Refrigeration System Energy

Efficiencies
By: Reymond J. Prieto, P.E.
President of Kelly Refrigeration Services
(407) 297-1111
 Plant Energy Balance
An Energy Balance is a great tool to take a snap shot
of how the plant is running.
The actual plant production sets the load.
Once equipment is selected and the load is set, then
the supporting equipment (compressors,
condensers, vessels, valves, pipe, etc.) needs to be
able to match or exceed the load.
The energy balance allows this to be seen very
simply in a spreadsheet.
 Variable Frequency Drives
VFDs are starters for the fan motors with the ability
to slow the frequency down.
VFDs take advantage of the fan affinity laws.
One of the laws relates horsepower to speed, which
is a cubed function.
100% speed = 1.03=100% brake horsepower.
75% speed = 0.753 =42.2% brake horsepower.
50% speed = 0.53 =12.5% brake horsepower.
Capacity is about 1 to 1 ratio with speed.
 Evaporative Condenser
Selection of the condenser(s) is one of the most
significant decisions for energy efficiency and savings
The bigger the condenser is, the faster heat can be
removed out of the system.
Compressors dont have to work as hard.
Water treatment is very important to protect your
investment.
Evaporative cooled versus air cooled condensing.
 Refrigeration Equipment Selection
Remaining major equipment (compressors,
evaporators, pipe sizing, valve sizing, etc.) also play a
major role in energy efficiency.
If compressors, evaporators, pipe sizing, valve sizing
are selected too small, the system will have to work
harder spending more energy to do the same
amount of work.
 Central Controls System
Significantly reduce the energy consumed with
PLC/computer control.
React to system variables such as suction and
discharge pressures, cooler and freezer temperatures
as they change throughout the day and seasons.
On average, 15% to 20% reduction in energy use by a
refrigeration system once a good control system
has been completely installed.
 Insulation
Properly installed insulation helps keep the energy
that the evaporators, heat exchangers, compressors
and condensers worked so hard to remove out of the
product, and keep it out of the pipes.
Pay a penalty to have to cool things twice.
Spend the money and get equipment properly
insulated.
This is a payback expense.
 Hot Gas Defrost
Free energy, since youve already paid for the
compressor to compress the vapor and create the
hot gas.
Proper defrost cycles on frosted coils help keep un-
necessary heat out of the cooler and freezers.
Defrost timers or PLC control should be installed.
Cycle timing needs to be adjusted properly.
Seasonal adjustment.
 Service & Maintain System
Take care of your system.
Refrigeration equipment should be giving you a
minimum of 20 years and in several cases 40 years
plus.
A good target timeline is 30 year life on major
equipment.
It takes money to maintain these systems, but the
money spent in maintenance is far less that having to
buy new equipment.