Natural refrigerants for food processing facility
In August 2024, a highly efficient, fully integrated CO₂/NH₃ refrigeration system with five BITZER ACPs was completed and commissioned for a mid-sized food processing facility in Los Angeles, California, United States. This system, utilising all-natural refrigerants, delivers a massive cooling capacity of 1200 TR (approx. 4.22 MW) across low- and medium-temperature ranges. It replaced R22 with a new cascade low-charge design, incorporating ammonia and CO₂.
The innovative low-charge ammonia design uses CO₂ brine and glycol as secondary refrigerants. Additionally, the CO₂/NH₃ condenser effectively doubles the cooling capacity for two spiral freezers, provides liquid product chilling via stainless-steel heat exchangers, and powers a glycol falling film chiller. The entire refrigeration system is managed by VaCom's UL-listed rPRO Control Panel Series and VaCom's Digital Services Platform, featuring a floating pressure control algorithm for seamless, efficient operation and energy savings.
Project requirements/challenges:
- Cascade design
- High cooling capacities
- Increased efficiency
- Energy savings
- Low refrigerant charge
The refrigeration system at Jessie Lord Bakery sets new standards in the food processing industry with its combination of sustainability and high performance. It ensures efficient operation and enables significant energy savings, benefiting both the environment and operational costs.
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