Food suply

Functioning prototypes show how CO₂ (R744) can be successfully used in applications such as bottle coolers, refrigerated containers and mobile air-conditioning without increasing costs or compromising on efficiency as compared to HFCs, according to Stefan Elbel, CEO of Creative Thermal Solutions (CTS), the Urbana, Illinois (U.S.), HVAC&R research company.

Started accepting orders for commercial freezers using natural refrigerants.

Scantec Refrigeration Technologies, an Australian industrial refrigeration system provider, installed a low-charge ammonia/NH₃ (R717) system to serve three high-rise freezer rooms at a Malaysian cold storage facility, achieving a specific energy consumption (SEC) more than seven times lower than that of the facility’s previous ammonia liquid-overfeed system.

Energy Partners Refrigeration (EPR), a South African cooling-as-a-service (CaaS) implementer, installed a 10MW (2,843TR) two-stage ammonia/NH₃ (R717) system at South Africa’s largest dairy company, Clover, in 2022, and the performance has so far exceeded forecasts.

EcoChill’s on-farm CO₂ cooling and water heating system for dairy farms could realize significant savings, presented Matthew Darby during ATMO APAC.

In a study coordinated by energy-efficiency-as-a-service (EeaaS) company Budderfly, two Subway restaurants in Connecticut (U.S.) realized average energy savings of 50% by installing U.S. manufacturer Refrigerated Solutions Group (RSG)’s new propane (R290) Capsule Pak ECO refrigeration system for indoor walk-in coolers and freezers.

Dutch supermarket chain Boon’s Markt, part of the Boon Food Group, has fitted its newest store in the village of Wolphaartsdijk with propane (R290)-based refrigeration display cases from Lithuanian manufacturer Freor.

Alaska-based Denali Brewing and Spirits has completed the commissioning, site training and startup of its PROGreen CO₂ (R744) chiller from U.S. manufacturer Pro Refrigeration; it is one of the first CO2 process cooling chillers installed in the U.S.

Since bringing its transcritical CO₂ (R744) condensing units to the Australian and New Zealand market in 2020, Japanese manufacturer Panasonic, in partnership with its New Zealand-based subsidiary McAlpine Hussmann, has seen a steady growth in sales each year.

The global HVAC-R market was valued at $193.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $257.9 billion in 2027, following a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period 2022-2027. The growth in the global HVAC-R market is expected to be driven by increasing population and rapid urbanization, drastic change in weather conditions, and emerging innovation in HVAC-R.

While Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has focused its rollout of natural refrigerants on CO₂ (R744) systems, the company also has its eye on hydrocarbons.

Refrigerants market is expected to reach at USD 8.4 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period. The most used natural refrigerants are ammonia, carbon dioxide, and HCs such as propane and isobutene. Technological advancements in cooling equipment are replacing traditional refrigerants such as HCFC and HFC with natural ones. This has increased the market share of natural refrigerants in applications such as air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating systems.

The cold chain must be sustainable everywhere to be able to meet the Millennium’s targets indeed.

An inverter propane (R290) compressor can reduce the energy consumption of vending machines by up to 27% compared to a fixed-speed compressor, according to research conducted by Embraco, a Brazilian manufacturer and brand of Nidec Global Appliance.

Test installations of R290 self-contained refrigeration systems in walk-in coolers at two Subway restaurants in Connecticut are said to have shown average energy savings of 50%.

The first hypermarket opened by French multinational retailer Carrefour in Cameroon is also the first to feature CO₂ refrigeration.

Austrian manufacturer AHT, part of Daikin, highlighted its propane (R290)-based cabinets and Active Monitoring System (AMS) as part of World Refrigeration Day, celebrated yesterday (June 26) under the theme “Cooling Matters.”

Hillphoenix announced the launch of R290 self-contained display cases, part of the company’s Second Nature® Natural product line. R290 cases are the newest addition to Hillphoenix’s expansive natural refrigerant portfolio and provide customers with a plug-and-play, flexible and compliant solution for their retail operations.

U.S.-based supermarket chain Hannaford has equipped the entire frozen section of its new store in Brunswick, Maine, with propane (R290) self-contained cases, according to a recent presentation by Harrison Horning, Director of Maintenance, Retail Business Services – Hannaford and Stop & Shop, part of Ahold Delhaize.

Supermarket giant releases findings from store trial looking at energy efficiency impacts of switching from older CO₂ solution to a lower flammability A2L system.