25 September 2024
|
One of Ireland's leading food producers is enjoying the energy-saving benefits of an Aermec chiller solution as it looks to boost efficiencies and prepare for future growth.
Craigavon-based Avondale supplies multiple retailers in Ireland and the UK with a wide range of fresh products and manufactures the ‘Country Kitchen’ ranges specifically for the NI market. It also has an on-site bakery for additional lines including croutons, doughballs and porridge.
Faced with replacing an ageing chiller and the financial outlay required, Avondale saw an opportunity to take advantage of modern technologies to drive down its carbon emissions and boost efficiencies. The brief specified lower running costs, lower noise levels, attractive ROI and, to maximise its investment, future-proofing. The system had to be flexible and designed to enable capacity to meet further increases in demand for its products.
In addition, Avondale invested in a smart compressor control using Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) to further increase efficiencies. VSDs were integrated on both the refrigeration circuits and this reduced the chiller’s energy consumption further, even when running continuously at high loads. The VSDs enable modulation of the scroll compressors operation in Aermec’s air-cooled chiller.
An Aermec NRB0800Y air-cooled chiller with a nominal cooling capacity of 129.7kW was selected. The system circulates water in a chilled water loop through a heat exchanger which provides chilled water for food processing. The chiller provides a reliable supply of cool water for the cold-water tanks within an acceptable tolerance and the heat exchanger provides cooling for soups and coleslaws.
Aermec says that monitoring of the chiller over a set period showed tangible savings. The chiller’s four compressors were rated at a nominal electrical consumption of 30kW. Data showed that the chiller was on standby 46% of the time, ran one or two compressors for 27% of the time and only used three of the four compressors for 6% of the time. During standby the chiller cycled in and out to maintain the required temperatures. The chiller showed a reduction in electrical consumption of 41% which was largely as a result of the VSD drives. Retrofitting variable speed drives helped Avondale achieve significant energy savings.
Some modifications were carried out; to minimise cooling interruption the chiller was designed to include a fast re-start within three minutes, thus reducing the risks of expensive downtime and ensuring fast delivery of chilled water at the desired temperature.
