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© Eamonn Ryan Cold Link Africa
Ammonia plant at OTTC .
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offering is available for manufacturers who prefer to implement Heos solutions using the individual components , in this case for both CO 2 and propane . Semi plug-in systems , above all when cooled by a water loop , are cost-effective and sustainable , as the risk of leakages is drastically lower than in the traditional centralised approach with compressor racks and remote cabinets . |
Furthermore , the refrigerant charge can be reduced by up to 80 % and the energy saving and maintenance options , including preventive maintenance , can be managed via Cloud . There is now increasing demand for devices that can maximise energy usage and minimise waste .
Sustainability is one of the key aspects in all the different stages of design and implementation of technologies in a food retail store . t-Store is CAREL ’ s modular and scalable solution that guarantees the highest levels of integration and optimisation of all the systems typically installed in a retail store , whatever the format . More specifically , it is a combined proposal of solutions and services that simplifies synergy between the typically highest energy consuming areas , reducing operating costs not only of food refrigeration , but also of heating and air conditioning systems , lighting and energy management , i . e . reading and monitoring the electrical parameters and overall consumption of the connected loads , so as to monitor demand and avoid critical situations that can lead to hidden waste .
CAREL ’ s third tool for achieving sustainability is to no longer consider each ‘ individual ’ unit but rather the concepts of connections and systems , and consequently multiple devices that exchange information
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with each other . All CAREL solutions feature a high level of connectivity , simplifying commissioning , monitoring and maintenance through specific software and dedicated apps .
TRAINING IS KEY IN AMMONIA FOR SAFETY REASONS OTTC has that rarity – a fully-fledged ammonia training course in South Africa up to diploma level , says Isolde Döbelin , director of Open Trade Training Centre ( OTTC ), which attracts the bulk of its student enrolment . 3
“ Peter Döbelin , founder of OTTC and Ammonia expert from Germany saw the need for the course , developing the OTTC Ammonia Diploma in 1993 for safeguarding people and their lives ,” she explains , referring to her late husband .
“ This was the first private training centre worldwide to offer training on ammonia refrigeration . Until now there have been more than 500 OTTC Ammonia Technician graduates working in high positions worldwide in the ammonia industries .” Its courses include :
• OTTC has a full new programme for ammonia training
• OTTC Ammonia Qualification for apprentice ( new )
• OTTC Ammonia Maintenance ( new )
• OTTC Ammonia Technician Diploma
• OTTC Ammonia Safe Handling
• OTTC Risk Assessment ( new )
• OTTC Ammonia Design OTTC has a fully functional Ammonia Training Plant since 2001 sponsored by the German and South African Industry .
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Döbelin explains that ammonia refrigeration is mainly used in big cold stores for the food industries but is also used for manufacturing and especially mining industries . In South Africa ammonia has been used since 1930 and there are +/ - 3 800 ammonia plants in use . These are mainly large plants , but even smaller plants are today using ammonia , where an owner insists on using a natural refrigerant .
“ One client like this is Nestle . The reason for their use of a natural refrigerant is that they don ’ t contribute to global warming nor ozone depletion and therefore are environment friendly . Nestle ’ s new head office in Johannesburg is indirectly cooled with ammonia refrigeration . Ammonia cools
Hydrofluorocarbons ( HFCs ) are also greenhouse gases often described in terms of their global warming potential ( GWP ), which is the tendency of a substance to persist in the environment while absorbing energy and , thus , retain higher energy and temperatures in the atmosphere .
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