Cold Link Africa May/June 2016 Vol 1 No 5 | Página 36

PROJECT
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Continued from Page 1

Inside the new state-of-the-art Imperial
Cold Logistics complex

I

mperial Cold Logistics had outgrown
their Gauteng facility in City Deep and
with newly acquired national distribution
contracts, needed more low temperature
storage space. In a record time of only
18 months from conception, the store
was commissioned and started receiving
product.
“After considering all our options, we
decided on a large new warehouse in
the extension of Linbro Industrial Park,”
says Anthony van Zyl, national warehouse
manager, Imperial Cold Logistics.
Fortunately most of floor of the 23 000m2
warehouse had not been completed
and could be cast to accommodate the
underfloor insulation and heating needed
for all the low temperature stores and
the rails for the mobile racking. A total of
371km of heating cable was laid beneath
the concrete floor!
Central ammonia refrigeration
The insulated panelling contract was
awarded to Isowall and the design
and contract for the central ammonia
refrigeration plant, was negotiated directly
with Multistage Cooling.
“In a matter of three weeks we had
completed the design, agreed upon
a contract price and started with the
fabrication of the valve stations,” explains
Bob Vuletic, owner of Multistage Cooling.
Vuletic and his team gained access to the
site on 8 June 2015 and by 27 November
2015, 50% of the plant was operational
and able to receive product.
When built, the roof structure did not
allow for the extra mass of evaporators,

but this was overcome by selecting
stainless steel coils which are much lower
in mass than the conventional galvanised
steel coils. Because of the time restraint,
Multistage pre-manufactured all the valve
stations at its Randburg workshop and
then transported to site.
Each evaporator, including those in the
air lock (dispatch and receiving area),
is mounted in an insulated pod with a
hydraulically operated flap that closes
when the coil is defrosted. Being in a
pod, the defrost time is shorter and the
possibility of moisture being blown into the
room, minimised.

2

3

A total of 371km of heating
cable was laid beneath the
concrete floor!
Valve stations are individually mounted
in insulated enclosures with an ammonia
leak detector to automatically shut off
the supply of ammonia in the event of
a leak. The enclosures allow for repairs
to the valve station or replacement of
a component to be done without any
interference with the piping insulation. Not
having to be concerned about the pipe
insulation will also reduce the time of any
repairs or maintenance needed to be
done on the valve stations.
Piping and vessels are insulated with
preformed polyurethane and a ‘Foil-toMylo’ vapour barrier protected by stainless
steel cladding done by Intertherm.

4

1

5

1. Close co-operation between client and contractor was needed to
complete the contract in a short period, from left: Anthony van Zyl (National
Warehouse, general manager), Brink Heinemann (manager, Linbro Park),
and Bob Vuletic (Multistage Cooling, owner).
2. Valve station to change ammonia flow between surge drums according to
demand.
3. Line-up of seven of the Grasso reciprocating compressors in the plant room.
4. Two of the reciprocating compressors operate on the low-low stage, -40°C.
5. Imperial Cold Logistics has a network of seven cold stores around South
Africa.

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COLD LINK AFRICA • May | June 2016