Process Cooling, Refrigeration Systems Tips
August 31, 2009
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Flex Your Power, California's statewide energy-efficiency marketing and outreach campaign, offers several no-cost and low-cost tips for reducing the operating costs for process cooling and refrigeration systems.
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- Consider load shifting during periods of high-energy use and/or using thermal storage during periods of low-energy use to reduce the total energy demand.
- Eliminate heat losses from leaks and improper defrosting. This action can reduce refrigeration system energy use by 10 to 20 percent.
- Freeze products in batches rather than continuously. This measure can reduce freezing process energy use by up to 20 percent.
- Add evaporator capacity to reduce evaporator approach temperature and raise suction pressure.
- Install a thermosyphon cooling system to cool the compressor oil.
- Install additional condensing capacity to reduce discharge pressure. Reducing condenser pressure by 10 psi can decrease refrigeration system energy use per ton of refrigeration by about 6 percent.
- Installing variable speed drives in place of constant speed drives can reduce cooling system energy use by 30 percent to 50 percent, depending on load profile.
- Insulate cooler/freezer area.
- Invest in mechanical subcooling - an effective method of cooling liquid refrigerant below saturation pressure in order to increase system capacity and improve efficiency. Energy savings can be achieved up to 25 percent.