Star cuts energy costs by 40% at distribution centre.
Renowned for its expertise in sustainable cooling technology for the temperature controlled storage sector, Star has enabled another leading distribution firm to cut annual energy costs by 40% at its facility in Wales.
Working with the company’s technical staff, Star designed and installed an environmentally conscious refrigeration plant for a cold storage facility at the site. The ammonia system replaced an existing plant that operated on R22 – an ozone-depleting refrigerant which is currently being phased out by EU legislation.
The global logistics specialist was looking for an energy efficient cooling system to serve a frozen food coldstore. The facility has a throughput of over 600 frozen pallets each week, with products from the region’s food manufacturers being distributed to retailers and food service outlets across the UK.
A world leader in cooling and heating system innovation, Star has a vast experience of distribution centre cooling solutions, spanning over 30 years. Star supplied a bespoke ammonia refrigeration plant for the coldstore, which houses six insulated chambers with fully automated doors and has a total volume of around 31,500 cubic metres.
Star designed, built, installed and commissioned a single stage pumped circulation ammonia refrigeration plant. With a total capacity of around 450kW, the plant delivers cooling via 10 evaporators to maintain the coldstore temperature at -22°C.
Star Refrigeration’s Director of Sales – Food Market, James Ward, says: “As part of the R22 phase out and a drive to reduce energy consumption across the clients estate, our system is designed for optimum operating efficiency at an affordable running cost. As well as operating on the natural refrigerant ammonia, the plant incorporates energy saving equipment and controls to provide significant electrical savings when compared to standard pumped circulation designs.”
He adds: “We are confident that as well as having a refrigeration plant that complies with environmental legislation, the operator will save around 40% off its annual energy bill thanks to the design of the system.”
Located in a new plant room adjacent to the cold store, the refrigeration plant features two screw compressors and one reciprocating compressor to give highly efficient part load operation. The ammonia system also includes surge drum, open flash intercooler and one common evaporative condenser. Star’s Telstar PLC computerised control and management system ensures optimum performance and energy efficiency, with HMI touch screen interface.
Star’s energy efficient plant design package includes defrost on demand, floating head suction pressure, an Aether condenser fan inverter controller and intelligent compressor controls. Star also improved the design of the existing cold store evaporators with graduated fin spacing to allow longer operation between defrosts.
When it comes to designing energy efficient cooling and heating systems, Star is a natural innovator. Star works with strategic partners across the globe to deliver low carbon, cost saving solutions.
