• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2000

Low temperature storage method is to increase the value of agricultural products by reducing quality loss and regulate consignment time by controlling respiration rates of agricultural products. Respiration rate of agricultural products depends on several factors such as temperature, moisture, gas composition and a microbe inside the storage room. Temperature is the most important factor among these, which affects respiration rate and causes low or high temperature damage. Fuzzy logic was used to control the temperature of a storage room ,which uses information of uncertain facts and mathematical model for room temperature control . Room temperature was controlled better by using fuzzy logic control method rather than on-off control method. Refrigerant flow rates and temperature deviations were measured for on-off system using TEV(temperature expansion valve) and for fuzzy system using EEV(Electrical Expansion Valve) . Temperature of the Storage room was lowered faster by using fuzzy system than on -off system. Temperature deviation was -0.6~+0.9$^{\circ}C$ for on-off system and $\pm$0.2$^{\circ}C$ for fuzzy system developed. Temperature deviation and variation of temperature deviation were used as inout parameters for fuzzy system. The most suitable input and output value were found by experiment. Cooling rate of the storage room decreased while temperature deviation increased for the sampling time of 20 sec.