESS).

• - Open framework for Simulation of transport Strategies and Assessment (OSSA).

• - Remote mEasurement of Vehicle Emissions At Low cost(REVEAL).

• - Effects on Transport of Trends in Logistics and Supply Chain Management(SULOGTRA).

• - Means of transportation").

• - Environment in Spain.

• - Sustainable hiring.

• - Greenhouse gases.

• - Emission standards.

• - Urban Freight Transport and Logistics - http://www.transport-research.info.

• - Institute of City Logistics - http://www.citylogistics.org/.

• - Transport Systems Centre, University of South Australia (Michael A P Taylo)http://www.griffith.edu.au/.

• - Urban distribution of goods, Muévete - http://muevetemurcia.es/.

• - A new concept of urban logistics platform, Raquel González Dalmau & Francesc Robusté Antón - http://www-cenit.upc.es/.

Fuente: EFRUD.

Las normativas en cuanto a la calidad de los productos, las tendencias de regulación que tienden a obligar a la refrigeración de cada vez más categorías de productos y el aumento de la “calidad de vida” y del poder de compra de los ciudadanos que implica el desarrollo del consumo de alimentos perecederos (frescos), incrementaron el uso de sistemas de refrigeración para la distribución de bienes perecederos.

La distribución urbana refrigerada implica un impacto negativo, más importante en zonas urbanas debido a la contaminación asociada al combustible cuyo consumo aumenta con el uso del sistema de refrigeración, y también a los ruidos asociados, etc.

Technologies used for refrigerated food transportation

Most refrigerated food transportation is done by road, using vehicles equipped with an insulating structure.

Numerous factors are considered when designing refrigerated food transportation units, such as:

• - The climatic conditions of the region;

• - The “climatic” conditions inside the vehicle (temperature);

• - The properties of the insulation system to be used;

• - The possibilities of air and humidity infiltration, etc.

The refrigeration system (Refrigeration System/Refrigeration Equipment) used for the transportation of food is based on vapor compression that ensures the maintenance of certain conditions such as temperatures depending on the quantity and type of food transported.

Energy consumption and environmental impact due to the transport of refrigerated goods

The energy efficiency of the refrigerated units of this means of transport has more or less importance depending on the region of the world, due to its climate among other things. The increase in fuel prices and the evolution of the environment are other aspects that companies need to take into account.

Fuel consumption depends on the refrigeration system, which must be in relation to the type of goods transported (refrigerated products such as fruit and vegetables can travel at a temperature of 0 °C and frozen products require temperatures below 20 °C).

Contamination is due to a combination of factors such as the design of the refrigeration system, the type of products transported, exposure to the sun, the density of refrigerants, the position of the control system such as modulation and activation/deactivation of the compressor.

In some cases, energy consumption for the distribution of fresh foods may be higher than for the transportation of frozen foods, because there are stricter controls on the product and because more air is needed to maintain a uniform temperature during distribution.

Transport with passive cooling system

According to a study (A. Ghirardi, 2003), the exploitation and distribution of fruits and vegetables are in danger from two aspects of the same problem: the high cost of their environmental impact. The systems and technologies currently used are expensive, they are not compatible with the environment as they are not sustainable.

The passive cooling system allows solving the problem of quality conservation, making the delivery time compatible with transportation and independent of energy sources during operation. It also allows the use of modes of transport without electrical connection.

From the assessment of the critical factors of refrigerated transport and the characteristics of its passive refrigeration system, a synergy emerges capable of resolving key aspects and in particular:

• - The deterioration coefficients of the products due to temperature, humidity and ventilation. These parameters are maintained in perfect conditions in the vehicle equipped with a passive cooling system, which guarantees that the useful life of the product is longer, compared to traditional cooling mechanisms.

• - Competitive costs for transportation.

For distribution in urban areas, traffic saturation and the propensity of cities to limit the flow of vehicles destined for the distribution of goods require optimization of the logistics and distribution chain.

This optimization can be carried out by using passively refrigerated containers, independent of loads and transport and that allow the use of the same medium, also non-refrigerated, for the distribution of orders to stores, preserving the products at an optimal and constant temperature autonomously.

Studies on the urban distribution of goods

Research in urban logistics and urban distribution of goods is very extensive. The first technical works date back to the end of the 19th century, but the first academic works published in research journals appear in the years 1969-1970.[1] Some of the main founding scientific books and articles:

• - Watson (1976) and Ogden (1992) propose the first treatises on the study of transport flows in urban areas.

• - Muñuzuri et al. (2005)[2]​ and Russo and Comi (2010) propose a first classification of measures that public authorities can take to improve the urban distribution of goods.

• - Taniguchi et al. (2001) represents the first exhaustive book on "city logistics", which addresses the subject from the optimization of transport processes and operations. A second book from the same group (Taniguchi and Thompson, 2014) presents the topics of interest, always in an engineering logic.

• - Gonzalez-Feliu et al. (2014) Browne et al. (2019), and Marcucci et al. (2023) propose a more multidisciplinary vision focused on sustainability issues.

Projects related to the urban distribution of goods

• - Best Urban Freight Solution (BESTUFS). www.bestufs.net.

• - Emission Free Refrigerated Urban Distribution (EFRUD). www.efrud.info.

• - Co-ordinating Urban Pricing Integrated Demonstrations (CUPID).

• - Thematic Network on Freight Transfer Points and Terminals (EUTP II).

• - MObility management STrategies for the next decades (MOST).

• - PRicing REGimes fOr integrated Sustainable mobility (PROGRESS).

• - Open framework for Simulation of transport Strategies and Assessment (OSSA).

• - Remote mEasurement of Vehicle Emissions At Low cost(REVEAL).

• - Effects on Transport of Trends in Logistics and Supply Chain Management(SULOGTRA).

• - Means of transportation").

• - Environment in Spain.

• - Sustainable hiring.

• - Greenhouse gases.

• - Emission standards.

• - Urban Freight Transport and Logistics - http://www.transport-research.info.

• - Institute of City Logistics - http://www.citylogistics.org/.

• - Transport Systems Centre, University of South Australia (Michael A P Taylo)http://www.griffith.edu.au/.

• - Urban distribution of goods, Muévete - http://muevetemurcia.es/.

• - A new concept of urban logistics platform, Raquel González Dalmau & Francesc Robusté Antón - http://www-cenit.upc.es/.