Cold chain products face a high risk of heat damage during shipping, especially in Air and LTL shipments. Heat damage occurs from conduction, convection, and radiation. To properly insulate products against heat damage, all three of the sources must be addressed. Protek SureTemp© Pallet Covers protect against all three sources of heat damage by using multiple layers of heat-resistant materials. Here is the science behind the passive pallet cover layers that work together to safeguard cold chain products.
Outer Layer: Radiation
The outer layer of our SureTemp© Pallet Covers is made with a metalized aluminum film. This advanced outer layer primarily protects against heat damage from radiation. Radiation causes heat damage by allowing heat energy from the sun or other sources to penetrate packaging materials. The metalized surface of the passive pallet cover reflects radiant heat, preventing it from penetrating the cover and protecting the products.
Secondary Layer: Conduction
The secondary layer of our SureTemp© Pallet Covers is made with clear polyethylene (PE). The secondary layer mainly addresses conduction. Conduction leads to heat damage when the packaging or contents come into direct contact with hot surfaces or materials, usually during transfer. The transparent PE acts as a barrier that slows the transfer of heat through the material itself, helping maintain a consistent temperature for the products inside. Further, our PE material is designed to resist tears and punctures, protecting the contents from external damage.
Inner Layer: Convection
The inner layer(s) of our SureTemp© Pallet Cover is designed primarily to protect against convection. Our Elite SureTemp© Pallet Covers use hollow fiber fill, and our Premium SureTemp© Pallet Covers use trapped air polyethylene bubbles. Convection causes heat damage during shipping as warm air circulates around the package, transferring heat and damaging the product inside. Our technologically advanced insulating layers help maintain a consistent temperature inside the passive pallet cover, protecting against damage.
With multiple layers of protection, our SureTemp© Pallet Cover is a sustainable secondary form of protection. Although each layer of our thermal pallet covers has a primary function, each offers against all three types of heat damage. If you ship on the cold chain, providing as much protection against the three causes of heat damage is essential. Contact us to learn more about the science of our SureTemp© Pallet Covers. We’ll gladly help you select which pallet covers are suitable for your cold chain products.
