REFRIGERANTS
from the acceptable range due to a leak, food may need to be discarded. Disposing of all refrigerated inventory can be incredibly costly. And even in instances where the food can be saved, temperature fluctuations can impact the quality of the product. In many instances, this negative change in quality will be noticed by customers, and can hurt the store’s bottom line. For food retailers, high quality is a must. Poor quality food that hasn't been kept at the right temperature may not only taste bad, it may also make customers sick. No food retailer wants that type of reputation. Having high-quality refrigeration equipment with modern leak detection technologies can eliminate the worry about the loss of reputation.
■ Leaky refrigeration equipment also can cause operational costs to skyrocket due to excessive energy use. As refrigeration charge leaks, the compressor must work harder to get the same level of refrigeration which consumes more electrical power. Addition- ally, new or upgraded refrigeration equip- ment can use as much as 50% less than their older counterparts. The compounded month- ly savings realized after upgrading mean that they pay for themselves in a relatively short time frame. In fact, the break-even point often arrives far sooner than many business owners expect.
■ In addition to the operational cost of leaks, exposure to leaking refrigerants poses a huge health hazard for employees. Health effects can range from nausea, vomiting, and headache to organ failure, seizures, or even death. If exposed, the business owner could face costly medical bills, worker's compen- sation claims, and possibly lawsuits. And the reality is that employees don't want to continue working in an environment that has health hazards. Preventing refrigerant leaks is crucial in ensuring employee safety and retaining staff.
■ Refrigerant leaks also do a tremendous amount of harm to the environment and have been linked to ozone depletion and global warming. Due to these harmful ef- fects, the EPA has adopted regulations that impose stiff penalties on companies that do not address leaks immediately. The threat of fines, costly repairs to the equipment, and irreparable damage to the environment make it worthwhile to upgrade leaking equipment as soon as possible.
Adopting the prevention mindset Refrigerant leaks can be incredibly costly,
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The MPS sensor detects and classifies multiple explosive gases using a single calibration.
and the best way to avoid this expense is by adopting a prevention mindset. There are several ideas that can help you to understand how cost savings are realized through prevention. ■ Investment vs. Expense – rather than thinking about upgrading your refrigeration system and leak detection technologies as an expense, consider it an investment--an investment in the safe operation of your business. Avoiding leaks can help you run more efficiently and reliably and prevent you from incurring expensive fines if a leak goes undetected. By implementing the right safeguards, you can reduce the risk of costly repairs, high fines, environmental damage, employee exposure, loss of quality, and high energy costs.
■ Leak detection technology – there are multiple methods of detecting refriger- ant leaks, and most have been around for decades. However, newer technology delivers better accuracy and a lower Total Cost of Ownership. Developed at the University of Nevada, Reno, with support from DARPA and the Department of Defense, Molecular Property Spectrometer™ (MPS™) sensors have exceeded the capabilities of traditional methods of detection.
■ Traditional sensors like non-dispersive infrared sensors, (NDIR) and catalytic bead sensors have serious limitations, most impor- tant their accuracy, ability to detect more than one type of gas, and potential to be negatively impacted by a wide range of environmental conditions. This can lead to false readings and failures, putting people and facilities at risk.
Unlike these alternatives, MPS sensors can detect up to 15 gases virtually instantaneously,
including various refrigerants. They are immune to poisoning and work up to five years without needing calibration. Their output reading contains multiple indicators and environmental data that can accurately identify the type and concentration of all gases in the near vicinity. These sensors can detect a full range of hazardous gases and can deliver an accurate reading for all gases. They provide automated environmental compensation and remain operational even in extreme environmental conditions. And they deliver a highly competitive total cost of ownership.
Zero-tolerance policy While it may be tempting to think that many of these costs are only incurred if you actually have a leak, the reality is that a leak can develop at any time. It's a gamble to retain outdated equipment and not have the best possible leak detection technologies employed. To truly safeguard business, a zero-tolerance policy is essential. This means that every possible effort to prevent and detect leaks must be developed as soon as possible. Food retailers have a lot to think about
when it comes to refrigeration units. But the bottom line is that every day that a company operates with outdated, leaking equipment or equipment that lacks proper leak detection methods, puts the business, employees, and the future profitability at risk.
The best possible move to make to protect the business is to upgrade leaking equipment and implement the best possible leak detection technology available: the MPS sensor. These changes are the only way to truly adopt a profitable mindset when it comes to gas leaks.
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