Double walled food storage containers outperform those with a single wall according to new research conducted by the University of Iceland and RPC Sæplast.
Dr Björn Margeirsson, research manager at RPC Sæplast and assistant professor at the University of Iceland together with three of his students performed an ice melt study, comparing the Sæplast 70-L PUR container, with and without a lid, with 70-L single walled PE boxes. They monitored the ambient temperatures and the melting of the ice and calculated the insulation values for the three different formats.
The results showed that the 70-L PUR container with lid performed the best, the insulation value being notably higher than even the double-walled version without a lid. By far the lowest insulation value came from the single walled PE container, with the 70-L PUR container with lid providing five times better insulation.
“The huge difference in insulation capabilities was one of the reasons for the quick transition from single walled boxes to these insulated containers in Icelandic fishing fleets in the 80s,” explained Dr Margeirsson. “The other main reasons were easier, faster and better handling on board and ashore, and these benefits remain critical to the continued success of our ranges today.”
The Sæplast 70-L PUR container features a seamless roto moulded construction. PUR refers to the polyurethane insulation injected into the walls of the tub that delivers a very high insulation factor for effective temperature retention and control.
