Commercial refrigeration is a key component in many industries. Refrigeration is a must in food processing facilities, food distribution centers, warehouses, mortuaries, hospitals, and more. Requirements are very diverse. The majority of commercial systems are designed to meet the specific, and often unique, requirements of the business and the owner.
There are important considerations when designing an efficient system.
Size
There is a fine balance between the amount of storage space and the cost of operation. A business is designed to grow. It is better to have too much space in the refrigerator rather than too little. However, the unit should not be so large that the operating costs get out of control.
A unit that is too small will cycle more frequently. This puts unnecessary strain on the compressor, motor, fan drives, etc. A unit that is too big will not cycle often enough. This will result in unwanted icing, as humidity in the unit will not be eliminated.
Effective Operation vs. Cost of Operation
The cost of operating a commercial refrigerator is a major concern. There are steps that can be taken to address this issue.
- Moving people and material in and out of the refrigerator is a necessity. Using strip curtains is an effective way to keep the cool air in the refrigerator and the warm out of it.
- Cold air can leak through worn door gaskets. Check the seals periodically and replace them when needed.
- Turn out the lights periodically and check from the inside to see if there is any evidence of light coming from around the door area or other areas where the panels have been penetrated for services such as electricity supply.
The most effective and efficient system is a quality system. An inexpensive refrigerator is less efficient. With the cost of power always on the increase, it will not take long to spend more than it would have cost to purchase and install a quality unit.
Installing quality commercial refrigeration is the key to effective and efficient operations.
