Ripening chambers heated with recovered chiller heat
How a 10-chamber banana and mango ripening centre can reuse heat from its own chillers for room heating and crate washing, and what it saves against electric heaters.
▶Video: Heating and cooling from one machine
V11 · 2–2.5 minWater-source heat pumps that chill and heat at the same time
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Heating and cooling in the same building. Freshly loaded fruit has to be warmed to start ripening while other rooms are being cooled to remove respiration heat. Chillers reject heat outdoors and electric heaters add it back a few metres away.
- Tight pulp temperature control. Bananas need pulp held within about 1 K. Electric heaters cycling on and off cause swings that give uneven colour and short shelf life.
- High electricity bill. Electric heaters run at a COP of 1, so room reheat and hot water for crates are a large share of the centre's power bill.
- Electric heating is expensive heat. Resistance heaters turn one kWh of electricity into one kWh of heat, at the full commercial tariff. A heat pump moves two to four kWh of heat for the same unit.
- Large connected load. Heater banks take a big share of the sanctioned load and push up maximum-demand charges.
02Use case
The reference centre has 10 ethylene ripening chambers of 20 tonnes each, handling bananas most of the year and mangoes in season. Two chambers are loaded and two dispatched every day on a 4 to 5 day cycle. Plastic crates are washed on site before reuse.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warming newly loaded fruit | Pulp 13 → 18 °C | 2 rooms/day × 20 t × 3.6 kJ/kg·K × 5 K | 200 |
| Room reheat for humidity control | 18–20 °C | 10 rooms × 2 kW × 12 h | 240 |
| Crate washing | 55 °C | 6,000 L/day, 28 → 55 °C | 188 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 31 |
| Total useful heat | 660 | ||
Averaged over 18 running hours, the heat pumps need about 37 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-WW-55V (55 kW) (SE-WW water-source heat pump) delivering 50 °C, covering the day's 660 kWh in about 12.0 running hours.
- A 2,000 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- Heat source: ripening-room chiller condenser water at about 32 °C. Drawing heat from the chiller condenser water lowers condensing pressure, so the room chillers use less power.
- The electric duct heaters and water heaters stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- The heat pumps take heat from the condenser water loop of the existing room chillers, so heat removed from ripening rooms is reused instead of rejected.
- Each room unit gets a hot-water coil next to its cooling coil, so a room can be warmed or reheated without electric heaters.
- Hot water at 50 °C is stored in a tank and also heats crate wash water through a plate exchanger.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-WW-55V × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 55 kW each, 55 kW total |
| COP | 4.7 at the data sheet's rated condition (55 °C outlet) |
| Power input | about 11.6 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | hot and chilled water at the same time, to 60 °C |
| Supply temperature | 50 °C |
| Storage | 2,000 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the tank top calls the heat pumps on below 45 °C and off at 50 °C. TT-102 at the bottom starts a unit early when rooms are loaded in the morning. TIC-201 in each room opens the hot-water valve in step with the ripening programme, and TIC-202 holds the crate wash at 55 °C. The existing electric heaters stay as standby.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per tonne of ripened fruit | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
One heat flow, two jobs
Respiration heat taken out of ripening rooms warms the next batch of fruit and the crate wash.
Even colour
Modulating hot-water coils hold pulp temperature steadily, which gives more even ripening across a room.
Chillers work less
The chillers condense at a lower temperature when the heat pumps draw on their condenser water.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 4.7 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
Smaller electrical load
The heat pump draws roughly 1/4.7 of the power of the heaters it replaces, which frees sanctioned load and cuts demand charges.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Number and size of ripening rooms
- Daily tonnes loaded and dispatched
- Chiller capacity and condenser water flow
- Present electric heater ratings and running hours
- Crate wash volumes
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
Design notes
- Hydraulic separation. Connect to the chiller condenser loop through a plate exchanger or a decoupler, so the heat pumps never starve the chillers of condenser flow.
- Ethylene and hygiene. Room coils should be stainless or coated copper with easy-clean fins. Drain pans must drain freely to avoid mould.
- Low-temperature heating. Size room coils for 45–50 °C water. Coils sized for electric heater duty at higher air temperatures will be too small.
- Electrical. About 12 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Source stream. The source must give up roughly two-thirds of the heat delivered. Confirm its flow and temperature over a full production day, and filter it before the evaporator.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.
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Ripening chambers heated with recovered chiller heat
How a 10-chamber banana and mango ripening centre can reuse heat from its own chillers for room heating and crate washing, and what it saves against electric heaters.
▶Video: Heating and cooling from one machine
V11 · 2–2.5 minWater-source heat pumps that chill and heat at the same time
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Heating and cooling in the same building. Freshly loaded fruit has to be warmed to start ripening while other rooms are being cooled to remove respiration heat. Chillers reject heat outdoors and electric heaters add it back a few metres away.
- Tight pulp temperature control. Bananas need pulp held within about 1 K. Electric heaters cycling on and off cause swings that give uneven colour and short shelf life.
- High electricity bill. Electric heaters run at a COP of 1, so room reheat and hot water for crates are a large share of the centre's power bill.
- Electric heating is expensive heat. Resistance heaters turn one kWh of electricity into one kWh of heat, at the full commercial tariff. A heat pump moves two to four kWh of heat for the same unit.
- Large connected load. Heater banks take a big share of the sanctioned load and push up maximum-demand charges.
02Use case
The reference centre has 10 ethylene ripening chambers of 20 tonnes each, handling bananas most of the year and mangoes in season. Two chambers are loaded and two dispatched every day on a 4 to 5 day cycle. Plastic crates are washed on site before reuse.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warming newly loaded fruit | Pulp 13 → 18 °C | 2 rooms/day × 20 t × 3.6 kJ/kg·K × 5 K | 200 |
| Room reheat for humidity control | 18–20 °C | 10 rooms × 2 kW × 12 h | 240 |
| Crate washing | 55 °C | 6,000 L/day, 28 → 55 °C | 188 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 31 |
| Total useful heat | 660 | ||
Averaged over 18 running hours, the heat pumps need about 37 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-WW-55V (55 kW) (SE-WW water-source heat pump) delivering 50 °C, covering the day's 660 kWh in about 12.0 running hours.
- A 2,000 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- Heat source: ripening-room chiller condenser water at about 32 °C. Drawing heat from the chiller condenser water lowers condensing pressure, so the room chillers use less power.
- The electric duct heaters and water heaters stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- The heat pumps take heat from the condenser water loop of the existing room chillers, so heat removed from ripening rooms is reused instead of rejected.
- Each room unit gets a hot-water coil next to its cooling coil, so a room can be warmed or reheated without electric heaters.
- Hot water at 50 °C is stored in a tank and also heats crate wash water through a plate exchanger.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-WW-55V × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 55 kW each, 55 kW total |
| COP | 4.7 at the data sheet's rated condition (55 °C outlet) |
| Power input | about 11.6 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | hot and chilled water at the same time, to 60 °C |
| Supply temperature | 50 °C |
| Storage | 2,000 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the tank top calls the heat pumps on below 45 °C and off at 50 °C. TT-102 at the bottom starts a unit early when rooms are loaded in the morning. TIC-201 in each room opens the hot-water valve in step with the ripening programme, and TIC-202 holds the crate wash at 55 °C. The existing electric heaters stay as standby.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per tonne of ripened fruit | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
One heat flow, two jobs
Respiration heat taken out of ripening rooms warms the next batch of fruit and the crate wash.
Even colour
Modulating hot-water coils hold pulp temperature steadily, which gives more even ripening across a room.
Chillers work less
The chillers condense at a lower temperature when the heat pumps draw on their condenser water.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 4.7 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
Smaller electrical load
The heat pump draws roughly 1/4.7 of the power of the heaters it replaces, which frees sanctioned load and cuts demand charges.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Number and size of ripening rooms
- Daily tonnes loaded and dispatched
- Chiller capacity and condenser water flow
- Present electric heater ratings and running hours
- Crate wash volumes
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
Design notes
- Hydraulic separation. Connect to the chiller condenser loop through a plate exchanger or a decoupler, so the heat pumps never starve the chillers of condenser flow.
- Ethylene and hygiene. Room coils should be stainless or coated copper with easy-clean fins. Drain pans must drain freely to avoid mould.
- Low-temperature heating. Size room coils for 45–50 °C water. Coils sized for electric heater duty at higher air temperatures will be too small.
- Electrical. About 12 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Source stream. The source must give up roughly two-thirds of the heat delivered. Confirm its flow and temperature over a full production day, and filter it before the evaporator.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.