RACA Journal March 2020 | Page 54

Projects FROM HFC TO NATURAL AHEAD OF KIGALI PHASE-DOWN By John Ackermann The Woolworths store at the V&A Waterfront, the jewel in the crown of South Africa’s tourist attractions, has been converted from HFC 404A to natural CO 2 refrigerant. T Project team of Mainstream Refrigeration: From left: Chris Drinkrow, engineering; Jared Nel, IT; and Lourens van Staden, project manager. he V&A Waterfront is visited by thousands of tourists, local and overseas, each year and delegates of the Kigali Amendment Workshop held in Cape Town, were taken on a guided tour of the new Woolworths CO 2 refrigerant plant on 5 December 2019. The V&A Woolworths store on two floors in the Victoria and Alfred Shopping mall was opened in 2008. To enhance the convenience of the growing number of shoppers, the trading area was extended across three floors in 2019. The food market on the ground floor was moved to the basement into a space gained from the parking area. A new refrigeration plant room, back up cold stores, freezers and display cabinets, were installed and only once operational, was the food market on the ground floor, with a R404A charged refrigeration plant, decommissioned. The changeover was done without any interruption to the trading of perishables and welcomed with awe by shoppers when completed. Fresh produce and fruit beverage cabinets are without doors. 52 RACA Journal I March 2020 www.hvacronline.co.za