Live Fish Transporter Reduces Mortality and Ice Usage with Boyard’s 48VDC Compressor

Boyard
Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:26:34 +0000

A regional seafood vendor and transporter replaced ice blocks with a mobile refrigeration system powered by Boyard’s 48V variable-speed DC-powered compressor, significantly reducing fish mortality during transport and saving on operating costs.

Background

HeTu, a regional seafood vendor and transporter in China, ensures the delivery of the freshest quality seafood to their retail customers by transporting fish alive.

Traditionally, HeTu used a large amount of ice blocks to keep the water in the fish containers cold. However, this method was highly inefficient and costly. HeTu needed to continuously replenish the ice, increasing material and labor costs. Melted ice water could damage cargo and delay shipping times, affecting supply chain efficiency.

More importantly, the mortality rate of fish using ice was as high as 50%, depending on the species. HeTu could not sell dead fish to their retailers, which affected their sales profit. Additionally, HeTu’s significant consumption of ice raised concerns about overusing natural resources and harming the environment.

Challenges

To improve the situation, HeTu decided to transition from the ice-based method to modern refrigeration technology. Most cold-chain systems use high-pressure systems, and the 48V design allows for lower noise levels during operation, making it more suitable for use in enclosed spaces and reducing energy consumption. However, 48V DC-powered compressors are particularly scarce in the market and often overpriced, making the entire refrigeration system very expensive.

Solution

HeTu sought help from Boyard. After thoroughly understanding their needs, Boyard developed a customized cold-chain solution utilizing the KVSC300Z48, a DC-powered, variable-speed compressor.

The Boyard KVSC300Z48 compressor offers flexibility and energy efficiency, capable of intelligently adjusting its operation based on the onboard environment and temperature control requirements. This allows customers to select suitable cooling levels according to various climate conditions, ultimately ensuring the liveliness of the fish. Unlike the inconvenient ice method, the Boyard variable-speed unit provides continuous cooling for 24 hours, maintaining a stable low-temperature environment inside the transport fish tank. This feature is particularly important for extended transportation times, effectively reducing fish mortality during transport.

Results

The Boyard 48V mobile cold-chain system immediately demonstrated significant positive impacts on HeTu’s day-to-day operations.

Annual fish mortality rate

Significant Reduction in Fish Mortality

After deploying the refrigeration system, the mortality rate of fish during transportation decreased by 40% on average. This not only signifies a reduction in lost sales but also brings higher freshness and better consumer reputation for HeTu in the market.

Annual Savings with Boyard DC 48V compressor

Remarkable Cost Reduction

By replacing the ice method with the continuous refrigeration unit, HeTu saves over $7,000 USD per transport driver per year on labor and material costs.

1. Reduced Dependence on Ice:The dependence on ice significantly decreased, simplifying the procurement process during transportation.

2. Improved Transportation Efficiency:The failure rate of general temperature control greatly decreased, enhancing the overall reliability of transportation.

Overall Improvements in Business

Thanks to the improvements made by Boyard’s 48VDC system, HeTu could maintain price competitiveness in a fiercely competitive market. The system guarantees the most efficient and fresh product delivery, attracting more orders from their customers.