Best Practice Guide

Food and Beverage Growers and Processors

Introduction

Planning an Energy Program

Funding and Approval

Commissioning

On-the-Farm Energy Use

Lighting

Building Envelope

Central HVAC System

Boilers

Steam

Combined Heat and Power

Compressed Air

Refrigeration

Energy Use Basics

Proper Maintenance

Proper Operations

Energy-Smart Investment

Motors

Demand Response

Distributed Generation

Water Use


Fetzer Vineyard

J Vineyards and Winery

Mission Foods

S. Martinelli and Company

Sara Lee

Vineyard 29


View the Glossary

Refrigeration

Energy-Smart Investment

Printer-friendly version

Share your thoughts

Replace aging equipment
Whenever aging equipment needs to be replaced, consider purchasing the most efficient replacement model possible. Premium-efficiency motors (NEMA-rated) and variable speed drives for evaporator fans are particularly good investments.

Invest in insulation
In new construction, remember that paying more for insulation will save in the future on operating costs. Building with insulated concrete panels, for example, can reduce operational energy use as much as 67 percent compared with traditionally-built spaces.

Floating head pressure control
Switching from a fixed to a floating head pressure control system is more energy efficient, costs less to operate, and improves belt and fan life as well as reduces wear on other compressor parts. Simply put, this allows head pressure to "float" down to a predetermined minimum safety level. Under a floating control system, the energy efficiency increases and total energy use decreases.

Computer control system
A computer-control system ties together other energy-efficient features, making it easier and faster for managers to control energy use. Critical, real-time information is available remotely and can be archived in a historical record. Specific pieces of equipment can be automatically managed or programmed, eliminating the need for manual adjustments to operations. Moreover, computer controls allow managers to "see" the system as an integrated whole, rather than at its individual pieces, supplying them with better information.'

Evaporator fan controls
Easy to install and inexpensive, evaporator fans controls work so that every other fan is cycled on-and-off during periods of low activity or when lower outdoor temperatures reduce cooling loads. Fans can also be manually turned on/off to shed loads. Some fans come equipped with two speeds, usually full capacity and half-capacity.

Variable speed drives
Variable speed drives (VSDs) can be added to evaporator fans or condenser fans, significantly improving partial load control and reducing energy use. A VSD-equipped evaporator fan, for example, can reduce fan energy use by as much as 86 percent, depending on operations . Energy cost savings payback investment on average in about three years. VSDs also tend to make refrigerated spaces more comfortable for workers and less noisy.

Business Examples

J Wine was able to downsize refrigeration equipment because of its investment in extra insulation, saving $71,000 immediately and significantly lowering future utility costs.


In 2000, J Wine decided to expand refrigerated warehouse space to keep up with production. According to Dana DiLuvio, facility manager, "The biggest energy expense for any winery is refrigeration. For us, approximately 70 percent of our energy bill is for cold storage." From the time the fruit arrives for fermentation, until it goes out the door, temperature control is required. During the harvest season, the heat of fermentation must be displaced. Wines need to be cold stabilized before bottling, bringing large tanks down to near freezing temperatures. The entire plant must be maintained between 55º F to 60º F all year. Post harvest, almost 700,000 gallons of product in various sized tanks must all be chilled.


Because such a large portion of both expenses and profits depend on J's barrel warehouse, both DiLuvio and CEO Judy Jordan knew to invest in the most efficient and reliable system possible. This meant significant changes in insulation, a downsized, more efficient refrigeration unit, and computerized controls that stage variable-speed compressors to adjust operations according to actual loads.


For optimum results, DiLuvio green-lighted over $55,000 in additional insulation beyond code requirements, layering 3 inches of foam between concrete walls. This led to an immediate reward of $20,000 in energy efficiency rebates during the construction phase. However, J Wine discovered an unexpected bonus - because of the extra insulation, the company was able to save $71,000 on purchase and installation of downsized refrigeration equipment. Between the insulation, more efficient equipment, and optimized controls, J Wine saves a significant amount of energy and money from its refrigeration.


Resources

Northwest Food Processors Association ENERGY PORTAL, online information on process efficiency for refrigeration and freezing.

Industrial Refrigeration Best Practices Guide. Prepared by Cascade Energy Engineering for the Northwest Food Processors Association and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

The Industrial Refrigeration Consortium (IRC) is a collaborative effort between the University of Wisconsin Madison and industry. The goal of the IRC is to improve the safety, efficiency, and productivity of industrial refrigeration systems and technologies.

A Guide to Help You Reduce the Energy Use of Your Industrial Refrigeration System. Pacific Gas and Electric Company website.

Hochstein, A. Closing in on the Ideal: Door engineering that maximizes energy efficiency and handling productivity for today's cold storage facilities. Rite-Hite Corporation website.

Thermal Energy Storage Strategies for Commercial HVAC Systems. Application Note, Pacific Gas and Electric.