A plateau is a stretch where the curve stays almost flat. In a container with eutectic plates it is usually the stage in which the plates melt: a eutectic mixture has a single melting temperature, the plate absorbs heat at that temperature and the inside stays close to that level. Once the plate has melted the curve rises.
When reading a plateau, mark its start and end and write down the lid, vehicle and ambient events in the same interval. If the plateau sits near the plate's melting temperature, the plate is doing its job; product temperature is measured separately with a probe.
- plateau start and end
- ambient condition
- lid and vehicle events
- plate type and preparation record
If the plateau forms at the same stage on every trip, the process has a repeatable balance point. If warming accelerates after the plateau, define an earlier decision point for the remaining cold capacity.
