New Successful Pilot at the Valenciaport Sandbox

[By: Valenciaport]

The Valenciaport Sandbox adds a new pilot to its track record as a testing ground for innovation in the port and logistics environment. This time, the spotlight was on a new passive radiative cooling film developed by the startup Cooling Photonics, which was tested with very positive results at the Transbase Soler depot last summer, and whose results are now being presented.

The trial was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the port community, the Fundación Valenciaport and the support of Opentop, Valenciaport’s open innovation hub, which acted as facilitator, connecting the innovative company with the real-world environment in which its technology could prove its value.

A test in real summer conditions

This summer, over fifteen consecutive days, four identical 20-foot containers with the same solar exposure were monitored: one untreated as a reference, one with a conventional internal thermal blanket, a third with the material on the roof only, and the fourth with the material on the roof and side walls. Independent sensors recorded the internal temperature every 15 minutes, totalling more than 5,600 readings.

The results are conclusive. The standard container reached 53°C and spent more than a third of the time above 40°C, while the fully coated container never exceeded 34.2°C. The daily peak dropped by an average of 17.5°C, with a difference of up to 22°C on the hottest day.

Rather than insulating and trapping heat, the material tested reflects solar radiation before it passes through the steel shell and allows the container to cool down normally at night.

Advantages and opportunities for the port and logistics sector

A material like this opens up applications of great interest for ports, terminals, logistics operators and depots:

• Protection of cargo and equipment: keeps the internal temperature below 35°C with zero energy consumption. It limits heat peaks and helps reduce thermal stress and material fatigue.
• Staff safety: less heat stress in containers used as warehouses, workshops or offices.
• Extension to other port assets: in electrical cabinets and equipment, less heat means fewer shutdowns and greater reliability of power electronics.
• Climate change adaptation: a resilience tool in the face of increasingly intense summers.

Juan Manuel Díez, Head of Innovation at the Port Authority of Valencia, stated that: "The Valenciaport Sandbox was created so that innovative ideas can prove their value in a real port operations environment, with data gathered on the ground. This pilot is a great example: a technology tested in our port that delivers practical, measurable results and can help the entire sector become more efficient and sustainable. Each new pilot confirms that at Valenciaport, innovation adds value."

Meanwhile, Salvador Furió, Deputy Director General and Director of Innovation and Development of the Cluster of Fundación Valenciaport, noted that: "This pilot is yet another example of the Fundación Valenciaport’s commitment to innovative startups and scaleups. Through Opentop, we facilitate their access to the Port Community so that they can validate their solutions in a real environment and bring open innovation into Valenciaport’s day-to-day operations.”

Alfredo Soler, CEO of Transbase Soler, said that: "In the Valencia port community, we are clear that innovation is not just about big projects: it is also about opening up our facilities to test new solutions that can improve our day-to-day work. Seeing a container go from 50 degrees to just over 30 without using any energy is something that interests us all. We are delighted to have been part of this trial and will remain open to collaborating."

Javier Achiaga, CEO of Cooling Photonics, stated that: "Testing CoolPly at a fully operational depot in the height of the Mediterranean summer was the best possible validation. The results show that the port and logistics sector has a real opportunity ahead: protecting cargo, improving working conditions and reducing energy consumption with a passive solution. We thank Opentop, the Port Authority and Transbase Soler for opening the door for us to demonstrate it. And at Cooling Photonics we will continue developing new innovative materials."