Food-grade refrigeration: a platform that monitors even during power outages

A new cold chain monitoring system capable of operating even during power failures or internet outages has been introduced by National Cold Vault. The solution has been developed to help safeguard temperature-sensitive medical products in healthcare facilities across Ohio and private clinical networks throughout the United States.

Called Cold-Vault Shield, the platform continuously monitors refrigeration units without relying on a building’s electrical supply or local Wi-Fi network. This enables healthcare providers to detect temperature deviations promptly, even during blackouts or network disruptions.

The system uses dedicated 4G LTE-M cellular nodes operating on bands 12 and 13. If a power outage occurs, it automatically sends an alert to facility administrators within five seconds, allowing immediate action to protect refrigerated assets.

The technology is designed to preserve high-value biological materials and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, including mRNA vaccines, GLP-1 receptor agonist medications and botulinum toxin products used in dermatological treatments. It helps ensure that stored products remain within the 2°C to 8°C temperature range recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

National Cold Vault offers the platform through a Compliance-as-a-Service model. The package includes a one-time hardware installation fee of $349 and a monthly subscription of $79.99. The service also automatically generates the documentation required for CDC and Vaccines for Children compliance audits.

The offering includes the annual replacement of the platinum RTD glass-bead temperature probe, calibrated and certified to NIST standards, ensuring continued measurement accuracy and regulatory compliance.

“Relying solely on a facility’s Wi-Fi network to protect high-value biological assets creates an inherent vulnerability,” said Sean Lin, Director of Operations & Compliance at National Cold Vault. “With Cold-Vault Shield, we have developed a telemetry system that operates independently of the building’s infrastructure, providing greater reliability in safeguarding refrigerated products for pharmacies, medical spas and public healthcare distribution networks.”

Industrial refrigeration, commercial refrigeration, cold chain logistics, freezing technologies, and cryogenics will be among the key topics at REFRIGERA, the international trade exhibition for the refrigeration industry, which will take place at Bologna Exhibition Center from 10 to 12 November 2027.

For further information www.refrigera.show