Development of Automated Equipment for Post-harvest Ripening of Agricultural Produce

本研究的目的是开发一种自动化的香蕉人工成熟设备，并为猕猴桃的储存和成熟提供基础数据。构建成熟室，尺寸为1050mmx 700mmx 550 mm。这个房间由一个塑料框架，一个塑料薄膜帐篷和一个围绕框架的水管组成。帐篷覆盖在框架上，帐篷的下端浸泡在水管的水里，以密封房间。人工熟化所需的操作，如熟化室的通风和熟化初期的乙烯（C_2H_4）的注入，都是自动控制的。当室内CO_2浓度上升到5%时，进行通风。通风是用超声波测距仪通过排水和填充管道中的水来操作的。气弹放出的调节气体经电磁阀和针阀注入气腔，注入C_2H_4。由计算机控制电磁阀的开启时间，使室中C_2H_4的浓度达到1000ppm左右。成熟温度由香蕉在成熟过程中呼出的总CO_2控制。用所研制的设备进行的成熟实验表明，该设备能满足自动化成熟的要求。结果表明，猕猴桃的硬度与猕猴桃在贮藏和成熟过程中呼吸释放的总CO_2有关。该结果可为猕猴桃成熟度的无损预测提供参考。

The objectives of this study were to develop an automated equipment for artificial ripening of banana and to obtain fundamental data for storage and ripening of kiwi.A ripening chamber was constructed with a dimension of 1050mmx 700mmx 550 mm. The chamber was consisted of a plastic frame, a plastic film tent and a water conduit surrounding the frame. The tent covered the frame and the lower end of the tent was soaked in the water of the conduit to seal the chamber. Operations needed for artificial ripening such as the ventilation of a chamber and the injection of ethylene(C_2H_4) at the beginning of ripening were automatically controlled. The chamber was ventilated when CO_2 concentration in the chamber rose to 5%. The ventilation was operated with a ultrasonic range finder by draining and filling water in the conduit. The injection of C_2H_4 was made by applying regulated gas led from a gas bomb into the Chamber through a solenoid valve and a needle valve. The opening time of the solenoid valve was controlled by a computer so that the concentration Of C_2H_4 in the chamber became about l000ppm. Ripening temperature was controlled by a total CO_2 rejected by respiration of banana during ripening. Ripening experiments with the developed equipment showed that the equipment worked adequately for automated ripening.Storage and ripening of kiwi showed that hardness of kiwi was correlated with a total CO_2 evolved by respiration of kiwi during storage and ripening. This result could suggest nondestructive methods for the prediction of maturity of kiwi.