2024 PROJECTS production capacity by 50 % with a factory extension incorporating a high-tech refrigeration system officially launched in mid-February . The owners of the processing plant set their sights on having the most energy and operationally efficient plant possible for their expanded pork production . The enlarged factory is equipped with the largest continuous box freezer in Africa , capable of freezing 120 000kg of products to -18 ° C every 24 hours . Boxes move on a conveyor belt through the freezing chamber where the air is kept at -31 ° C . The chilled and frozen warehouses now have multi-level picking mezzanine floor systems , the first of their kind in the food industry in South Africa . Refurbishment projects are inherently challenging , especially when integrating complex additional piping and mechanical systems into an existing , operational refrigeration system . In this case , the refrigeration system capacity was increased from 2850 kWR to 4600 kWR while ensuring minimal downtime for the client ’ s operations , a priority throughout the project .
Image credit : Cold Link Arica
SEPTEMBER
CAPE ’ S BABYLONSTOREN OPENS NEW COLD STORE WAREHOUSE IN MIDRAND Babylonstoren , renowned for its premium Cape fresh produce , has significantly bolstered its operations with the opening of a new cold store warehouse in Midrand , Gauteng , for regional distribution of its rapidly growing online store . New rooms were built to specifications , such as : a glass freezer room , cold fresh fine picking , cold holding , 3x12 foot Coldcab lofty dairy upright display fridges , loading and carton live , cold delivery and dispatch . All these areas operate at specific temperatures as required for optimal storage of products . Part of the overall project involved establishing a conveyor belt system for ease of storage involving a cold holding room and a cold picking room . Cool Reaction approached Daikin for a solution for the project , with Daikin ZEAS refrigeration condensers mounted on the outside of the wall to save internal space . Cool Reaction was also involved with the air conditioning equipment consisting of mainly ducted hideaway splits and cassette units .
Image credit : Cold Link Africa
OCTOBER
SOVEREIGN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CAAS WITH ENERGY PARTNERS Sovereign entered a Cooling-as-a-Service ( CaaS ) agreement with Energy Partners ( EP ) to meet growing production demands as efficiently and reliably as possible at its Hartbeespoort facility . Under the terms of the agreement , EP decommissioned two separate , outdated refrigeration plants at the Hartbeespoort facility , building a separate , central refrigeration plant .
In addition to meeting Sovereign ’ s efficiency and cooling needs , the new plant would also have to adhere to stringent noise level regulations . The new system features a threestage ammonia refrigeration process with evaporative condensers and water-based oil cooling . The combined refrigeration capacity is 5.47 MWR . Several elements have been included to boost operational efficiency and sustainability , including a master control system that optimises the entire refrigeration process , compressors and condensers that are equipped with variable speed drives for superior energy management , as well as a heat reclaim mechanism that utilises waste heat to preheat water , reducing boiler fuel use .
Image credit : Energy Partners
NOVEMBER
PICK N PAY UPCYCLES AIR- CONDITIONING SYSTEMS , SAVING ENERGY AND REDUCING WASTE With the objective of using less energy and reducing unnecessary waste , VMG Consultants is assisting Pick n Pay to refurbish its air conditioning systems across multiple stores with energy-efficient technology while keeping over 15 tonnes of waste from landfill . For instance , during the 2020 renovation of Pick n Pay On Nicol , the retailer benefited from the significant environmental perk of refurbishing air handling units ( AHUs ) instead of replacing them , and 14 stores had their AHUs refurbished , with another 17 in the pipeline . This includes refurbishing water-cooled packaged units to air-cooled ones , focusing on the waste hierarchy of reducing and reusing to improve sustainability . Each refurbishment keeps about half a tonne of polystyrene - which isn ’ t recyclable – from landfill , sparking a wider rollout of the strategy . Image credit : Elmec Airconditioning
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