Retailers look to retrofit insulation By Eamonn Ryan

Insulated panel systems are ideally suited for thermally controlled environments such as cold storage freezers , coolers , food processing and packing facilities .

Critical to today ’ s cold chain is the energy saving achieved by insulation around refrigerated spaces , and more specifically insulated panels . The more that lower temperatures can be conserved , the less the refrigeration plant has to work .

Insulated panels are associated for the most part with storage rooms for produce . However , their application in the cold chain extends further into cold and freezer rooms , food production facilities , display fridges , food preparation areas , abattoirs , medical rooms , growing environments , specialist applications , distribution and transportation services – any area where conditions for control are required in order to avoid premature decay of the product . This may include temperature as well as hygiene safety factors , and are also critical to fire retardation .

South Africa has , over the last few years , seen the construction of countless facilities as the country becomes increasingly reliant on imports – particularly cold stores and distribution centres directly related to the cold chain . Local and international organisations and manufacturers alike have achieved the raising of standards .

SUPERMARKET CABINET RETROFITS ACCELERATE Retail supermarkets are closely concerned with their daily electricity consumption , given how much many are paying on diesel to prolong the life of foodstuff in their refrigerated cabinets , open displays and top sliders . Closing open displays in supermarkets by putting glass doors on the front or top to contain energy for longer can result in savings of up to 40 % of the energy consumed by their cabinets , which is one of their major expenses . This means their refrigeration plant is not going to have to work for as long as it previously did to get the same temperatures in their cabinets , as they ’ re no longer open .

At least one supplier reports a big jump in interest in retrofits this year compared to last , due primarily to Eskom ’ s loadshedding . Funds are being made available for retrofits on a large scale by some supermarket franchises to look at energy saving alternatives .

Glacier Door Systems display some of their insulation products at 2022 Frigair .

Retrofits to pull back the kilowatts required have been one of the key themes in the sector among those businesses able to undertake such retrofits . The sliding door has to be tailored to a specific cabinet , and the refrigeration temperature has to be throttled back or products will freeze – as it isn ’ t pulling in the same amount of ambient air . Consequently , ‘ first prize ’ would be for the initial design to incorporate the glass doors .

This doesn ’ t apply everywhere : in high traffic discount supermarkets the doors are being continually opened letting in the ambient air , and doors also get damaged due to narrow aisles .

The major focus at the moment for anyone in the HVAC & R sector is how to assist customers to save energy .

For instance , there is a shift to thicker insulation panels for certain applications , though whether a project owner opts for this often comes down to the financial viability comparing whether the higher price of the thicker panel is worth the longterm saving of electricity or condensing unit time . When 80mm would suffice why spend extra for 100mm ?

An anchor tenant in a particular building is not the one making the decision – typically a retail franchisee is on a three-tofive-year lease and wants only something functional . It ’ s the mall owner ’ s decision as it is they who are primarily interested in keeping down their cost , while a contractor is equally concerned as to a supplier ’ s quality and service delivery .

Mall owners may be prepared to look at capex from a total cost of ownership perspective in terms of lowering ongoing maintenance and energy costs down the line , though elsewhere historically the trend has been primarily to look at only the upfront capex . Now the current electricity outages debacle has forced developers to take a closer look at anything related to reducing energy consumption , and insulation falls squarely into that concept .

In comparing polyurethane with polystyrene , the choice boils down to the density value ( DV ) in the polyurethane panel . While polystyrene is cheaper , there are variances in grade .

Some products have had a reputation for being a fire hazard , and some manufacturers have responded with a fire-retardant product – but not all . Polyurethane has always been known as more expensive but is known for its fire self-extinguishing property .

R & D at various manufacturers involves a look both at other insulation types as well as the energy efficiency of existing products such as a polyisocyanurate ( PIR ) panel ,

which is safer and more eco-friendly . The flame retardant in polyiso is less toxic than the types used for other insulations . The drawback is that this is the most expensive of all the options .

Insurers are becoming more aware of the need for better fire-rated panels in structures to reduce their risk . In response , some panel manufacturers are embarking on an education drive among customers on the benefits of fire retardation and the financial benefits flowing from reduced insurance premiums as well as its lower risk .

Increasingly the cooling aspect of insulation panels will have to work hand in hand with its fire-retardant qualities , and this varies depending on the particular application , for instance whether a residential structure or for storage .

DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND APPLICATIONS Tammy Grove , manager of Kingspan South Africa explains the different options , applications and thermal properties . “ The options are various , and widely available : Thermoset insulated materials such as polyisocyanurate ( PIR ) Quadcore or

If the insulated panel wall thickness is increased , then the amount of heat entering the store will be reduced . The power consumption is directly proportional to the amount of heat that enters the cold store and must be removed to maintain the low temperature .

1 2

1 and 2 : Closed panels on supermarket cabinets will one day be the norm .

Cold Link Africa CLA_June_2023 | Page 17

Insulated panel systems are ideally suited for thermally controlled environments such as cold storage freezers , coolers , food processing and packing facilities .

Retailers look to retrofit insulation By Eamonn Ryan

Insulated panel systems are ideally suited for thermally controlled environments such as cold storage freezers , coolers , food processing and packing facilities .

Critical to today ’ s cold chain is the energy saving achieved by insulation around refrigerated spaces , and more specifically insulated panels . The more that lower temperatures can be conserved , the less the refrigeration plant has to work .

COLD LINK AFRICA • June 2023 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 17