Part 2: How to get the best refrigeration equipment?
What type of installation should you choose?
21. Ensure that the equipment you choose combines the four key functions your business needs: it highlights your products, provides customer and staff comfort, ensures quality food refrigeration and uses as little energy as possible.
For more information about the criteria for selecting refrigeration equipment, go to the Energie+ website
22. Ensure that the temperature in the room in which your refrigeration equipment is installed (coolers, freezers, cold rooms, etc.) is in an area that is right to ensure their proper functioning. In terms of good practices, be sure not to place it near heat sources and minimise the number of times the doors are opened. Defrosting and cleaning the equipment on a regular basis will ensure optimal performance.
23. Call a UCM energy advisor and apply for Energy Pack financial support. It can help you finance up to 40% of the replacement of your existing equipment. It can also provide you with free support to select the right equipment or assess the performance of your existing equipment.
Energy Pack Bruxelles Environnement
How to select the right positive cold equipment?
24. Be sure to choose vertical display cases that close (plastic curtains, non-airtight doors, etc.) to keep the cold inside. Note: seals in poor condition can result in overconsumption of 15%.
25. If they don’t have doors (because there isn’t enough room, trapezoid shape, etc.), install horizontal display cases with an air curtain which runs continuously (the equipment cannot be shut off) and a night curtain or panel.
Night curtain for horizontal display cases
26. Reduce your energy consumption by 30% to 40% by equipping your refrigeration equipment with removable panels or curtains.
How to select the right negative cold display case?
27. Choose vertical refrigerated display cases with airtight doors. Excess opening and closing and defective seals will lead to frost on the sides of the case, resulting in energy overconsumption. Each centimetre of frost will result in overconsumption of 25% on average.
To assess the condition of the seals, slip a sheet of paper between the doorjamb and the door. Close the door and pull on the sheet of paper. Does it slip out easily? The seal isn’t tight.
Vertical negative cold display case
28. Be sure that your horizontal display cases have a cover, at least.
For more information about the criteria to select food refrigeration equipment, go to the d’Energie+ website
What type of cold rooms and equipment should you use?
29. Be sure that your refrigerating unit is well situated, especially the condenser, which is the heart of the unit. Equipment will operate optimally when the ambient temperature is 10 to 15°C. The room must be ventilated when the condenser is located inside the building. Ideally? Put the condenser outside, facing north if possible, protected from the sun and bad weather. It should be taken care of like a car engine (oil level, vibration, electrical connections, etc.).
30. Insulate the cold rooms and the floors they are on.
31. Be sure about the size you need. If the equipment is too big for the quantities stored, it will consume more energy. Likewise, if it is too small, the equipment will also overconsume. Product rotation will be too quick and the doors will be opened too often.
32. Avoid keeping the doors open for long and opening them unnecessarily.
33. Check the condition of the door seals. If they are crushed, cracked or unstuck, they will facilitate energy loss which will be offset by overconsumption.
34. Clean the compressor filter on a regular basis to avoid breakdowns. Keep the evaporator blades clean to ensure good airflow. This will ensure that there is no frost, which is detrimental to proper heat exchange. Slightly dirty or overly frosted equipment can cause a decrease in performance of 5% to 25%.
35. Have the equipment serviced by a qualified professional at least once a year. In addition to this in-depth maintenance, which is also a legal requirement, check that your equipment is running properly on a regular basis. This will avoid worries and help you save.
36. If you can, get modern programmable equipment. It will cost more to buy, but is easier to use and, therefore, quickly amortised and profitable.
