In front of supermarket refrigerated cases, a transparent barrier maintaining low temperatures is silently at work. This is the polycarbonate through-hole honeycomb panel,constructed with a round-cell PC honeycomb core made from food-grade material, guarding both food safety and energy efficiency.
Consumers likely never notice this transparent vertical panel, yet it forms the crucial "air curtain" that preserves the low-temperature environment. This unique round-cell honeycomb core structure, made from food-grade polycarbonate, maintains stable performance from -40°C to +120°C, effectively reducing energy consumption in cold chain equipment by 15-30%.
Part 01: Industry Challenges & The Pressing Need for Innovation
Approximately 13% of losses in the global food supply chain occur during transportation and storage, primarily due to temperature fluctuations. Open refrigerated display cases, as key retail terminal equipment, face significant challenges with cold air escape and high energy consumption. Traditional materials are prone to ageing and deformation in long-term low-temperature environments and may release harmful substances, conflicting with food safety standards. Cold chain equipment manufacturers urgently need innovative material solutions that ensure both food safety and energy efficiency. Materials must comply with strict food contact standards while offering excellent physical properties and long-term stability. The round-cell honeycomb core has emerged as a key component for cold chain technology upgrades, offering unique structural and material advantages under this backdrop.
Part 02: Technical Core & The Ingenious Design of Round-cell Structure
The polycarbonate through-hole honeycomb panel utilises a unique round-cell honeycomb structure design. This uniformly distributed circular channel configuration demonstrates exceptional fluid dynamics characteristics in material science. Compared to traditional hexagonal structures, the round-cell design creates smoother, continuous airflow channels, minimising air flow resistance and enabling more uniform airflow distribution—a critical feature for forming air curtains in cold chain equipment. When applied, this round-cell structure guides cold air to form a stable, coherent vertical air barrier, effectively isolating air exchange between the cabinet's interior and exterior while significantly reducing fan energy consumption. From a material mechanics perspective, the circular hole structure creates a uniform stress distribution within the panel, giving the PC honeycomb core higher compressive and flexural strength at the same thickness while maintaining excellent lightweight properties.
Part 03: Safety Advantages & The Fundamental Assurance of Food-grade Materials
The core advantage of the food-grade PC honeycomb core lies in the high safety of its raw materials. Food-grade polycarbonate fully complies with FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and EU food contact material regulations—its entry pass and trust foundation for application in the food cold chain field. This material does not release harmful substances like BPA, ensuring absolute safety during direct or indirect food contact. Even in prolonged low-temperature environments, the material does not become brittle or release harmful particles, maintaining stable chemical properties—a feature unmatched by ordinary plastics. Furthermore, compared to other shapes, the round-cell structure provides a smoother, continuous internal surface that is less prone to accumulating contaminants and microorganisms, facilitating thorough cleaning and disinfection. The material has passed a series of stringent food safety tests, ensuring it does not affect food quality or safety under various usage conditions.