CO2 Refrigeration Chosen for COVID-19 Vaccine Storage Warehouse in Spain
A COVID-19 vaccine storage warehouse, opened in Spain last year, selected a PowerCO2OL CO2 (R744) refrigeration rack from OEM Carrier Commercial Refrigeration for its cooling needs.
It is the first time that CO2 refrigeration is being used by a storage warehouse to “preserve and protect the efficacy of a critical vaccine in Spain,” according to a statement from Carrier. The customer chose Carrier to supply equipment for the first phase of its new warehouse due to the “all-in-one solution’s delivery capability.”
The PowerCO2OL can reach temperatures down to -45°C (-49°F) with precise temperature control up to +/-2 kelvin (+/-3.6°F).
Other companies that produce COVID-19 vaccine-storage systems using natural refrigerants include Stirling Ultracold and Mirai Intex.
Vaccines, including the new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, require very precise temperature control to maintain their efficacy, and Carrier “has a long track record of warehouse installations and a comprehensive line of refrigeration systems for the safe storage of pharmaceuticals, including vaccines,” the statement added.
“Carrier is committed to maintaining a safe and sustainable cold chain,” said David Appel, President of Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, which is based in Rueil-Malmaison, France. “It is even more critical when it comes to protecting the integrity of vital COVID-19 vaccines.”
“Our natural refrigerant technology, featured in the PowerCO2OL refrigeration system, delivers proven accuracy and efficiency for better control over cold chain storage,” David Appel, President of Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, which is based in Rueil-Malmaison, France
The Carrier PowerCO2OL system
Carrier’s PowerCO2OL system has capacities up to 1.5MW (426.5TR) per rack, with full heat recovery, and can be combined in installations of up to 5MW (1,421.7TR). The PowerCO2OL can reach temperatures down to -45°C (-49°F) with precise temperature control up to +/-2 kelvin (+/-3.6°F). The system can be delivered as both single and dual temperature and can be configured for both indoor and outdoor installation.
The units sport ejector technology and multiple configurations with options for direct expansion, flooded liquid chillers, pump-assisted flooded systems and liquid-to-liquid heat pumps. The PowerCO2OL units are sized from three to eight medium-temperature compressors and a maximum of six low-temperature compressors.
The vaccine-storage warehouse in Span is far from the only end user to choose CO2 refrigeration from Carrier in the last few years. In August 2021, the company reached a large milestone with 18,000 CO2 installations around the world.