To　ensure　the　quality　and　safety,　and　extend　storage　and　shelf　life　of　horticultural　products　across　the　entire　cold-chain,　a　critical　step　in　the　postharvest　cold　chain　is　rapid　precooling　after　harvest　to　remove　field　heat.　This　work　established　a　three-dimensional　mathematical　model　of　air-inflow　and　heat　transfer　for　analyzing　the　aerodynamic　and　thermal　forced-convection　cooling　of　vented　packages　simultaneously.　A　direct　model　that　uses　the　explicit　geometry　of　stacked　products　in　boxes　was　developed　earlier　and　was　used　to　study　the　local　and　average　air-inflow　through　stacks　of　horticultural　products　(the　package　wall,　trays　and　apples).　This　study　is　based　on　an　existing　two-layer　corrugated　box　for　precooling　fresh　apples.　We　accounted　for　the　heat　of　respiration,　transpiration,　condensation　and　convective　heat　flow　inside　the　produce　zone.　The　results　show　that　a　reasonable　increasing　cooling　rate　and　uniformity　are　obtained　with　an　increase　in　air-inflow　velocity　to　2.5　m/s;　any　further　increase　in　air-inflow　velocity　simply　wastes　energy　because　it　leads　to　a　relatively　low　increase　in　cooling　rate　and　uniformity.　The　model　was　verified　by　comparing　its　results　to　those　of　experiments.　The　predicted　results　were　consistent　with　the　measured　results.　The　maximum　temperature　deviation　was　less　than　1.5℃,　and　the　maximum　root　mean　square　error　and　average　relative　error　for　produce　temperature　were　1.179℃　and　13.6%,　respectively.　This　research　thus　provides　a　reliable　theoretical　basis　for　improving　air-inflow　and　produce-temperature　uniformity　and　minimizing　energy　consumption　during　forced-convection　cooling　of　produce.　©　2015,　Chinese　Society　of　Agricultural　Machinery.　All　right　reserved.