A passive pallet cover system is one of the most effective ways to protect temperature-sensitive products from extreme temperature fluctuations in the environment. Whether it’s a blazing summer day with cargo on the airfield tarmac or a winter blizzard with goods sitting outside awaiting transfer to the next vehicle, a passive pallet cover can make a big difference in ensuring the goods remain at the optimal temperature for viability.
Read more: The Biggest Difference Between Heat & Cold ProtectionHowever, while the goal of insulating materials for shipping goods is to prevent extreme temperature changes, there is one way that heat protection differs greatly from cold protection. In many ways, both forms of temperature change share many of the same characteristics, but there’s one aspect that belongs to heat alone.
Radiation Protection
Some people hear the word radiation and immediately worry about nuclear reactor-related issues and carcinogenic risks. Radiation, however, is not specific to nuclear activity, but is a general physics principle for any strong source of energy. In fact, most people experience a form of radiation every day of their lives, and that is from Earth’s strongest and most reliable source of radiation, the sun.
The sun naturally radiates. If it weren’t for the principles of radiation, light wouldn’t reach the Earth, and, just as importantly, heat wouldn’t either. Of course, we’re far enough away from and protected by multiple layers of atmosphere that the heat is generally lethal to us, but, given enough time, the heat generated by the sun can warm things up.
This is something that does not happen when temperatures drop. Temperature-sensitive products cool down as a result of adjusting to the lower temperature around, an attempt to balance out or reach equilibrium. However, in the absence of lower temperatures, a product tends to remain at its given temperature.
Reflecting Radiation
Radiation, however, will heat things regardless of the environmental temperature. This is why a key component of passive pallet protection is the use of reflective surfaces. Radiation will “bounce” off a sufficiently reflective surface, such as certain elements like aluminum, which act like mirrored surfaces.
This means that radiation from sources like the sun does not penetrate the packaging of a product and warm it up. Instead, that heat radiation is deflected away, providing a more efficient solution to keeping things cool than an active refrigeration system that actively lowers the environmental temperature to combat heat gain.
If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want guidance on the optimal way to ship them to their destination, we can help. Contact us to discuss your shipping needs and obtain a quote.
