The Switzerland-based Bachem Group specializes in developing and manufacturing peptides and oligonucleotides. As a full-service provider, Bachem offers products for clinical active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) development and commercial applications as well as exclusive custom synthesis.

The annual conference and trade show of the Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association was held in the Chicago area.

U.S. food producers waste approximately 40 percent of the end-product before it reaches the final consumer. In total, this number comes out to approximately 36 billion pounds of food. A primary driver of product loss is poor environmental conditions that cause food to spoil or lose quality.

A top priority of companies today is to protect the climate while meeting energy demands. Many are looking to improve their thermal processes in an ecologically friendly manner. 

Ammonia is a toxic gas and the proper safety monitoring procedures and equipment must always be in place to avoid serious accidental injury or death.

Fluorocarbons such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) — long the industrial refrigerant of choice — are no longer a viable option due to increasing environmental restrictions.

A list of articles you shouldn’t miss. Here are my picks for standout articles that you may have overlooked.

A permanent concrete waterproofing solution is expected to help the new Louisiana Pigment specialty chemicals plant in Westlake, La., get long life from its cooling tower. The waterproofing agent is designed to protect concrete structures exposed to groundwater pressure.

Johnson Controls joined the Digital Twin Consortium (DTC), an organization focused on the development of digital twin technology, or digital, virtual representations of a real-life system. They often are used to optimize maintenance. Members of DTC include companies such as Microsoft, GE Digital and Northrop Grumman.

A green-energy startup produced what it says is the first commercial battery electric truck refrigeration system.

Grundfos, a provider of pump solutions and water technologies, entered into an agreement to acquire Mechanical Equipment Co. Inc. (MECO). U.S.-based MECO provides industrial water treatment products and technologies.

A multinational brewery in the United Kingdom installed a system that will deliver 1.2 MW of process cooling to a beer-bottling plant line.

The latest version of IIAR 2, a standard for the design of safe closed-circuit ammonia refrigeration systems, has been published by the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR).

An indoor cannabis cultivation facility in Massachusetts ordered three 400-ton chillers from Tecogen Inc., Waltham, Mass.

Canada’s Feel Foods Ltd. completed construction of a 2,600 ft³ cold-storage facility. The cold storage and corporate headquarters in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, will serve as the logistical hub for both its plant-based meat and cheese products.

Munters signed a strategic turnkey project to design and build a full-scale lithium battery laboratory in Scandinavia. Lithium battery production requires a highly controlled environment with stable temperature and humidity in order to ensure high quality in the end product and safety in production.

Lineage Logistics LLC completed the expansion of its Heywood Northern Superhub in Manchester, United Kingdom. The upgraded facility will provide cold storage for major food manufacturing, service and retail brands.

Cold Summit Development is planning to add cold-storage warehouse space on property near the Port of Wilmington, N.C. The company aims to develop nearly 460,000 ft² of cold storage in two buildings.

Ice Cube Cold Storage & Logistics is building a, 200,000 ft² facility around the corner from its headquarters on the south coast of Massachusetts. The facility will focus its services on frozen value-added production and e-commerce fulfillment services.  

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore in Tasley, Va., unveiled the Freezer Expansion Project at its Eastern Shore Branch. The freezer and cooler expansion will enable the Foodbank to safely accept and distribute an additional 42,000 lb of frozen product and 92,000 lb of fresh produce to communities on the Eastern Shore and in southeastern Virginia.

Designed to control the flow of water, oil, air, gas, solvents, brine, vacuum and any other fluids not reactive with construction materials and free of sediment, the solenoid valve opens when energized and closes when de-energized.

Design features of the Vertex include a direct-drive fan system with EC motors and axial fans to maximize reliability and minimize unplanned downtime. 

Controlled heating around the inside perimeter of refrigeration system doors is used in applications in food and beverage processing as well as scientific, medical and transportation uses. 

The J Series of single-stage compressors includes nine models. 

Custom blast freezer features include bimetallic couplers; low temperature (-40) DX ammonia evaporator system with smart hot-gas defrost; antimicrobial fin materials and coil construction; and USDA sanitary design for food processing applications. 

A factory pretreatment can enhance passivation and minimize white rust for galvanized equipment requiring immediate heat load. 

Model PVS simplifies valve installation by minimizing the number of welds required for each valve group.

Presto W92 has a closed system design, so it can quickly heat things up and cool them down. 

With the PolyCool 1000 cooling die in combination with an extruder, it is possible to produce wet-textured proteins based on raw materials such as soy, pulses and oilseeds.

KSE Series has a compact, all-in-one package designed to minimize installation cost, maximize usable space and lower electric bills.

The Polytron 6100 EC WL is suited for use in plant expansions, upgrades or new installations.