32 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026
project
“ The 2 ° C water is a result of the dehumidification we’ re doing on the AHUs to get to the correct RH,” Magnus noted.
By aligning chilled water generation with air-handling targets, the project ensured that the HVAC system could consistently hit Lactalis’ humidity specifications – a task that older Freon-based chillers could not guarantee.
The pharmaceutical-spec AHUs were at the centre of the HVAC redesign. Their washability, seamless drain pans and anti-microbial construction met European standards. This was critical because even microscopic design flaws – a seam where condensation could pool, for instance – could become a risk in a high-care infant formula facility.
Equally important was the zoning strategy. Following pharmaceutical cleanroom logic, areas were tiered by cleanliness, with positive pressure maintained in the most sensitive spaces. Dampers, integrated with sensors and linked to the AHU controls, automatically adjusted airflow to ensure pressure differentials were upheld.
This pressure cascade, from clean to less clean, was not only designed but carefully commissioned under real production conditions, adding to the challenge.
The refrigeration plant room has a plate heat exchanger with provision for any increase in future required capacity.
PROJECT EXECUTION: THE THREE-MONTH SHUTDOWN Perhaps the boldest aspect of the project was Lactalis’ decision to shut down production entirely for three months – a rare move in food and pharmaceutical industries, where upgrades usually happen alongside ongoing operations. This shutdown created an opportunity, but also a logistical race.“ Because we had to install a lot of ducting in most of the production areas, the client decided to do a complete upgrade
32 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026