Cold Storage Capacity & How Much Fits Inside?

First, room volume = length × width × height. Not all of that holds produce, so usable volume = room volume × stacking efficiency. In crate mode the tool divides usable volume by the volume of one crate and multiplies by the net kg per crate. In bulk mode it multiplies usable volume by the produce's bulk density and divides by 1000 to get tonnes.

Stacking efficiency is the share of room volume actually filled with produce after you allow for air gaps, aisles, the gap to the walls and ceiling, and the space cold air needs to circulate. A realistic figure is about 55–70%. Use the lower end for loose bulk and good airflow, the higher end for tightly palletised crates with planned channels.

Crate mode suits produce stored in boxes or bins: crates = ⌊usable volume ÷ crate volume⌋ and tonnes = crates × net kg per crate. Bulk mode suits produce piled loose or in large heaps: tonnes = usable volume × bulk density ÷ 1000. Pick the mode that matches how you actually load the room.

Bulk density is the mass of produce per cubic metre of stack, including the air gaps between items. Typical values are around 650 kg/m³ for potatoes, 550 kg/m³ for onions and 330 kg/m³ for apples. Denser, rounder produce packs tighter; leafy or irregular produce is lighter per cubic metre.

Cold storage works only if chilled air can reach every part of the stack. Over-packing blocks airflow, creates warm pockets, and leads to condensation, rot and uneven cooling. Leave roughly 8–10% gaps, keep aisles clear, and stack on pallets with channels so air can move through — that is exactly what the stacking efficiency captures.

Use the room height with secure, stable stacking and pallet racking, keep crate sizes consistent so they nest without wasted space, and plan aisles and channels deliberately rather than leaving random gaps. You raise effective stacking efficiency without choking airflow — gaining tonnes without risking the produce.

Yes. The room's volume tells you how much produce fits, but the refrigeration plant has to remove field heat, respiration heat and any heat leaking in. If you load more than the plant can cool and hold at temperature, capacity — not space — becomes the real limit, so size the cooling load to the produce, not just the floor area.

Yes — by using whole crates that fit in the usable volume, and by setting usable volume below room volume via stacking efficiency, the result already allows for aisles, wall clearance and circulation gaps. For best accuracy use the actual outside volume of your crate, including its walls, not just the internal hold.

Enter room dimensions in metres, crate dimensions and net weight per crate for crate mode, and bulk density in kg/m³ for bulk mode. Outputs are capacity in tonnes, room volume and usable volume in cubic metres, the number of crates, and crates per cubic metre, so you can compare layouts at a glance.

No — it is a planning estimate. Real capacity depends on your exact crate sizes, how neatly the room is loaded, your produce, and the refrigeration plant's ability to hold temperature. Use it to size a room, compare crate-versus-bulk loading and plan a season, then verify against your own loading trials and cooling load.