GREEN GUIDE PART TWO


Equipment Association) is working with internal trade associations looking to create an industry standard so as to avoid any duplication or confusion for end users.


Some more energy saving features to consider


include intelligent controllers: refrigeration with ‘intelligent’ control systems, such as Williams’ CoolSmart Controllers, minimise the cabinet’s energy consumption through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and independent management of evaporator and condenser fans. They adapt to the conditions, so rather than turning the refrigeration system on and off regularly, they only operate it when it’s needed. So in quiet times, such as overnight, it will only operate occasionally. When it’s busy and the door (or drawer) is constantly being opened and shut, it’ll operate more often. Thus the intelligent controller keeps for safe at all times, while reducing power consumption overall. Insulation: high performance foam insulation is


essential to create a strong thermal envelope for your refrigeration, so that heat can’t get in and cold can’t get out. Look for green insulation with zero ODP (ozone depletion potential). (Williams was the first foodservice refrigeration manufacturer to use CFC-free insulation). The better the insulation,


the easier it is for the refrigeration to maintain temperature, so the system will need to work less hard, saving energy. Self-closing doors: the temptation to leave doors


open is strong, especially if staff are in and out of the cabinet. But that’s tantamount to throwing food safety out the window, as no standard fridge can maintain temperature if its door is left open. Self- closing doors will shut automatically, so staff can’t make that mistake. It’s best practise to not leave the doors open for any longer than is necessary and, when loading, make sure food is never left out in an ambient environment long enough to warm up. Intelligent defrost: by defrosting when required, this feature ensures that the evaporator works more efficiently. Internal airflow: this is about how the air flows through the inside of the cabinet. Conventional designs have fans drawing the cold air back up through grills mounted in the centre of the cabinet ceiling. Mounting the grill at the front of the cabinet, so that air is drawn through the whole cabinet, ensures that cooling is uniform, with no potential ‘warm spots’. As well as being more efficient, this enhances food safety.


Merchandisers: display


units with open fronts tend to be big energy consumers. What’s more, they cause ‘cold aisle syndrome’, creating a chill wind for customers. One answer is to have doors on the front of merchandisers – which has a huge impact in reducing


energy consumption. However, it also puts up that barrier between the customer and the consumable. Increasingly there are clever designs that use curtains of air that are sucked or guided back into the unit, rather than being allowed to drift into the aisle. They keep the produce chilled and safe, while allowing the customer easy access. Temperature control: food (or other product) safety is critical, but don’t set the temperature of the refrigeration system too low. As well as compromising food quality, it wastes energy - every 1°C saved in operating temperature could reduce energy consumption by two per cent. Thorough market research: be sure to check manufacturers’ websites for energy information. Refrigerated cabinets and counters will have an energy label, which will make the model’s energy efficiency clear. In accordance to the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS), which limits the amount of energy that may be consumed by a product while in operation, G is the minimum energy performance level, while A+++ is the top rating. There are plenty of examples of innovative


thinking in energy efficiency in recent years. For example, we worked with design consultants PHCC on a CPU for The Professional Kitchen in Basildon. It had seventeen coldrooms plus a multitude of other appliances – but only a 100amp power supply. The cost to increase the supply would have been prohibitive, so they installed an energy management system that cleverly controls the power, sending it where it’s needed. Similarly, a few years ago, we worked on another CPU, this time for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, which uses waste heat from the refrigeration systems to heat up the water supply. What both these examples illustrate is the advantage of blue sky thinking when it comes to the future for energy efficient refrigeration. One thing’s for sure, we’re going to see big improvements in efficiency as manufactures develop new technologies and ideas to make our refrigeration ever greener.


www.acr-news.com


July 2020


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48