New 'best practice' guidelines for cold and chill refrigeration facilities

摘要

New research by Dr Andy Pearson of Star Refrigeration reveals that the energy consumption of a modem, well-maintained temperature-controlled storage facility can now be less than 30% of the currently accepted UK's 'Best Practice' Guidelines figures. Over the last two decades, various European studies on energy performance, including the UK's 'Best Practice' benchmark identified by The Energy Technology Support Unit, have concluded that the operation of a low-temperature, industrial-size cold store facility (roughly 100,000 m3) requires more than 30 kWh of energy per cubic meter per year (30kWh/m3/yr). However, these guidelines do not account for the significant improvements made in refrigeration plant efficiency over the past years which have the potential to save temperature controlled storage and distribution businesses millions of pounds on energy bills and carbon emissions. New research presented to The International Institute of Refrigeration by Dr Andy Pearson, group managing director of Star Refrigeration, provides a more accurate benchmark in energy performance best practice as it incorporates data supplied from analysis of various modern cold and chill stores across the country. The research entitled 'Energy Performance of Industrial Cold Storage Facilities' indicates an energy use in larger facilities of between 15%-30% of the generally recognised figure from two decades ago.