Vacuum Cooling

Industrial Vacuum Coolers & Vacuum Chillers

Cold Change Group supplies industrial vacuum coolers and vacuum cooling systems for growers, farms, packhouses, horticultural businesses and fresh produce processors worldwide.

Our vacuum cooling equipment range includes compact single-pallet systems through to large 20 pallet industrial vacuum chillers for high-throughput commercial operations.

Also known as vacuum chillers, vacuum pre-coolers, vacuum precoolers, vacuum cooling machines and vacuum chilling systems, this technology removes heat from suitable products through controlled evaporation under reduced atmospheric pressure.

For a detailed explanation of the technology, applications, machine selection and cooling process, read our complete industrial vacuum cooling guide.

Vacuum Cooler Sizes – Single Pallet to 20 Pallets

Cold Change Group manufactures commercial vacuum coolers in a wide range of capacities. The correct machine should be selected around both pallet capacity and the required cooling duty.

Available systems include:

• Single Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 2 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 4 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 6 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 8 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 10 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 12 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 14 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 16 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 18 Pallet Vacuum Cooler
• 20 Pallet Vacuum Cooler

Machine selection should consider the product, kilograms per pallet, pallets per cycle, starting temperature, required final temperature, target cooling time, cycles per hour and required hourly throughput.

What Products Can Be Vacuum Cooled?

Vacuum cooling is particularly suitable for products that can lose moisture easily and have a relatively large surface area. Australian post-harvest guidance identifies leafy products such as lettuce, Asian greens and silverbeet as particularly suitable, while broccoli, celery and sweet corn can also be cooled effectively using vacuum cooling.

For independent technical information, see the Australian Postharvest Resource guide to cooling methods.

Vacuum Cooling Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce, cos lettuce, romaine lettuce and other leafy varieties are among the best-known commercial vacuum cooling applications.

Rapid removal of field heat allows suitable palletised lettuce to be pre-cooled before refrigerated storage, packing and distribution.

Read our dedicated Vacuum Cooling Lettuce guide for more information about cooling freshly harvested lettuce.

Vacuum Cooling Leafy Greens & Vegetables

Vacuum cooling is particularly suitable for many leafy greens, spinach, rocket, baby leaf, watercress, Asian greens, salad leaves and herbs.

Our Vacuum Cooling Leafy Vegetables & Fresh Produce guide explains how rapid pre-cooling can be used by commercial growers and packhouses.

Vacuum Cooling Mushrooms

Mushrooms are another major application for rapid post-harvest cooling.

A correctly specified mushroom vacuum cooler can rapidly remove product heat before refrigerated storage, packing and distribution.

Read our detailed Vacuum Cooling Mushrooms guide for information about cycle times, throughput, packaging and machine selection.

Vacuum Cooling Broccoli & Cauliflower

Broccoli and cauliflower can also benefit from rapid post-harvest heat removal where vacuum cooling is suitable for the particular crop and packaging arrangement.

An Australian post-harvest case study found vacuum cooling to be the most energy-efficient cooling method examined for broccoli under the assumptions used in that study.

Read the independent Australian broccoli cooling case study for the technical comparison.

Vacuum Cooling Herbs, Salad Crops & Watercress

Suitable applications can include spinach, rocket, watercress, baby leaf, basil and other herbs and salad crops.

Growers handling several suitable products may be able to use the same industrial vacuum cooling system across different crops throughout the growing season.

Vacuum Cooling Celery, Asparagus, Cabbage & Vegetables

Other potential applications include celery, asparagus, cabbage, green onions, sweet corn and other suitable fresh vegetables.

The correct cooling technology should always be selected around product structure, packaging, temperature and required throughput.

Vacuum Cooling Cut Flowers

Vacuum cooling technology can also be used for suitable cut flowers and horticultural products where rapid temperature reduction is required before cold storage, distribution or export.

Large commercial operations can consider high-capacity systems such as the 16 pallet vacuum cooler, 18 pallet vacuum cooler or 20 pallet vacuum cooler.

Vacuum Cooling Turf

Industrial vacuum cooling systems can also be configured for turf and other suitable horticultural applications where rapid removal of heat before transportation or storage is required.

Vacuum Cooling Bakery & Food Products

Vacuum cooling technology also has applications beyond fresh produce, including selected bakery and food-processing applications.

The refrigeration capacity, vacuum system and cooling process should be designed around the characteristics of the individual product.

Vacuum Cooling in Australia

Cold Change Group supplies industrial vacuum cooling equipment to Australian growers, farms, packhouses and fresh produce businesses.

Visit our dedicated Vacuum Coolers Australia page for information about Australian vacuum coolers, vacuum chillers, product applications, system capacities and Australia-wide supply.

You can also read our article about Australian fresh produce growers and farming businesses and the importance of post-harvest cooling within large commercial fresh produce operations.

Vacuum Coolers for Sale Worldwide

Cold Change Group supplies industrial vacuum coolers and vacuum chillers worldwide.

Systems can be engineered around local pallet dimensions, electrical requirements, ambient conditions, production throughput and required cooling performance.

Vacuum Coolers United Kingdom

Cold Change Group supplies industrial vacuum coolers and vacuum chillers throughout the UK for growers, packhouses and fresh produce processors.

UK customers can currently explore our main industrial vacuum cooler guide until the dedicated UK country page is completed.

Vacuum Coolers New Zealand

Commercial vacuum cooling systems can be supplied to New Zealand growers and fresh produce businesses. Equipment can be configured around product type, pallet dimensions, starting temperature and required throughput.

Vacuum Coolers USA & Canada

Cold Change Group supplies vacuum coolers and vacuum chillers to North American fresh produce operations. Systems can be configured around North American pallet sizes, electrical requirements and individual cooling duties.

Vacuum Cooling Europe & Netherlands

Industrial vacuum cooling technology is available for growers, packhouses and horticultural businesses throughout Europe and the Netherlands.

Applications can include leafy vegetables, mushrooms, other fresh produce and suitable cut flowers.

Vacuum Cooling South Africa & Africa

Cold Change Group can supply commercial vacuum cooling equipment for growers and packhouses in South Africa and other African markets, including suitable fresh produce and horticultural applications.

Vacuum Cooling Middle East & Asia

Industrial vacuum cooling systems can also be supplied throughout the Middle East and Asia. Systems can be configured around production capacity, high ambient temperatures, local electrical requirements and site conditions.

Vacuum Cooling vs Hydro Cooling

Different fresh produce products can require different pre-cooling technologies.

Vacuum cooling is particularly suited to many leafy, porous and high-surface-area products.

Hydro cooling systems remove heat by bringing suitable produce into contact with chilled water and can be more appropriate for products that tolerate direct water contact.

Cold Change Group can assess the application and recommend an appropriate post-harvest cooling method.

Choosing the Correct Vacuum Cooler or Vacuum Chiller

The correct vacuum cooler or vacuum chiller should be selected around the required cooling performance rather than chamber capacity alone.

Important information includes:

• Product being cooled
• Pallets per cycle
• Kilograms per pallet
• Starting product temperature
• Required final product temperature
• Target cooling time
• Required cycles per hour
• Total hourly throughput
• Packaging and pallet dimensions
• Available electrical supply
• Site and ambient conditions

A smaller operation may require a 2 pallet vacuum cooler or 4 pallet vacuum cooler.

Medium-volume packhouses can consider systems such as the 8 pallet vacuum cooler, 10 pallet vacuum cooler or 12 pallet vacuum cooler.

Major high-throughput operations can consider 16 pallet, 18 pallet and 20 pallet vacuum cooling systems.

Using the production information above, Cold Change Group can determine the required vacuum chamber size, refrigeration capacity and vacuum system configuration.

Looking for an Industrial Vacuum Cooler?

Whether you require a compact vacuum pre-cooler or a large multi-pallet industrial vacuum chiller, Cold Change Group can recommend equipment around your production requirements.

Explore the vacuum coolers above or read our complete guide to industrial vacuum cooling systems.

Australian growers and packhouses can visit our dedicated Vacuum Coolers Australia page.