32 Cold Stores What store?


Jim Whelan, director of international business at Viessmann, offers practical advice about the factors to take into consideration to ensure equipment meets operational needs, now and in the future.


COLD ROOM


CONSIDERATIONS start with the environment and location. Will the store be located inside or outside? Some cold rooms – such as those produced by Viessmann – are fully weather-proofed, which is a great option if indoor space is limited, as is the case in so many projects, and there isn’t the budget or time for constructing suitable shelter outside. Location also affects ambient temperature, thermal conductivity and the level of insulation required for the walls.


High risk food areas, where hygiene is of the utmost importance, will require more sophisticated sealing to eliminate contamination and maintain a sterile state. We steam weld the joints between walls, floors and ceiling to produce an airtight and temperature-tight fit without the need to use less robust silicone.


A fully sealed unit is an important feature for food preparation and the elimination of bacteria, vermin and other contamination. Some cold store suppliers will cobble together solutions which are not necessarily health and safety conscience. Stay away from systems with panels which are attached by mastic and look for walls and floors which are fastened together with cam locks into air and temperature-tight rooms. Think about how you are going to keep the cold room clean. Look for stores which offer antimicrobial wipe down surfaces. Floors are important, not only for providing a fully sealed hygienic environment, but also because of the risk of


ACR News September 2014


slipping. Check for non-slip pressed surfaces that will keep the team safe when the food service or production is in full swing.


Cold stores, by their nature are large, bulky boxes, yet they often have to fit into small areas. Seemingly tricky installations needn’t be discounted if a modular system, built up and sealed on site, is considered. If they need to be extended in future, or even dismantled and moved, this is possible.


Rising energy costs should not be overlooked. Running a cold room costs money and companies would benefit from looking at whole life costs, incorporating fuel bills, when purchasing a unit. It’s important to read up on and compare refrigerator unit power consumption as well as pending legislation.


We have long known that the days were numbered for high GWP refrigerants such as R404 – and now it’s official. On 14 April the Council of the European Union approved a number of revisions to the FGas regulations, drawn up as part of the EU’s ongoing efforts to tackle climate change.


The new legislation, which will come into force from 01 January 2015, introduces product, service and


maintenance bans and an HFC phase-down timetable. In practice, a very high percentage of refrigeration equipment – both back of house and front of house – currently in use will need to be modified to accept greener refrigerants or replaced


altogether. Either way, it means a substantial investment. The deadlines may seem like a long way off but businesses need to take action now! The legislation will have the most impact on users of back of house systems. Cold rooms are replaced less frequently. Many operators put off buying a new system until the old one literally breaks down.


There could be a last-minute panic as businesses rush to update their equipment when it suddenly dawns on them their cold storage is about to become illegal.


Supermarkets, with all their resources, have long- established initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. They are well aware of the new rules and their responsibilities, but your average SME or independent grocer may not be.


Don’t buy in haste and repent at leisure – be careful


what you buy from now on and make sure it is compatible. Plan your own phase-out programme and budget for it. Viessmann has long been developing products – cold rooms, cold stores, chiller cabinets, display counters – that use more environmentally- friendly and energy-efficient refrigerants.


Low life cycle costs is one of the leading principles in our research and development – from choice of refrigerant, energy-saving features, ease of daily use and maintenance. All our remote cabinets are available with R744, and the majority of our plug-in cabinets are also available with R290, thus meeting the future FGas regulation requirements. In fact, we are in the process of converting every product in our plug-in display equipment range to R290, which we believe gives us a clear edge in the marketplace.


A Viessmann Tecto System cold room. Visit ACR News online at www.acr-news.com


A Viessmann e-Ventus multideck cabinet.


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