Post Harvest Handling Technology
Zero Energy Cooling Chamber
An eco-friendly, zero-energy natural cooling chamber that uses charcoal and evaporative cooling to preserve fresh vegetables. It reduces postharvest losses, cuts costs, and empowers local cooperatives to maintain crop quality without electricity or harmful greenhouse gases.
The charcoal based Zero Energy Cooling Chamber (ZECC) is an eco-friendly and cost-effective postharvest technology designed to preserve fresh vegetables and reduce postharvest losses, ultimately helping to increase household income. Operating entirely on the principle of evaporative cooling, the system requires no electrical or mechanical energy. Unlike conventional vapor compression cooling systems that rely on greenhouse gases like HCFCs, CFCs, and HFCs that contribute to ozone depletion and global warming, the ZECC is completely natural and environmentally safe. Furthermore, while conventional cooling systems are costly to purchase, operate, and maintain, the ZECC provides a sustainable and affordable solution for fruit and vegetable postharvest handling, empowering farmers to maintain the quality of their produce and strengthen their livelihoods.
Cost-effective and low-cost to build using locally sourced, affordable materials (such as wood, wire mesh, charcoal, and